iWorld
Amazon to launch linear TV channel for Prime Video members in Germany
MUMBAI: Traditional television is far from dead as Amazon makes a decisive move into linear broadcasting with the launch of a new TV channel called Prime, exclusively for its Prime Video subscribers in Germany and Austria.
Set to debut on 17 April 2025, the channel represents Amazon’s strategic push to bridge the gap between conventional television and streaming services, according to Christoph Schneider, country director of Prime Video Deutschland.
Speaking to German industry publication DWDL, Schneider explained the channel would serve as “an easy entry point into our Prime Video universe” for viewers who prefer the curated experience of traditional television rather than navigating through extensive on-demand libraries.
The programming schedule will feature Prime Video originals including Reacher, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and Fallout, alongside live sports coverage of the UEFA Champions League for German viewers and Wimbledon tennis for both German and Austrian audiences.
Prime will maintain a distinct advantage over traditional television by featuring “shorter and less frequent” commercial breaks, whilst still adopting familiar TV-style advertising models that will be open to standard industry measurement.
The channel will launch with the premiere of the first two episodes of comedy series LOL: Last One Laughing at 20:15 CEST on its opening night, marking Amazon’s latest effort to enhance its comprehensive streaming ecosystem that already encompasses subscription, ad-supported and transactional video-on-demand services.
(MAIN PICTURE COURTESY: KANTAR)
iWorld
JioHotstar to launch micro dramas during IPL
Streaming giant plans free, ad-supported bite-sized stories during IPL to engage mobile-first audiences
JioHotstar is gearing up to launch a wave of micro dramas, eyeing India’s fast-growing appetite for bite-sized storytelling and new revenue opportunities. According to sources close to the matter, the streaming platform is expected to go live with the content during the Indian Premier League, which runs from 28 March to 31 May.
The move comes as the micro-drama market in India surges, with Redseer Strategy Consultants projecting the overall interactive media segment could reach $3.1–3.4 billion by FY2030, with micro dramas leading the growth. The format has already proven commercially viable abroad — China’s micro-drama sector generated $360 million in 2023, up 267 per cent year-on-year.
Micro dramas are designed for rapid consumption on mobile devices. Episodes typically run 60–90 seconds, shot in vertical 9:16 format, and rely on fast-paced plots and cliffhangers to keep viewers glued. Stories tend to revolve around high-stakes drama, from romance and revenge to corporate intrigue, blending social-media immediacy with professional production values.
Sources said the IPL provides the perfect launchpad, with millions tuning in to the platform for live cricket, creating a ready audience for short-form narrative experiments. The content will initially be free and accessible to all.
JioHotstar, which already boasts over 300 million subscribers, plans to roll out more than 100 micro dramas across multiple genres and languages, including Hindi and South Indian languages. The move is expected to strengthen its regional content strategy and appeal to mobile-first viewers, particularly in metro and Tier-1 cities where the format is currently most popular.
“The timing is perfect,” said a source close to the project, requesting anonymity. “With micro dramas on the rise, this is a chance for JioHotstar to experiment with new formats and engage audiences in a way traditional series cannot.”
The platform is not the first in India to test the format. ALTBalaji, StoryTV and Zee Bullet have all dabbled in short episodic storytelling. But JioHotstar’s scale — and its ability to pair content with one of the country’s biggest sporting events — could make it a defining moment for micro dramas in India.
With mobile consumption and vernacular content on the rise, the gamble seems clear: capture attention fast, keep it longer, and turn bite-sized narratives into a robust revenue engine.
Note: The cover image used is AI-generated.
