iWorld
Nokia MixRadio broadens the horizon for music lovers in India
MUMBAI: Nokia MixRadio, the popular global music streaming service today announced its collaboration with talented musician and popular artiste, Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. Ustad Khan joins a long list of celebrated artistes such as Lady Gaga and India’s very own Priyanka Chopra to collaborate with the popular music app – Nokia MixRadio.
Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan will also be exclusively curating playlists for Nokia MixRadio giving music lovers across 31 countries exclusive access and insight to the singer’s renditions and musical tastes. This service will be available across popular ranges such as the Nokia Lumia and the Nokia X family.
Mr. Viral Oza, Director Marketing, Nokia India Sales, a subsidiary of Microsoft Mobile Oy says, “As Nokia MixRadio expands into the emerging market of digital global music streaming in developing markets, it is slated to see an upswing of growth resulting in one in every fifteen users coming from India. To cater to this rising user demographic we are slated to position Nokia MixRadio as the ultimate gateway to not only offer diversely curated domestic music but also the best of international music. Through our collaboration with an iconic artiste like Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan we look to give our consumers across different platforms the best music experience at their fingertips”
Speaking ahead of the occasion, Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan said, “It is great to experience what Mix Radio is all about and being part of such a project is overwhelming. I want my album “Back 2 Love” to reach out to the masses and global audience. Mix Radio is surely the best way forward for this. The producer of this album, Salman Ahmed and MD of UMI, Devraj Sanyal both have been instrumental in making this happen. There are two amazing videos as well which I am sure will be loved by all my music lovers”.
Devraj Sanyal, Managing Director, Universal Music/EMI Music, South Asia said; “The long awaited new album ‘Back 2 Love’ from the legend Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan is a collection of ten stunning new soulful songs and is easily his best work to date. Being his first new album in seven years, it needed a launch platform that will do justice on a global scale and we believe that there is no better place than to launch on MixRadio.”
“Nokia has been and continues to be one of our most valued partners. After just launching Priyanka Chopra’s new International single globally on MixRadio, we are now ready to take our partnership with MixRadio further with the launch of Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s new album ‘Back 2 Love’ to a worldwide audience”, concluded Sanyal.
MixRadio is also equipped with a unique PlayMe feature allowing users to discover 30 million tracks and at the touch of a button, taking playlists offline. When data connection is not available, the feature offers users the opportunity to enjoy music anytime anywhere, by taking hours of music and mixes offline, perfect for commuting and avoiding data costs.
As digital revenues show an increase of 43% in 2013 globally and are set to top $5.9 billion in 2014, MixRadio will deliver its personalized, unique listening experience, allowing listeners across the globe to access the most popular playlists created by musical experts and celebrities that are free of adverts, sign ups or subscriptions.
iWorld
Netflix cuts jobs in product division amid restructuring
Layoffs hit creative studio unit as leadership and strategy shifts unfold.
MUMBAI: The streaming wars may be fought on screen, but the latest plot twist is unfolding behind the scenes. Netflix has reportedly begun laying off several dozen employees from its product division as part of an internal reorganisation, according to a report by Variety. The cuts are believed to have primarily affected the company’s creative studio unit, which works on marketing assets such as in app trailers, promotional visuals and live experience content for the streaming platform.
The company has not disclosed the exact number of employees impacted.
According to the report, the layoffs were not tied to employee performance. Instead, the restructuring eliminated certain roles while other employees were reassigned to different teams within the organisation.
The roles affected are understood to include designers, producers and creative specialists responsible for marketing and brand experience initiatives.
The job cuts come as Netflix adjusts its leadership structure and reshapes its product and creative teams. Last month, Elizabeth Stone was promoted from chief technology officer to chief product and technology officer, giving her oversight of product, engineering and data operations across the company.
Earlier, in December 2025, Netflix also appointed Martin Rose as head of creative for global brand and partnerships, a move seen as part of a broader restructuring of the company’s brand and product functions.
Despite the layoffs, Netflix remains one of the largest employers in the streaming sector. The company is estimated to employ around 16,000 people globally, with roughly 70 percent of its workforce based in the United States and Canada. In 2023, the company reported approximately 13,000 employees, indicating that its headcount had grown significantly before the latest restructuring.
The workforce changes arrive at a time when Netflix is navigating a shifting financial and strategic landscape in the global entertainment industry.
The streaming giant recently secured $2.8 billion in additional cash after receiving a breakup fee from Paramount Skydance following its withdrawal from a deal involving Warner Bros. Discovery.
Speaking to Bloomberg, Netflix co chief executive Ted Sarandos explained that the company had evaluated multiple scenarios during the negotiations but chose not to match the competing offer once it learned that a higher bid had been submitted.
Netflix had capped its offer at $27.75 per share and ultimately stepped back rather than pursue Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition deal, which included a personal guarantee.
Sarandos also cautioned that the financing structure behind the Paramount Skydance transaction could have ripple effects across the entertainment industry.
According to him, the debt heavy deal could trigger significant cost cutting, with David Ellison, chief executive of Paramount Skydance, expected to eliminate about $16 billion in costs and potentially cut thousands of jobs as part of the integration process.
For Netflix, the current restructuring appears to be part of a broader attempt to streamline operations while continuing to invest in product, technology and global content even as the streaming industry enters a new phase of consolidation and financial discipline.
