iWorld
Ditto TV introduces new payment model
MUMBAI: Ditto TV, India’s first OTT (Over-The-Top) TV distribution platform from Zee New Media, the digital arm of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) has partnered with mobile payment provider Fortumo to introduce a new mobile payment option to further simplify the overall consumer experience. With this partnership, Ditto TV users can now subscribe to their favourite content on Ditto TV and make payments directly through their mobile operator, and without the need of a credit card, cash on delivery (COD), or net banking options. This payment model is available for both post- paid and pre- paid mobile users.
Speaking about this partnership, Manoj Padmanabhan, Business Head, DittoTV said, “We at Ditto TV are committed to making the user experience as seamless, convenient and memorable as possible. With the association with Fortumo, we are now a few steps closer to ensuring that our users have the ease and simplicity they need to make payments using their mobile phones. Fortumo, with its multiple telecom operator tie-ups, will help us reach out to complex markets, where credit cards or net banking options are limited, and build our presence across key markets beyond the metros.”
“Compared to mobile phone users, there are very few credit card owners in emerging markets like India and South-East Asia. This creates a situation where a lot of people want access to mobile entertainment, but have no way to pay for it. Operator billing solves this problem by allowing companies like Ditto TV to charge users on their phone bill. In addition to significantly expanding payment coverage for merchants, Fortumo also reduces the time to market as only one integration to enable payments in 80 countries globally,” said Gerri Kodres, SVP of Business Development and Carrier Relations at Fortumo.
Interestingly, India has witnessed stronger adoption for smartphones with a market penetration of close to 100 million, as compared to 20 million for credit cards. Furthermore, credit card penetration remains largely confined to metros, comprising a mere 1.7% of the country’s overall population. Another challenge is the inherent resistance observed among credit card users, in sharing critical account-related information, along with the tedious sign-up processes involved. Allowing payments through mobile operators effectively mitigates the need for credit card information and will help Ditto TV reach out to a huge potential user base across smaller markets which have limited access to credit cards. Fortumo currently operates in about 80 countries across the world and has tie ups with most major Indian telecom operators – Idea Cellular, Vodafone, Airtel and Tata Docomo.
Ditto TV has integrated this seamless process for mobile payment across all subscription packages, including VOD and MOD content. All a customer needs to do is to select the content to view and confirm the payment on the mobile phone charging the amount to their mobile operator. Fortumo will process the payment request with the concerned telecom operator and once the verification is generated, the user can avail the content. The payment is later charged to the customer mobile bill or deducted from his pre- paid account balance, as the case may be.
Today, Ditto TV offers the largest collection of premium content through 70 LIVE TV channels spread across leading genres like GEC, Sports, Lifestyle, Regional and News along with rich on-demand video capabilities. Ditto TV can be downloaded from www.dittotv.com
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.
