MAM
Want to woo youngsters? Depend on youth channels
MUMBAI: In-branding is not unusual today as we see superstars selling the brands they endorse even in their films. Remember Chennai Express and how Shah Rukh Khan endorsed the features of the new Nokia mobile (of which he is also a brand ambassador) in the film. And if you thought it was just him, then you are wrong. Hrithik Roshan starrer Krrish 3 had a host of FMCG products being promoted through the movie.
The phenomenon has not spared the small screen as well. Right from the brands to film stars, the small screen has become a popular destination for promotion. However, this time around there is a twist.
With the nation gearing for the upcoming elections, the political parties are doing all that they can to get voters to get inked. This election season the parties are finding innovative ways to connect with the audiences, especially the youth. And if you watch Channel V India, a youth entertainment channel, you would know what we are hinting at.
The main characters of various shows on the channel can be seen talking about how prices have risen in the past years or how it is the time to bring change. This, while a ticker/astrix runs with BJP’s symbol and message.
The political parties – Congress and Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) – both in their mission to woo the first-time voters are now targeting youth channels.
“Youth channels are the best way to catch the attention of first-time voters and since we are using different strategies, we thought of trying this as well,” says a source from the media agency handling BJP’s mandate.
The source goes on to say that it is a “different” way to reach our audience. And, one will see a lot of astrixs and L- shaped advertisements on various GECs as well as news channels till the elections commence.
While BJPs in-branding campaign on shows started last week, the Congress had bought ad-spots on Channel V I almost a month back.
Channel V, itself, through various initiatives, is encouraging youngsters to go out and vote. “This doesn’t mean we support a particular party over the other. These are just commercial deals which we sign with agencies handling the parties. There is no association with any party,” clarifies Channel V India, GM & channel head Prem Kamath.
So, the next time you tune in to shows like Sadda Haq or Dil Dosti Dance, on Channel V, do not miss out on the message from the lead characters to go out and vote.
Digital
Content India 2026 opens with a copro pitch, a spice evangelist and a £10,000 prize for Indian storytelling
Dish TV and C21Media’s three-day summit puts seven ambitious projects before an international jury, and two walk away with serious development money
MUMBAI: India’s content industry gathered in Mumbai this March for Content India 2026, a three-day summit organised by Dish TV in partnership with C21Media, and it wasted no time making a statement. The event opened with a Copro Pitch that put seven scripted and unscripted television concepts before an international panel of judges, and by the end of it, two projects had walked away with £10,000 each in marketing prize money from C21Media to support development and international promotion.
The jury, comprising Frank Spotnitz, Fiona Campbell, Rashmi Bajpai, Bal Samra and Rachel Glaister, evaluated a shortlist that ranged from a dark Mumbai comedy-drama about mental health (Dirty Minds, created by Sundar Aaron) to a Delhi coming-of-age mystery (Djinn Patrol, by Neha Sharma and Kilian Irwin), a techno-thriller about a teenage gaming prodigy (Kanpur X Satori, by Suchita Bhatia), an investigative crime drama blending mythology and modern thriller (The Age of Kali, by Shivani Bhatija), a documentary on India’s spice heritage (The Masala Quest, hosted by Sarina Kamini), a documentary on competitive gaming (Respawn: India’s Esports Revolution, by George Mangala Thomas and Sangram Mawari), and a reality-horror competition merging gaming and immersive fear (Scary Goose, by Samar Iqbal).
The session was hosted by Mayank Shekhar.
The two winners were Djinn Patrol, backed by Miura Kite, formerly of Participant Media and known for Chinatown and Keep Sweet: Pray & Obey, with Jaya Entertainment, producers of Real Kashmir Football Club, also attached; and The Masala Quest, created and hosted by Sarina Kamini, an Indian-Australian cook, author and self-described “spice evangelist.”
The summit also unveiled the Content India Trends Report, whose findings made for bracing reading. Daoud Jackson, senior analyst at OMDIA, set the tone: “By 2030, online video in India will nearly double the revenue of traditional TV, becoming the main driver of growth.” He noted that in 2025, India produced a quarter of all YouTube videos globally, overtaking the United States, while Indians collectively spend 117 years daily on YouTube and 72 years on Instagram. Traditional subscription TV is declining as free TV and connected TV gain ground, forcing broadcasters to innovate. “AI-generated content is just 2 per cent of engagement,” Jackson added, “highlighting the dominance of high-quality human content. The key for Indian media companies is scaling while monetising effectively from day one.”
Hannah Walsh, principal analyst at Ampere Analysis, added hard numbers to the picture. India produced over 24,000 titles in January 2026 alone, with 19,000 available internationally. The country now accounts for 12 per cent of Asia-Pacific content spend, up from 8 per cent in 2021, outpacing both Japan and China. Key exporters include JioStar, Zee Entertainment, Sony India, Amazon and Netflix, delivering over 7,500 Indian-produced titles abroad each year. The top importing markets are Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, the United States and the Philippines. Scripted content dominates globally at 88 per cent, with crime dramas and children’s and family titles performing particularly strongly.
Manoj Dobhal, chief executive and executive director of Dish TV India, framed the summit’s ambition squarely. “Stories don’t need translation. They need a platform, discovery, and reach, local or global,” he said. “India produces more movies than any country, our streaming platforms compete globally, and our tech and creators win international awards. Yet fragmentation slows growth. Producers, platforms, and tech move in different lanes. We need shared spaces, collaboration, and an ecosystem where ideas, technology, and people meet. That is why we built Content India.”
The data, the pitches and the prize money all pointed to the same conclusion: India is not waiting for the world to discover its stories. It is building the infrastructure to sell them.
