iWorld
Content creators discuss binge-worthy content at Vidnet 2019
MUMBAI: Binge-watching has become synonymous to over the top (OTT) platforms and content. Indiantelevision.com’s summit Vidnet 2019 had an interesting panel discussion on creating binge-worthy content. The panel was moderated by Indiantelevision.com founder CEO and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari while MX Player CEO Karan Bedi, House of Cheer founder & CEO Raj Nayak, Vikatan Group managing director B Srinivasan and Viniyard Films founder Ashvini Yardi were the panellists.
Wanvari started off by asking the panellists about the shows they have binge-watched on Netflix. Yardi has binge-watched The Boys, Bedi watched The Spy, Nayak binge-watched Unbelievable and Srinivasan has watched Mirzapur.
Yardi first gave her definition to binge-watching by saying, “If we go beyond the allotted time in our head for the show, that’s binge-watching where we are hooked to the story.” On the other hand, Nayak says that you can’t categorise particular content as being binge-worthy. He said, “If we are creating content that it is good, people will watch it.”
Yardi argued, “Content can be made for binge-watching. Every online platform has guidelines according to the viewership data they have. For OTT – the first five minutes, in-between and the last seven minutes are very important. Those times are planned accordingly to hook the viewers. On television, we plan according to the breaks. Since OTT doesn’t have breaks, everything is planned from the storyline; it’s not just simple storytelling.”
Yardi believes that if content creators follow OTT’s format and create cliffs at regular intervals to hook the audiences, they can succeed in creating binge-worthy content.
However, Nayak said, “OTT players have those set rules but otherwise also I feel these are the basics that content creators do because we want our viewers to come back on the show. So, we have to create those hooks due to which they stay on television or OTT.”
Whereas, Srinivasan said, “The character and content are behind the success. Definitely there is a science to it and data involved on how to refine the whole process. But I would say content and characters are important.”
MX Player has delivered 5 to 6 successful shows in the last six months. Sharing his experience, Bedi said, “Creating content on any platform requires a lot of efforts. On online, there is a huge difference while creating content for AVoD or SVoD platform. SVoD people have already paid and they are watching as they have invested in it. On AVoD, customers move in and out as they have not invested money for viewing there, so the level of hook that content creators need to create is very high.”
Wanvari also inquired whether the content creators constantly think of hooks or they line-up the story and then get into the hooks. Yardi replied, “We create the story and build the characters first and then get into hooks.”
She also informed, “Currently, in India, everyone is learning. Most of the platforms are using what they have from parent companies and try to localise the format. It’s not necessary what works on Netflix or Amazon in America will work here because our lifestyle and mindset is different. I feel it’s a trial and error period for OTT.”
Srinivasan also said, “We are trying to understand what kind of stories work for the OTT platform. We want to create that content. We have enough knowledge of the ecosystem but the biggest constraint would be getting the writers to write in a format that is required for OTT.”
iWorld
Taylor Swift sued by Maren Wade over Showgirl trademark clash
Las Vegas performer claims hit album branding overshadows her long-held identity
MUMBAI: A high-profile trademark dispute is brewing in the entertainment world as Las Vegas performer Maren Wade has filed a lawsuit against global pop star Taylor Swift over the title of her latest album.
Filed on March 30 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, the suit accuses Swift and UMG Recordings of trademark infringement, false designation and unfair competition. At the centre of the dispute is Swift’s chart-topping album The Life of a Showgirl, released in October 2025.
Wade argues that the album’s title and branding are confusingly similar to her long-established trademark Confessions of a Showgirl, which she has built since 2014. What began as a column in Las Vegas Weekly has since expanded into a touring stage show, podcast and book, with a federal trademark secured in 2015.
The complaint leans heavily on the concept of reverse confusion. Wade claims Swift’s global popularity has effectively drowned out her brand, leaving audiences to assume she is imitating the singer rather than the other way around. The lawsuit cites instances of fans using Wade’s trademarked phrase in connection with Swift’s album and search results increasingly pointing to Swift-related content.
A key element of the case involves the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which had already raised concerns. According to the filing, the office issued a partial refusal of Swift’s trademark application in late 2025, citing a likelihood of confusion due to shared phrasing and overlapping entertainment categories.
“They did not do so quietly,” the complaint notes, referring to the album’s rollout, which quickly extended into merchandise, labels and retail branding aimed at a similar audience.
Wade is seeking a permanent injunction to stop further use of the title, along with a share of profits, damages and legal costs. The stakes are high given the album’s commercial success, with over four million units sold in its first week in the United States alone.
Taylor Swift, known for her expansive intellectual property portfolio, operates through entities such as TAS Rights Management and Bravado, which manage her trademarks and global merchandising operations.
The outcome could hinge on whether the court sees the similarity as coincidence or confusion. For now, the case sets the stage for a legal showdown that may determine who truly owns the spotlight in the “showgirl” story.
