iWorld
Why free TV channels are making a comeback on your smart TV
New Delhi: If choice paralysis were a sport, Indians scrolling endlessly on OTT menus would win gold. RunnTV thinks it has the cure.
At the 5th Indian Digital Brand Fest, a session on the rise of Fast and connected TV in brand marketing featured RunnTV founder and CEO Manish Sinha in conversation with Anil Wanvari, founder & editor-in-chief of the Indiantelevision.com Group, where they explained why free streaming is regaining traction in India.
Sinha is betting Indians want their TV channels back. Not cable subscriptions, but free streaming channels that work like the old days: switch on, flip through, start watching.
“When you have 30 minutes on OTT, users spend 6 to 12 minutes just searching,” Sinha told Wanvari. “With Fast (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV), you’re consuming content in 28 of those 30 minutes.”
When Wanvari asked about advertising innovations, Sinha highlighted Fast’s unique advantage: “Traditional TV relies on sample metres in about a lakh households. CTV can be targeted and measurable.” CPMs range from 100 to 250 rupees for connected TVs.
The platform’s clever insight: switching channels takes exactly two clicks. “If users aren’t switching during ad breaks, they’re actually watching the ads,” Sinha explained.
Wanvari raised a practical concern: isn’t downloading another app cumbersome? Sinha countered that RunnTV aggregates multiple channels in one place. During Operation Sindoor, downloads surged as viewers flipped between Nav Bharat, ABP News, India TV and TV9 in a single app.
On customer acquisition costs, Sinha acknowledged initial challenges but noted strong organic growth. The platform now reaches 10 million monthly active users through its own app and partners including Xiaomi TV Plus and LG.
Wanvari questioned whether OEMs pushing their own Fast platforms posed competition. Sinha saw opportunity instead, “Mobile is still 70% of video consumption. OEMs aren’t targeting that.” Unlike manufacturer platforms restricted to specific devices, RunnTV works everywhere.
Wanvari pressed on language barriers. Sinha explained personalisation solves this: Gen Z users see apps built for Gen Z, millennials see content for millennials.
His ten-year vision? “To be the Tata Play of digital television.” Wanvari captured it perfectly: “You’re going to be the next CTV pioneer of India.”
With global players eyeing India and Fast adoption rising, the Runn TV founder believes the free-TV wave is only beginning to swell.
iWorld
Epic Company launches unified Epic Studio for films and OTT
Vivek Krishnani to head films business; Samar Khan leads OTT & Television.
MUMBAI: Epic just merged its creative superheroes under one cape because when films and OTT need to fight for attention together, you don’t keep them in separate universes. The Epic Company has launched Epic Studio, a next-generation creative and production powerhouse that unites Juggernaut Productions and Movieverse Studio under a single banner. The move creates a streamlined, scalable platform for premium storytelling across theatrical films, OTT originals, television, digital-first formats and branded content.
Vivek Krishnani has been appointed chief executive officer, Epic Studio (Films), overseeing the theatrical and film business with a focus on culturally resonant narratives across Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati and Malayalam cinema. Samar Khan continues as chief executive officer, Epic Studio (OTT & Television) and retains his role as chief content officer for Docubay and Epic On.
The Epic Company managing director Aditya Pittie said, “Epic Studio brings together our entire creative ecosystem under one unified studio vision. This is not just an integration of verticals, but the creation of a collaborative environment where writers, filmmakers, creators, and brand partners can seamlessly develop and scale stories across formats and screens.”
Vivek Krishnani added, “We are building an audience-focused mainstream film studio committed to delivering fresh, engaging, and innovative stories for both theatrical and streaming platforms.”
Samar Khan commented, “This alignment allows us to approach storytelling with a unified studio mindset. We are building IP under one creative umbrella, with scale and longevity in mind from inception.”
The unified structure eliminates silos, enabling ideas to flow fluidly from concept to screen while adapting to evolving audience behaviour. Epic Studio positions itself as a creator-led ecosystem championing purposeful, resonant storytelling with commercial strength.
In an entertainment landscape where stories now leap between screens faster than plot twists, Epic isn’t just building a studio, it’s crafting a single launchpad where every tale gets the best shot at soaring across every platform.
