iWorld
Micro content makes a big play at VIDNET 2025
MUMBAI: If stories are shrinking, the excitement certainly is not. At VIDNET 2025, the session on micro content took centre stage as panellists unpacked how two-minute dramas are quietly rewriting India’s viewing habits.
Mautik Tolia set the tone, noting that nearly three-fourths of daily digital viewing now comes from snackable videos. With attention spans dipping to eight seconds for Gen Z, he said micro-dramas are not a fad but a force.
Bullet founder and cbo Azeem Lalani, compared the shift to cricket’s leap from test matches to T20s. He predicted the fledgling category could touch $100 million in its first year, though current projections seem inflated. He argued that India’s diversity and young skew make pay-per-view the more honest model, especially for an audience that only pays when hooked.
Balaji Telefilms group cro Nitin Burman, said micro-dramas will coexist with long-form shows. India’s mobile-first behaviour, he noted, creates fertile ground for brand spends. Balaji, instead of competing as a platform, has pivoted to production and now makes 30 to 35 micro-dramas a month.
Industry veteran, One Take Media founder and ceo Anil Khera, said the format suits viewers who cannot commit to thirty-minute episodes. However, the genre playbook remains fluid. Family sagas may not translate well to vertical screens, while thriller-flavoured romance and relationship dramas currently dominate.
For Pocket Films founder and md Sameer Mody, the format works because it merges India’s love for stories with the ease of vertical scrolling. He believes the audience is not limited by age but by mood and moment, and his platform now offers everything from episodic micro-dramas to horizontal shows in one app.
From a brand perspective, Pocket Aces svp marketing Vishwanath Shetty said the early rush is driven by the urge to be first. While views matter, brands increasingly prioritise perception shifts, especially among Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Campaigns with Myntra, IPL and NPCI have shown that vertical storytelling can build conversations, not just numbers.
As attention fragments and creativity compresses, micro-dramas appear to be carving out a cultural niche. The formats may be tiny, but the ambitions, it seems, are nothing short of cinematic.
iWorld
Bluesky’s CEO Jay Graber steps down, Toni Schneider takes the helm
Graber moves to innovation role as interim CEO Schneider steers platform of 40m users
SEATTLE: Jay Graber, the driving force behind Bluesky, is stepping down as CEO and moving into the newly created role of chief innovation officer. Graber, who has been at the forefront of building the open social platform since 2019, leaves the day-to-day running to focus on new ideas and innovation.
Stepping in as interim CEO is Toni Schneider, former boss of Automattic and partner at True Ventures, who has been an advisor to Bluesky for the past two years. Schneider brings a wealth of experience in open platforms, having worked with WordPress, Yahoo’s developer network, and supported companies like Bandcamp.
Bluesky, created by Jack Dorsey as an alternative to Twitter, has grown into a thriving social network with over 40 million users. Its open AT Protocol allows users to own their data and identity, while developers can build apps on top of the platform. Schneider described Bluesky as “a real, scalable foundation for a different kind of internet.”
Graber praised the team she assembled, saying the platform’s success stems from matching people’s passions with their strengths. “Scaling up this company has been a learning experience unlike anything else,” she wrote in a blog post, adding that she is “excited to dig into the next frontier of what decentralized social can be.”
The board has begun a search for a permanent CEO, but for now, Schneider will guide Bluesky through its next chapter of growth, supporting the team, users, and developers alike.
Bluesky’s rise gained attention during the November 2024 exodus from X, formerly Twitter, when changes to the platform prompted users to look for alternatives. With Schneider now at the helm, the platform looks set to continue its journey as a user-focused, open social network.
