iWorld
Airtel & TVF create internet’s live reality show
MUMBAI: Nomophobia – the fear of being without your mobile phone or being unable to use your phone for some reason. Bringing this phobia to life with a hilarious twist is internet’s first ever live reality show, TVF is presenting — Airtel connected live. In a world where people have a fear of not being always connected through their smartphones, TVF and Airtel come together to create this first-of-a-kind live event & branded content IP in India.
From the TVF stable, creators of the most compelling web content in India and makers of the immensely popular series like “TVF Pitchers”, “Permanent roommates”, “TVF Tripling” amongst others, comes a yet another first in its category. TVF presents Airtel connected live is a live web-reality event which will take place from August 18 – 20th. Featuring Jitendra Kumar, one of TVF’s most popular faces, lovingly called Jeetu by his fans, the live reality show will see him being dared to live alone in a house. Little does he know, TVF & Airtel have some surprises in store for him. That’s not all! Even you the viewers can throw a dare at Jeetu. Filled with 3 days of entertaining tasks playing on Webcast live on TVFPlay and on Facebook; Airtel Connected Live is an opportunity for fans to see their favourite TVF faces up close and personal. Featuring cameos from popular TVF faces like Anant Singh, Nidhi Bisht, Nidhi Singh, Biswapati Sarkar and others, Airtel Connected Live promises to take branded content on the web in India to the next level. Recently, TVF also took a step towards live entertainment by conducting its first live Truth or Dare.
Jitendra Kumar popularly known as Jeetu shared, “My love to Airtel for supporting us crazy TVF people in this larger than life dare plan. Initially I was taking it lightly but now I am a little scared about these three days. At the same time I am also looking forward to it because it gives me a feeling of our childhood video games where our hero used to face different situations and clear all the stages successfully in the end. I am looking forward to a lot of fun and expecting the toughest and most entertaining tasks from our crazy TVF Truth vs. Dare team. Looking forward to the love and support from people out there in finishing my tasks.”
Vineet Kanabar, Head of Marketing, TVF said, “The Viral Fever has always been a leader in experimenting with new formats of digital entertainment. Live videos on Facebook & YouTube emerged as an exciting format and we have used these extensively to entertain the audience. With Airtel Connected Live, we’re taking the next leap in digital entertainment. Interactive real-time live entertainment is the holy grail of digital branded content and we’re excited to be among the first movers in this space. Kudos to Airtel & GroupM for reposing their trust in us to take this giant leap. Stay tuned, there will be more to come in this space from us.”
Mausumi Kar, Managing Partner, Team Airtel @ GroupM elaborated, “Airtel Connected LIVE is inspired by the popular ‘escape from locked room’ concept; but that’s where the similarity ends. The edge-of-the-seat fear and anxiety fare usually connected with this format was replaced being alien to our brand DNA. Instead the viewer is made a part of a journey of fun and humor. We are glad to partner with TVF to bring alive our idea and add the dimensions of subtle brand integrations with easy camaraderie with viewers that they have delivered.”
Airtel spokesperson shared, “As a platform, Airtel Connected Live helps demonstrate the power of Airtel network. This is a first-of-its-kind three day continuous live activation created in conjunction with TVF that challenges all thresholds of digital engagement experienced before. It also proves how the right choice of network enables the true use of smartphones.”
iWorld
WhatsApp may soon let users to pick who sees their status updates
The messaging giant is borrowing a page from Instagram’s playbook as it pushes to give users finer control over their social circles.
CALIFORNIA: WhatsApp is quietly working on a feature that could make its Status function considerably smarter and considerably more private.
According to reports from beta tracking platforms, the app is testing a tool called Status lists, which would allow users to create named groups such as close friends, family and colleagues, and control precisely which group sees each update. It is a meaningful step up from the platform’s current blunt instruments, which offer only three options: share with all contacts, exclude specific people, or manually select individuals each time.
The new feature draws an obvious comparison with Instagram’s Close Friends function, and the resemblance is unlikely to be accidental. Both platforms sit within Meta’s family, and the company has been nudging them toward a common logic of audience segmentation for some time.
The move also fits neatly into WhatsApp’s broader privacy push. The platform has been rolling out enhanced chat protections and is exploring the introduction of usernames, which would allow users to connect without exchanging phone numbers. Status lists extend that philosophy from messaging into broadcasting.
Meanwhile, Status itself has been evolving well beyond its origins as a simple photo-and-text slideshow. The feature now supports music stickers, collages, longer videos and interactive elements, pushing it closer to the social-media-style story format pioneered by Snapchat and refined by Instagram. In that context, finer audience controls are not merely a privacy feature. They are a precondition for people sharing more.
The feature remains in development and has not been confirmed for release. WhatsApp routinely tests tools that are later modified or quietly shelved. But the direction of travel is clear: the app wants Status to be a destination, not an afterthought. Letting users decide exactly who is in the audience is how it gets there.
