iWorld
Young Indians prefer mobile for news & entertainment over TV, radio
KOLKATA: Young Indian consumers do prefer mobile devices over traditional media like television and radio for information, current affairs as well as source of entertainment. Going forward this trend is poised to surge in the coming years, said telecom operator Tata Docomo.
According to mobile service provider Tata Docomo, which recently conducted a research on mobility trends, the Internet represented the preferred mode for both news and entertainment accounting for around 40 per cent and 45 per cent of the space respectively.
This is dominated by mobile access, however, with 33 per cent of millennials (new generation consumers) consulting mobile in the first instance for news (compared to just seven per cent through a fixed connection), and 36 per cent using the same platform to source entertainment and leisure information (just nine per cent for fixed connections).
“This study reveals the declining relevance of traditional information platforms as primary information sources, particularly with respect to entertainment and leisure subjects where nearly a third of respondents turn directly to social media (Facebook, Twitter etc.) in the first instance,” said Tata Docomo digital business head Praveen Gupta.
The study further said the shift towards mobile content is already underway in India.
“Around 63 per cent of millennial mobile users are as comfortable with mobile advertising as they are with TV or online advertising; in fact only 3.1 per cent of Indian millennials consider brands that advertise on TV as being modern, compared to more than twice that number who associate smartphone advertisers with the same quality,” the study said.
Gaming
Formula 1 and Mumbai Falcons launch India’s first official F1 sim racing championship
Nationwide competition creates pathway from virtual racing to pro motorsport
MUMBAI: Formula 1 has teamed up with Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited to launch India’s first officially sanctioned F1 sim racing competition, marking a new step in the country’s growing motorsport ecosystem.
The championship, titled F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026, will offer a structured national platform for sim racers, with participants competing on the official F1 25 across multiple stages. The competition will begin with online qualifiers, followed by city-based simulator rounds, before culminating in a national final in Mumbai this November.
Open to players across PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox, registrations for the event will begin on 30 April via the Mumbai Falcons app. The format mirrors real-world racing, featuring official circuits, team liveries and competitive structures aligned with the global series.
Formula 1 driver Narain Karthikeyan said the initiative arrives at a time when interest in the sport is surging in India, adding that a structured sim racing platform could help identify and nurture the next generation of talent.
Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited managing director Ameet Gadhoke noted that the championship aligns with the team’s long-term goal of building a strong motorsport pipeline in the country and placing Indian talent on the global stage.
The launch also reflects broader momentum in esports, especially after its recognition under India’s Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025. By bridging gaming and real-world racing, the initiative aims to offer aspiring drivers a credible entry point into professional motorsport.
With interest in Formula 1 steadily rising and conversations around its return to India gaining pace, the new championship could become a proving ground for future racing stars.
