MAM
Dangal TV appoints Aidem Ventures as its advertising partner
MUMBAI: Dangal TV has appointed Aidem Ventures, the media consulting, marketing and advertising sales company as its advertising partner. Dangal TV is the leading regional channel that delivers content suited to the entertainment needs in the core Hindi speaking belt.
“Aidem has the necessary footprint across key advertiser markets, hence was our obvious choice. The advertising sales company also has its offices spread out in the key advertiser markets,” says Dangal TV chairman and managing director Manish Singhal. Prior to Aidem, the channel concentrated more on BTL oriented promotional activities to garner more eyeballs. “In terms of distribution, we have established ourselves across the cow belt region,” he adds.
The channels‘ immediate plan involves addressing the needs of its valuable advertiser who are targeting the cow belt region. “A substantial amount of investment will be made to create a buzz in the cow belt region and amidst trade media websites,” says Singhal.
Dangal TV is also a 24 hours free-to-air entertainment channel, committed to offer a comprehensive viewing experience and caters to diverse demands of its viewers. The channel offers a strong mix of movies and serials in Bhojpuri as well as in Hindi. The continuous film entertainment element of the channel gives it a theatre-like feel thus making it the channel of choice for a vast majority of film enthusiasts.
The channel which was launched in 2009, within weeks of its launch, took on the number 1 position in the states of UP, Bihar and Jharkhand. “A robust programming strategy aided by strong distribution has helped us achieve the current status,” opines Singhal.
“We at Dangal have a thorough understanding of the Hindi-speaking belt. That, along with our huge investment in acquiring Bhojpuri and Hindi content serves as a strong endorsement of our vision to create a new standard in the Bhojpuri entertainment space. We look forward to a continued association with Team Aidem to help us achieve better yield for the channel over the long term,” says Singhal.
Regional channels accounted for approximately 27 per cent of total television viewership in 2012. “This is proportionate to the advertising market share the channels commanded during the same period. Advertising interest in regional markets is strong and broadcasters see immense potential for revenues from local advertisers who are willing to pay a premium to reach their targeted audience,” informs Aidem Ventures director Vikas Khanchandani.
A staggering number of advertisers are now seeing the benefits of developing localized communications strategies using sponsorships, promotions and integrated branded content around regional TV. “It gives us immense pleasure to be associated with the market leader in the Bhojpuri genre and look forward to driving its vision,” says Khanchandani.
Dangal TV has established a strong foothold in the Indian television industry which is evident from its availability across cable and leading DTH platforms including Dish TV, Videocon DTH, Airtel Digital TV and DD DTH. The channel boasts of a modern infrastructure to broadcast Digital Quality Signals promising exceptional clarity and reach, compatible with prevalent technology.
The detailed analysis of the UP market is as follows:
| hannel | Avg Weekly GRPs | Rel. Channel Share | TSU (Min) | TSV (Min) |
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
||||
|
Dangal
|
14.72 | 29% | 4.2 | 42.05 |
|
Dabangg
|
10.07 | 20% | 2.9 | 22.50 |
|
BIG MAGIC
|
6.07 | 12% | 1.6 | 13.38 |
|
Mahuaa
|
5.50 | 11% | 1.5 | 18.35 |
|
Z Uttar Pradesh Uttrakhand
|
4.50 | 9% | 1.2 | 13.72 |
|
ETV Uttar Pradesh
|
4.44 | 9% | 1.2 | 12.72 |
|
Sahara Samay UP UtKh
|
1.57 | 3% | 0.3 | 6.69 |
|
Sangeet Bhojpuri
|
1.15 | 2% | 0.2 | 11.98 |
|
SEA NEWS UP UT
|
0.62 | 1% | 0.1 | 6.55 |
|
India News Uttar Pradesh
|
0.51 | 1% | 0.1 | 5.59 |
|
Sadhna News UP UTKH
|
0.39 | 1% | 0.1 | 6.02 |
|
anjan
|
0.35 | 1% | 0.1 | 4.84 |
|
Sahara Samay BIH and JHARK
|
0.28 | 1% | 0.1 | 4.27 |
|
Sudarshan News
|
0.07 | 0% | 0.0 | 3.67 |
|
Mahuaa News BIH and JHARK
|
0.03 | 0% | 0.0 | 2.95 |
|
HUMMRA M
|
0.03 | 0% | 0.0 | 3.30 |
MAM
Deepfakes target women in 93 per cent of cases, report finds
Pi-labs study shows 900 per cent rise in female-focused synthetic media; India sees 60 per cent jump in cybercrime complaints.
MUMBAI: Deepfakes aren’t just fooling cameras, they’re hitting women hardest, turning pixels into a new kind of weapon. A new report from creator intelligence platform Pi-labs has revealed that nearly 93 per cent of deepfake victims are women, with deepfake content targeting females surging 900% in recent years. The findings paint synthetic media as a fast-escalating digital threat with a stark gendered impact.
In India, cybercrime complaints involving women rose from about 50,000 in 2024 to nearly 80,000 by 2026, an increase of roughly 60 per cent in just two years. Almost 98 per cent of deepfake pornography is aimed at women, often powered by face-swapping apps and bot networks that disproportionately target females, including school-age girls. Victims typically fall in the 18–30 age group, with Bengaluru reporting a growing share of cases.
Globally, 62 per cent of deepfake abuse cases involving women go unreported due to stigma, in India, over one-third of women facing online harassment take no action, and many reduce their digital presence after abuse. Close to 33 per cent of women remain unaware of protective laws.
City-level trends show Bengaluru leading with nearly 30 per cent of complaints, followed by Hyderabad (14 per cent), Mumbai (13 per cent), Chennai and Kolkata (5 per cent each), and Delhi (3 per cent).
Pi-labs, CEO and founder Anukush Tiwari said, “AI is one of the most powerful technologies of our time, but like every powerful tool, it reflects the intent of those who use it. We are witnessing a growing trust deficit in digital spaces, where identity can be manipulated within minutes and reputations can be damaged overnight.”
Image morphing and deepfake videos remain the most common forms of misuse. The report also notes a new trend: fully AI-generated female personas (not based on real individuals) gaining high engagement on social platforms, raising questions about digital credibility.
Detection remains challenging due to widespread generative tools and rogue creators. Industry estimates suggest over 5,000 face-swap tools and more than 1,000 voice-cloning applications are accessible online.
pi-labs offers pi-authentify, an AI-driven detection system that scans media for generative markers and provides authenticity scores, as well as Namokavach, a verification portal delivering confidential assessments within two working days. The Payal gaming case was resolved using pi-authentify’s forensic analysis.
The report urges minimising digital footprints and adopting detection tools to limit replication risks. It frames the gendered impact of synthetic media as an urgent digital safety issue requiring coordinated action from individuals, platforms and technology providers.
In a world where faces can be borrowed in seconds, the real crime isn’t just creation, it’s the silence that follows, and women are paying the heaviest price.
