iWorld
SonyLIV celebrates 5 glorious years
MUMBAI: SonyLIV, launched in January 2013, completes 5 years this month. The launch of SonyLIV set the tone for the OTT industry in India. Over the last 5 years, SonyLIV has grown with the digital ecosystem and garnered key insights on the rise of video content, engaging mobile experience, power of choice to the consumer, transformation in payment mechanisms, data science and machine learning to better understand consumer behaviour better. As a brand, it has also paved the path for other national and international players to enter this category in India.
Aligned to its vision of transforming the video-on-demand space with edgy, relatable, and top-notch content, SonyLIV has many first to its credit. Through the journey of 5 years, SonyLIV has not only introduced new content formats like original web-series, including those in regional languages but also established a presence in top Indian metros.
Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) EVP and head-digital business Uday Sodhi said, “We take immense pride in the fact that we introduced OTT to India. Over the 5 years, we have learned, grown and been a vital part in building the digital ecosystem in our country. Post the launch of SonyLIV, we have seen a number of home-grown players enter the field along with some international heavyweights. The presence of all these players has further helped increase awareness about OTT as a platform among Indians and created a competitive environment that is beneficial to the industry as a whole. On our 5th anniversary, we would like to thank our viewers, advertisers and partners for being part of this remarkable journey and take this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment towards providing great content and a supreme digital viewing experience. We LIV to Entertain and we will continue to entertain.”
SonyLIV also went beyond the ordinary entertainment and became the first OTT player to have over 4000 hours of food content and over 3000+ live matches and 4000+ hours of football action among other content. The brand has some of the best cricket properties and presently are the exclusive internet and mobile broadcaster for the India Tour of South Africa. SonyLIV has also enriched viewer experience by launching many contextual short films that not only entertain but also mirror trends in society.
SonyLIV is home to the widest range of sporting properties including cricket, football, tennis, WWE, UFC, basketball and much more.
The future for SonyLIV is towards more regional content acquisition and curation to cater to the rural audiences, which is where the next wave of consumption is estimated. SonyLIV is also building an app environment for lower bandwidth consumption. SonyLIV is taking strict measure and working closely with all partners to ensure no ad frauds happen while also ensuring brand safety.
Also Read:
Uday Sodhi bets long on short films on SonyLiv
SonyLiv partners Pocket Aces, brings Filter Copy & Gobble originals
Regional OTT content more than just catch-up TV
iWorld
YouTube rolls out 30-second unskippable ads on smart TVs worldwide
New connected TV format and pause ads push viewers towards longer ad breaks
MUMBAI: Your trusty skip ad button may soon become a rare sight, at least when you are watching YouTube on the big screen. As of March 2026, the platform has completed the global rollout of 30-second non-skippable advertisements for connected TV apps.
The move affects viewers watching YouTube on smart TVs, gaming consoles and streaming devices such as Roku or Apple TV. Instead of seeing two separate 15-second ads that could sometimes be skipped after a few seconds, users are increasingly being served a single uninterrupted 30-second advertising block.
The change is primarily tied to YouTube Select, the company’s premium advertising inventory that features the top 5 per cent of most-watched content on the platform. For advertisers, it offers a more predictable and television-like experience. For viewers, it means settling in for the full half-minute.
Behind the scenes, artificial intelligence is also taking on a larger role. Google’s ad systems now dynamically decide which format works best for each viewer. The rotation may include quick 6-second bumper ads, traditional 15-second spots, or the new 30-second connected TV format depending on the content and audience.
Even pressing pause is no longer an escape from advertising. YouTube has started rolling out so-called pause ads, where the video shrinks on the screen and a static or interactive advertisement appears alongside it when a viewer stops playback.
The strategy reflects how YouTube’s viewing habits are changing. Television screens have become the platform’s fastest-growing viewing surface, and in the United States it now ranks as the leading streaming service by watch time, ahead of major subscription platforms.
There is also a practical reason. Ad-blocking software is far less common on smart TVs than on browsers or mobile devices. By shifting more advertising to the living room screen, YouTube is protecting a crucial source of revenue.
At the same time, the company appears keen to nudge more viewers towards its paid offerings. Longer unskippable ads on the free tier make services such as YouTube Premium and the lower-priced Premium Lite subscription more appealing.
For now, mobile and desktop viewers can breathe a small sigh of relief. The 30-second unskippable format is currently limited to connected TVs, while phones and computers still mostly cap non-skippable ads at around 15 seconds.
So the next time you lean back on the sofa to watch a video on YouTube, be prepared. The ads might just be settling in for the full half-minute as well.
