iWorld
After IPL, JioCinema delivers India’s next streaming mega-hit with Bigg Boss OTT
Mumbai: JioCinema has once again broken records in the Indian streaming space, this time on the Entertainment front. After the stupendous success of the IPL, the streamer’s latest salvo is the Salman Khan-hosted Bigg Boss OTT, a digital-only version of the iconic show. The season is being telecast Live 24 hours and is available to all of India at no cost. In a short span of just over two weeks since its launch on 17 June, Bigg Boss OTT has already gone on to become the most streamed entertainment property in India with over 400 Million (40 crore) Video Views. In what is being hailed as one of the most successful seasons ever, the show has already generated over four Bn (400 crore) minutes of Watch Time across 35 Mn (3.5 crore) Viewers. The season has already broken records for the highest weekly votes ever for a contestant, surpassing the famous Season 13. A record 150 Million+ votes have already been registered in the first two weeks.
Innovation & Interactivity have taken fandom to the next level. With options to access multi-camera feeds, 360-degree cameras, Live chats, Voting & several other unique features, audiences have lapped up the opportunity to engage at a level never seen before. Unique interactivity segments like Meme The Moment that has the quirkiest and the funniest scenes of BB OTT converted into templates for viewers to customize into memes using their own words as well as Janta Ka Vichar where BB OTT fans can send the best video question for contestants and get an opportunity for a video call with Salman Khan on Weekend Ka Vaar elevate the engagement opportunity for users and brands.
In addition to being a massive success with viewers, the landmark IP has also earned itself a prime position among advertisers owing to its reach and unique engagement options. Besides providing unparalleled visibility and driving awareness, Bigg Boss OTT has carved a space for itself as a destination for brands to innovate, meaningfully integrate and create value for their consumers. Anchored on the popularity of the show and the host Khan, a diverse set of brands have joined as sponsors for JioCinema’s Bigg Boss OTT. Bigg Boss OTT presented by Vimal Elaichi and powered by Too Yumm also includes other Special Partners like Vicco Vajradanti Sugar Free Paste, Paytm, Silver Coin Chakki Atta, Lenskart, Ching’s Schezwan Chutney with many more identifying opportunities to integrate. Other advertisers across categories also continue to leverage JioCinema’s ad-tech suite to drive reach and engagement for their brands.
Bigg Boss OTT’s immense popularity and viewer loyalty continues to strengthen JioCinema’s growing dominance and category leadership. Unequivocally focused on building India’s biggest entertainment destination, JioCinema continues to offer content that is genre-defining, strong and differentiated for viewers across India.
iWorld
WhatsApp may soon let users to pick who sees their status updates
The messaging giant is borrowing a page from Instagram’s playbook as it pushes to give users finer control over their social circles.
CALIFORNIA: WhatsApp is quietly working on a feature that could make its Status function considerably smarter and considerably more private.
According to reports from beta tracking platforms, the app is testing a tool called Status lists, which would allow users to create named groups such as close friends, family and colleagues, and control precisely which group sees each update. It is a meaningful step up from the platform’s current blunt instruments, which offer only three options: share with all contacts, exclude specific people, or manually select individuals each time.
The new feature draws an obvious comparison with Instagram’s Close Friends function, and the resemblance is unlikely to be accidental. Both platforms sit within Meta’s family, and the company has been nudging them toward a common logic of audience segmentation for some time.
The move also fits neatly into WhatsApp’s broader privacy push. The platform has been rolling out enhanced chat protections and is exploring the introduction of usernames, which would allow users to connect without exchanging phone numbers. Status lists extend that philosophy from messaging into broadcasting.
Meanwhile, Status itself has been evolving well beyond its origins as a simple photo-and-text slideshow. The feature now supports music stickers, collages, longer videos and interactive elements, pushing it closer to the social-media-style story format pioneered by Snapchat and refined by Instagram. In that context, finer audience controls are not merely a privacy feature. They are a precondition for people sharing more.
The feature remains in development and has not been confirmed for release. WhatsApp routinely tests tools that are later modified or quietly shelved. But the direction of travel is clear: the app wants Status to be a destination, not an afterthought. Letting users decide exactly who is in the audience is how it gets there.
