iWorld
YouTube launches TV app in the US to better serve in-home viewing
MUMBAI: YouTube continues to march into traditional TV’s domain. Earlier this year, it launched its 40 channel bundle in the US for about $35 in certain markets. Along with some originals, the personalisation and recommendation has helped its content consumption skyrocket. Using Chromecast, viewers in 50 markets in the US can now watch it on their TV sets, apart from wirelessly watching it on their tablets, their phones and their computers.
But that was a thing of the past: it has just announced the launch of its own YouTube app which will first be available on the Android app store for any Android TVs and Xbox Ones, followed by releases on Apple TV, Roku and smart TVs from Samsung Sony and LG.
Why did the streaming service-turned- cloud pay TV operator have to take this route? YouTube executives state that customers insisted that they wanted it on more fixed devices, especially in US living rooms which are primarily TVs. Data showed that despite the mobile first option, living room is still the hub of entertainment.
Additionally, it is just protecting its turf. Traditional advertising on desktop browsers is sliding, and mobile ads are picking up the slack, even as viewers are continuing to consume content in living rooms on their TV sets. By launching an app for its YouTube TV, it will be able to capture some more ad dollars is the reasoning.
The YouTube TV app has an in-depth programming guide. Each channel has a page which features the top programmes, a zapper sidebar lets you scroll through channels even as a you watch a show of your own. And what’s most important is the voice enabled search which allows you to talk to your TV set.
The YouTube TV app built for actual television sets doesn’t cut any of the features you find on the mobile version, but it does add a bunch of new ones. Mobile didn’t feature an in-depth programming guide, but the living room experience has one, so you can see what’s playing a few hours in the future. There are also channel pages that show off top picks from network partners. The programming team built the app in HTML so it can easily be ported onto any device without having to recreate it for other operating systems of other smart TVs.
Recent data releases from YouTube have revealed that close to a billion hours of video are being watched every day. Mobile viewing accounts for 600 million; desktop is at 300 million hours, while TV accounts for 100 million hours. But the last is growing at a rapid 70 per cent per annum; hence the YouTube App will only see it accelerate faster.
Clearly, the battle for viewers eyeballs with traditionally delivered cable TV is only going to get more intense. When the service will arrive in India is not known. But it’s something that both India’s struggling cable TV MSOs and operators need to keep a close watch on. Google, with its billions of dollars in cash reserves, can turn on the switch in a second. And that might be too late for the low-on-cash Indian cable TV distribution system.
iWorld
Govt pushes live events sector to Rs 196 billion by 2028
LEDC roadmap targets 15–20 million jobs and global hub status by 2030
MUMBAI: India’s live events story is getting louder and this time, it’s policy turning up the volume. The fourth meeting of the Live Events Development Cell (LEDC), chaired by Chanchal Kumar, was held on 30 April 2026 at Vigyan Bhavan, bringing together representatives from nine Central Ministries, six States and 12 industry stakeholders to chart the sector’s next phase of growth. The numbers already tell a compelling story. India’s organised live events industry was valued at Rs 145 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow at 10 per cent to Rs 196 billion by 2028 making it one of the fastest-expanding segments within the media and entertainment ecosystem.
Set up in July 2025 by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the LEDC is tasked with turning that momentum into a structured growth engine. Its long-term ambition is ambitious, position India as a global live events hub by 2030 while generating an additional 15–20 million jobs.
At the meeting, officials emphasised the sector’s multiplier effect spanning tourism, employment and allied industries while underlining the need for coordinated execution. A key update was the rollout of a single-window clearance system for live event permissions via the India Cine Hub portal, aimed at simplifying approvals and improving transparency.
States have been urged to adopt the system, alongside implementing the “Model Executive Order for Streamlining Licensing and Permissions for Live Events in India, 2026” by 31 May 2026. The framework seeks to standardise what has long been a fragmented and time-consuming regulatory process.
Beyond permissions, the discussion also turned to infrastructure and talent. A draft concept for greenfield venue development was tabled, alongside plans to build a skilled workforce. The Indian Institute of Mass Communication, in collaboration with industry bodies MESC and EEMA, is set to introduce certificate courses tailored to the live events sector.
Chanchal Kumar stressed that alignment across stakeholders is already in place, with the next challenge being execution at scale. The government, he noted, remains committed to creating a facilitative and transparent ecosystem for organisers.
For an industry once seen as fragmented and event-driven, the message is clear, India’s live events business is no longer just about the show, it’s about building an entire stage for growth.
