MAM
ITV plans to increase mobile interactivity for dramas and soaps
LONDON: The mobile phone is fast emerging as an important tool to measure the impact of television programming. A newmediaage report says that ITV is planning to dramatically boost its use of mobile and looking to add mobile interactivity across its traditional programming such as dramas and soap operas.
The report adds that ITV is also considering centralising the supply of mobile infrastructure on one preferred supplier. The company wants to move beyond the use of SMS voting for entertainment shows such as Pop Idol to find ways of increasing viewer interaction with more traditional shows such as soap operas like Coronation Street.
ITV Interactive head of mobile and telephony Jane Crossley was quoted as saying that they would add ‘alerts’, ‘updates’, and ‘teasers’. Granada also plans to use mobile to build communities around popular programmes (dramas and soaps) because it would be easy to weave rich viewer relationships around output.
The company will also look to introduce mobile interactivity to the daytime schedule and has plans to run a week long trial in June.
Digital
India leads global adoption of ChatGPT Images 2.0 in first week
From anime avatars to fantasy covers, users turn AI visuals into culture
NEW DELHI: India has emerged as the largest user base for ChatGPT Images 2.0, just a week after its launch by OpenAI, underlining the country’s growing influence on global internet trends.
While the tool was introduced as an advanced image-generation upgrade within ChatGPT, Indian users are quickly reshaping its purpose. Instead of sticking to productivity-led use cases, many are embracing it as a creative playground for self-expression, storytelling and online identity.
From anime-style portraits and cinematic headshots to tarot-inspired visuals and fictional newspaper front pages, the model is being used to create highly stylised, shareable content. Features such as accurate text rendering, multilingual prompts and the ability to generate detailed visuals with minimal input have helped drive rapid adoption.
What sets the latest model apart is its ability to “think” through prompts, generating multiple outputs and adapting to context, including real-time web inputs. But the bigger story lies in how users are engaging with it.
In India, trends are already taking shape. Popular formats include dramatic studio-style lighting edits, LinkedIn-ready headshots, manga-inspired avatars, soft pastel “spring” aesthetics, AI-led fashion moodboards, paparazzi-style visuals and fantasy newspaper covers. Users are also restoring old photographs, creating tarot-style imagery and experimenting with futuristic design concepts.
Local flavour is adding another layer. Prompts such as cinematic portrait collages and Y2K-inspired romantic edits are gaining traction, blending global aesthetics with distinctly Indian internet culture.
The surge reflects a broader shift in how AI tools are being used in the country, moving beyond utility to creativity. As younger users, creators and social media enthusiasts experiment with new visual formats, AI-generated imagery is increasingly becoming part of everyday digital expression.
If early trends hold, ChatGPT Images 2.0 may not just be a tech upgrade but a cultural moment, giving millions a new visual language to play with online.
