iWorld
BBC seeks out new digital ideas for collaboration in India
MUMBAI: The BBC World Service is creating opportunities for Indian digital and tech companies as it expands services on mobile platforms in the region. Interested companies will then have a few weeks to work on their proposal and submit their idea.
The BBC’s expansion this year will reach all across India with the launch of new TV and digital services in Punjabi, Gujarati, Marathi and Telugu, while current services in Tamil, Hindi and English will be enhanced. Further to this, the BBC’s base in New Delhi will become its biggest outside the UK.
The BBC has been leading in digital innovation across new story formats and platforms in India – this has included a WhatsApp coverage feed during the 2014 Indian Elections and the use of LINE for BBC Hindi content. It is now looking to expand its digital experimentation and collaboration in an exciting new project powered by the BBC’s digital innovation team Connected Studio.
There will be three events this month to kick off the search for experienced digital companies with great ideas, as follows:
19 April, Gurgaon: http://bit.ly/2nCOE6x
21 April, Hyderabad: http://bit.ly/2nquETG
25 April, Bangalore: http://bit.ly/2nROHOa
Details will be presented to attendees at the events and BBC experts will available.
This initiative continues the BBC’s investment in digital innovation across Asia. Information on past Connected Studio briefs and the innovative ideas that were prototyped and built with small digital companies across Africa and Asia is available here.
BBC Connected Studio is an open innovation programme that explores and develops new digital ideas for BBC Online. It works closely with the wider digital and creative industries, sharing tools, assets and expertise to meet specific digital briefs from teams across the BBC.
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.
