MAM
Guest Column: M&E industry in India: 5 not-to-be-missed trends
The Indian M&E industry is growing at 15 per cent CAGR and is expected to double in size over the next five years. Almost all the sub-segments are growing in double digits. The existing ones are those in the middle of a consumption trend like on-demand content or beneficiaries of a regulatory push like digitisation.
Here are the five biggest trends to watch out for:
1.OTT
Personalisation of content and delivery and real time access on multiple devices and platforms to make OTT mainstream. Big data through instant consumer analytics to become indispensable
2.Digital Content as growth driver
Growth to be driven by digital content in the internet industry in India as it doubles to $250bn in 5 years. Unprecedented proliferation of digital-first media brands like AIB, TVF, etc. Existing traditional media brands may reorient themselves to being digital-only brands. Repurposing widely popular content of the past on digital for consumption across multiple content formats may be a unique sound strategy.
3.Immersive content as lead format
Immersive content (VR/AR) to play an unexpected big role in the future. May become larger than any other format in the years to come.
4.Technology to disrupt more than just content
Technology to continue to disrupt the traditional ways of buying and selling advertising as programmatic, geo-targeting, etc becomes the new normal. TV and digital measurement to converge too as marketers look for platform-agnostic strategies.
5.Convergence of M & E & Technology to undergird everything
With cheap economics dictating the rationale, cloud-based services to drive content faster from creation to consumption thereby re-defining movement, distribution and management of content. Rapid convergence of media, entertainment and technology is interlinking content creation, distribution and consumption experiences.
New media – signifying interplay between technology and media – is where the real excitement is. It offers a range of opportunities in content and platforms across gaming, video and music. Other than that, there are consolidation plays in traditional media like C&S distribution, film exhibition etc.
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(Piyush Sharma, a global tech, media and entrepreneurial leader, created the successful foray of Zee Entertainment in India and globally under the ‘Living’ brand. The views expressed here are of the writer’s and Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to them.) |
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
