Event Coverage
Fresh, Innovative content showcased at 1st Mipcom Mobile Awards
CANNES: Those skeptical about the entertainment value of Mobile TV will soon have to eat their words. The fact is that even as you read, there are hundreds, probably thousands of small and large companies with teams dedicated to Mobile TV working hard at creating compelling, engaging content. And if a majority of the entries screened at the first Mipcom Mobile TV Awards are an indication, then surely the fun has just begun.
Hosted by Ray Coke who was, if not more, funny than Julian Clary at the DVD awards yesterday, the mobile TV awards were awarded in five categories including best made for mobile TV content, best repurposed video / film/ animation content for mobile, best mobile TV channel or service, best user interface for a mobile TV channel / program guide and the audience best of show. Additionally there was a special award from Orange for most Innovative Idea.
The Awards were exec produced by Mediaplay International (UK) President Ferhan Cook and the Grand jury consisted of BBC Head of Interactive, Drama and Entertainment (UK) Sophie Walpole, Alacatel’s VP for Mobile Media Worldwide Matt West, Producer Frederic Fougea, Rai TV head for ITV content factory Nicoletta Iacobacci, The Interactive Channel (Hong Kong) founder Robert Chua and Nokia Multimedia Global VP Mark Selby who chaired the jury.
The following are the winners
Best made for mobile TV content
Smash Bean
Cinema Electric (US), Genre (Youth Entertainment)
Best repurposed video / film/ animation content for mobile
Brain Food: Glowing Mice
Scien Central Inc (US), Genre : Factual
Best mobile TV channel or service
Dateline
Yoo Media Mobile, Genre: Lifestyle /Community
Best user interface for a mobile TV channel / program guide
Label! Studio TV
Universal Mobile Music, Genre : Mobile Programme Guide /Interface
Audience best of show
Pete Tong’s Fast Trax
Inventa Productions (UK), Genre : Music
Orange Innovative Idea Award
Desperate Housewives – Recaps
BVITV EMEA (UK), Genre : Drama
Amongst the main criteria while judging the nominations were, usage of interactivity with content, freshness and innovation of concept and ease of user experience.
Prior to the awards ceremony, all the nominations for the awards were screened with the nominees and jury sharing some views with the audience. An interesting screening was Asian Weather by Japanese company Weathernews Inc. The content used the metaphor of weather to link the oriental countries with each other in a very interesting way.
Another interesting content was ClickFree TV by Mobix Interactive UK. The emphasis was on speed of usage and Mobix CEO Matt Heiman pointed out, “When I was small mother used to not encourage me surfing the TV as it would reduce my attention span. Today we are dealing with a generation that’s used to surfing and texting at blazing speeds and speed is something that will be critical in getting them hooked.”
The most refreshing thing about mobile TV is due to it being new and hence not yet completely structured, there are a lot of creative and interesting content concepts that are being played with. And as developers, speed up in their efforts at providing lots of choice, quick easy navigation and fresh concepts mobile TV looks all seems to have begun its journey.
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.
