Event Coverage
Traditional media assets need to serve digital media channels
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MUMBAI: True that the emergent trends of mobile advertising, OEM-managed services, bundled content on devices and open DRM are some of the factors that will drive new business models and opportunities for all stakeholders. But what are the early developing models and what new thought processes are required by content owners, operators and service providers to leverage these new opportunities? These are the questions dealt with by speakers at the interactive session entitled “Mobile Entertainment: Opportunities in emerging business models.” |
Ralph Simon, one of the earliest proponents of the concept of mobile entertainment and chairman Emeritus and founder of Mobile Entertainment Forum – America, outlined the changes that have come over mobile in the last few years: fundamental shift into digital; an emerging landscape of new business models; changes in people‘s behaviour and the emergence of new content formats. “Traditional media players now have to enable their established assets to also serve digital media channels, reach their consumers on new platforms and combine traditional strengths of their brands with new enablers,” Simon said. He also said that mobile advertising will give rise to smart cross-platform marketing avenues and new revenue-generating opportunities for media. In the context of India, the new driver for the mobile business, according to him, is consumers‘ affinity for a digital lifestyle. |
| Qualcomm MediaFLO Technologies‘ global technical marketing and business development senior director Mazen Chmaytelli said that with the rise of mobile the prime time has shifted. Mobile has enabled people to choose content. On a more optimistic note, he said that mobile TV will dominate the future of entertainment. Soundbuzz, Motorola CEO Sudhanshu Sarronwala said that new business models are dramatically emerging and that web search on mobile is a potential model. The speakers also touched upon the issue of DRM-free content and the emergence of handset players in services and content. |
Event Coverage
Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026
MUMBAI: Riding high on the success of its blockbuster Mumbai debut, Anime India is accelerating its nationwide expansion with the announcement of Amazon MX Player as the co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the festival’s mission to deliver large-scale, accessible, and fan-first anime experiences across the country.
Scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the iconic Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will launch the first regional chapter of what is set to be a year-long, multi-city tour. As the curtain-raiser for the 2026 circuit, the Kolkata edition aims to fuse the energy of global Japanese pop culture with India’s fast-growing community of anime, manga, and pop-culture fans.
A household name in digital entertainment, Amazon MX Player brings unmatched reach and cultural relevance to the Anime India platform. With its expanding focus on anime and youth-driven content, Amazon MX Player’s involvement as co-presenting partner reinforces Anime India’s vision of making anime culture more inclusive breaking barriers of language, geography, and accessibility to connect with fans nationwide.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will showcase cosplay competitions, interactive zones led by the Indian Gunpla Community, India-39 Vocaloid Community, The Japan Curry, and Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Fans can join tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and more. Acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as guest of honour, appearing in panels and live sessions. Positioned as an immersive celebration of fan culture and industry collaboration, the Kolkata edition marks the beginning of Anime India’s nationwide expansion.
Sharing their perspective on the partnership, Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani expressed, “Anime in India has evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream cultural movement, driven by an increasingly engaged and passionate fanbase. At Amazon MX Player, our focus is on expanding access by bringing anime to audiences across the country for free and in multiple local languages. Our association with Anime India reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of anime in India and deepening connections with fans, while continuing to build Amazon MX Player as a trusted destination for free, high-quality entertainment.”
“Anime India Kolkata is a celebration of how anime has grown beyond entertainment into a powerful cultural and creative force. By bringing fans, creators, and industry leaders onto one shared platform, the festival is helping define the future of pop culture in India,” said Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta.
The debut edition of Anime India 2025 in Mumbai attracted over 29,000 fans, quickly cementing its status as a landmark celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Riding on this overwhelming response, the Kolkata chapter is projected to draw more than 40,000 visitors across two days, positioning it as one of the biggest anime conventions ever held in eastern India.
Anime India is focused on bringing together fans from across the country to create a truly pan-India celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese culture. With plans to expand into four key metropolitan hubs in 2026—east (Kolkata), north (Delhi), west (Mumbai), and south (Hyderabad)—the festival seeks to deliver globally benchmarked experiences while supporting and uplifting creators, artists, and fan communities throughout India.
