iWorld
BBC Studios’ flagship content and customer event BBC Showcase relocates to London
Mumbai: BBC Studios has announced that its flagship content and customer event “BBC Showcase” will return as an in-person experience in 2023 with a fresh focus on upstream creative projects from across its range of production houses, labels and partners.
Taking place on 27-28 February, BBC Studios’ “Showcase” will relocate to London following nine years in Liverpool.
BBC Studios CEO global distribution Rebecca Glashow said, “As the market, and our own business changes, so does “Showcase.” Expect to see our offer to customers evolve from a content juggernaut to a series of highly curated match-making opportunities that brings our most valued partners, producers and programmes together so the richest conversations can take place.”
BBC Studios Productions CEO Ralph Lee said, “Reconnecting with customers for those early co-pro and pre-sales conversations was invaluable to our producers at the recent natural history, science and docs days and we’re looking forward to doing the same thing, across the whole range of our content at “Showcase.”’
The “BBC’s Showcase” began its life in the Old Ship in Brighton in 1976 when 25 European buyers squeezed into the old seafront hotel to watch classic BBC shows like Fawlty Towers, The Good Life and Doctor Who. During the 1980s, the event moved around Sussex, Bournemouth, Edinburgh, Bristol, Stratford-Upon-Avon and Harrogate before returning to Brighton and then, in 2012, finding a new home at Liverpool’s ACC. The last two “Showcases” were virtual.
Alongside the new look “Showcase,” BBC Studios will maximise its global network of local experts, from L.A. to Beijing, to bring content to customers in ways and times that best suit them throughout the year.
Of “Showcase’s” association with Liverpool, director content sales Louise McNab said, ‘We owe all at the ACC and the city of Liverpool a huge debt of gratitude for hosting us for many memorable years. The welcome we received was unparalleled and we had some wonderful times that will live long in the memory. I’d like to thank everyone involved for the part they played.’
The BBC Studios’ international production and formats teams will also be at “BBC Showcase” and will present their newest slate of launches to global partners, sharing fresh ideas and key successes from around the world.
Further details about BBC Studios “Showcase” will be announced in the forthcoming months.
iWorld
JioHotstar enters micro-drama space with 100 shows under Tadka banner
Short-form push targets 300M users as content meets commerce in new format
MUMBAI: JioStar has made a bold play in India’s fast-growing micro-drama space, rolling out over 100 short-form shows under its new Tadka banner on JioHotstar, timed with the massive viewership surge of the Indian Premier League 2026.
The scale of the launch signals clear intent. Rather than testing the waters, the company has dived in headfirst, releasing a wide slate of content on day one. Each show is designed for quick consumption, with episodes running 60 to 90 seconds in a vertical format tailored for mobile-first audiences.
The move comes as India’s micro-drama market, currently valued at around $300 million, is projected to grow tenfold to over $3 billion by 2030. Globally, the format has already proven its mettle, with China’s micro-drama sector recording explosive growth in recent years.
What sets this rollout apart is its built-in monetisation strategy. The shows are free to watch and ad-supported, with brand integrations woven directly into storylines from the outset. It reflects a broader shift where content and commerce are increasingly intertwined, rather than operating in silos.
The timing is equally strategic. With more than 300 million users already tuning in for IPL action, JioHotstar is effectively turning cricket’s biggest stage into a discovery engine for its new format.
The company is not entering an empty arena. Early movers like Kuku TV, MX Player and platforms backed by Zee Entertainment Enterprises have already laid the groundwork, building audiences and validating demand for snackable storytelling.
Now, with scale, distribution and advertiser interest aligning, the big players are stepping in. For JioStar, Tadka may well serve as a proving ground for the next evolution of digital entertainment, where every minute counts and every second sells.
If the bet pays off, India’s next big content wave might just arrive in under 90 seconds.
