iWorld
Hotstar announces partnership with awesomeness
MUMBAI: Further expanding their portfolio of over one hundred thousand hours of content, Hotstar, India’s leading premium streaming platform, announces a partnership with Awesomeness, a media company serving the global Gen Z audience. The association will allow hit series from Awesomeness including Freakish, T@gged and Confess to reside on the platform under the Hotstar Premium library.
The partnership supports Hotstar’s ongoing strategy to bring the best of global content to India. The two companies will work together to create added appeal for younger audiences through Awesomeness’ premium programming.
Freakish, a horror show featuring an ensemble cast, revolves around a group of students trapped inside a high school who must fight for survival when mutant freaks take over after a meltdown at the local chemical plant. Season 1 and 2 of the show are currently available for streaming on Hotstar Premium. T@gged is a modern day thriller that explores the terrifying risks of social media in a world of anonymity. Season 1 and 2 are available for viewers on the platform, with Season 3 due to premiere next year. Based on the novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, Confess is a modern love story about the secrets we keep to protect the ones we love. All episodes of Season 1 are available on the platform.
“We are thrilled to renew our partnership with Hotstar and continue the expansion of our brand in this market,” Awesomeness, Head of Worldwide Distribution, Rebecca Glashow said. “Hotstar’s audience of millions of users provides us with the opportunity to expand our reach and deliver on our promise of bringing the Gen Z audience the best and most creative programming, no matter where they are.”
Through its partnerships with the world’s largest studios, like HBO, Disney and Showtime, Hotstar has been able to bring the most celebrated international shows to India, under the Hotstar Premium banner.
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.
