iWorld
Aaron Herps appointed GM for AVIA’s Coalition Against Piracy
KOLKATA: The Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) has appointed Aaron Herps as the general manager of its Coalition Against Piracy (CAP), following the departure of Neil Gane who moved on to take up a position with the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE).
Herps joined AVIA in 2019 as the operations manager for CAP, working alongside Gane on all CAP initiatives from government outreach to criminal investigations and associated enforcement actions against syndicates and streaming website operators in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
In his role as general manager of CAP, Herps will build on the strong legacy that he and Gane have built, maintaining the coalitions and alliances across the industry which have made CAP so effective and continuing to provide expert technical and forensic analysis of the shifting state of the piracy ecosystem to members and government officials, said the association on Monday.
“Aaron has been instrumental to the success of CAP over the last two years so it gives me great pleasure to see him now taking over the role of General Manager. The fight against piracy never remains static but Aaron has the creativity and skills to lead our industry’s efforts as both the threat and our response to it evolve. I am looking forward to the next chapter of CAP,” said AVIA CEO Louis Boswell.
Herps has over 15 years of content protection experience in the sports and entertainment industries across the Asia Pacific. Prior to joining AVIA, he was manager of Digital Content Protection for the Asia Pacific at beIN Media Group and was the senior manager of Global Content Protection at the Motion Picture Association of America for more than a decade.
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Samay Raina confirms return of India’s Got Latent after controversy
Still Alive mixes humour and reflection as comedian revisits 2025 row
MUMBAI: Samay Raina has signalled a possible return of his controversial show India’s Got Latent, using his latest stand-up special Still Alive to address the past and hint at what lies ahead.
Released on YouTube, the special marks Raina’s most candid take yet on the backlash that forced the show off air in 2025. While much of the performance leans on humour, it also dips into more reflective territory, offering a glimpse into the emotional toll of the controversy.
Recounting the fallout, YouTube comedian samay raina said, “We were both extremely unsettled. How would we navigate this? It was terrifying. We were lost as to what was happening.” He also spoke about a moment involving fellow comedian Balraj Ghai’s family, describing it as overwhelming and difficult to process.
The personal impact of the episode came through most strongly when Raina spoke about his family. He admitted he struggled to even answer a call from his mother during the crisis. YouTube comedian samay raina said, “I hesitated to answer her call and show my tear-streaked face. How would she react? My mom is unaware of anything except how to love.”
Amid the introspection, Raina also dropped a clear hint about the future of his show. While he believes the first season ended on a high note, he confirmed that he intends to revive it. YouTube comedian samay raina said, “I will bring back the show because it used to be fun making it.”
The original run of India’s Got Latent had been pulled down following widespread criticism and legal scrutiny over controversial remarks that went viral, prompting debates around content boundaries in India’s digital entertainment space. Raina later removed episodes and issued an apology, stepping back from major releases for a period.
His return now appears more measured, blending humour with reflection and signalling a creative reset. He also hinted that the next iteration of the show could be more raw and unfiltered, though details remain under wraps.
For fans, the takeaway is simple. The show that sparked both laughter and debate may be gearing up for a second act, with Raina ready to test the limits once again, this time with a sharper sense of where the lines lie.
