iWorld
Planetcast forays into OTT segment
Mumbai: Planetcast Media Services Limited (formerly Essel Shyam Communication Limited) today announced its foray into OTT segment by introducing its OTT solution targeted towards existing broadcasters and non-TV content owners. Planetcast OTT is a new, turnkey OTT solution for media companies, publishers and content creators to build advanced OTT app and web based entertainment ecosystem and deploy it in a highly cost effective manner.
Planetcast OTT solution is aimed towards exponential increase in ROI for broadcasters, media companies, video content owners and publishers who wants to take their content over the top. Planetcast OTT empowers the customers to quickly launch, manage and monetize new OTT offerings.
Planetcast, with its OTT solution will break the glass ceiling which prevents passionate media companies and content owners from making OTT market entry due to the high cost attached to it. An out of the box solution, it enables the customers to deploy premium OTT experience within the time limit and within their budget. Planetcast OTT solution will have a simplistic interface which does not require engineers to manage or build services, Planetcast is very clear about OTT product offering, its to make customer’s life simple and hassle free.
Commenting on the occasion, M.N Vyas, Executive Director, Planetcast said “Indian market is responding positively towards OTT services and media companies are highly optimistic about tapping into the fast growing opportunity OTT offers. Media companies were not able to do so due to high cost and ambiguity in the market, Planetcast OTT solution will put an end to all this as it will enable the media companies to launch quick, cost effective and easy to manage OTT services across all connected devices.”
Commenting on the occasion, Sanjay Duda, Chief Marketing Officer, Planetcast said “The global OTT market is projected to surpass $64.9 billion by 2021 , its too big a business not to be done. Media companies and content owners can increase their business exponentially through OTT offerings and I am confident that they will find a like minded partner in Planetcast. Our solution is cost effective, easy to deploy and easy to manage. Our two decades of successful broadcast industry operations is the biggest differentiating factor behind Planetcast OTT solution.”
Planetcast will give a sneak peek into its OTT solution at Broadcast India 2016, Mumbai, booth number B-212-1. The product will be available in December 2016.
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.
