iWorld
Broadbus Technologies in expansion mode; appoints India sales head
MUMBAI: Broadbus Technologies, Inc., the US-based next-generation video on-demand (VOD) server technology provider, has opened its European office and the appointment of industry veteran Alkesh Patel as vice president of sales for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and India.
These moves represent a continuation of Broadbus’ global expansion, joining offices in North America and research & development facilities in Beijing. The company develops fully scalable, next-generation video on-demand server systems designed to solve streaming scale, space, power consumption and live ingest issues for communications service providers deploying advanced video services such as VOD, Subscription VOD, and ultimately, full-scale Television On-Demand (TOD).
The company has established regional headquarters in the UK in response to its strong customer success in Europe, where Broadbus deployments pass nearly five million homes. The move comes at a time of rapid growth in video on demand (VOD) and time-shifted viewing — the EMEA region has almost 40 million households with access to on-demand services, and this number will reach to 98 million by 2010 according to Informa Telecoms & Media, states an official release.
“The establishment of a European office and the addition of Alkesh Patel to Broadbus will allow us to continue to capitalize on the growing opportunity for on-demand video services in the region,” Broadbus CEO Vin Bisceglia said. “In addition, it will enable us to build upon our local support and implementation partnerships, ensuring continued world- class service and support for our existing customers.”
Patel joins Broadbus with 19 years of experience in the telecommunications market, and will be responsible for leading regional sales, business development and customer support activities. Prior to joining Broadbus, Patel was vice president of channel sales for EMEA at MetaSolv, where he secured and managed relationships accounting for 40 percent of the OSS company’s revenues in the region, the release adds.
iWorld
Chahal spins a new tale for Story TV
Short drama platform bowls over viewers with 200 million hits.
MUMBAI: If cricket has its quick singles, storytelling now has its quick spins. Story TV, India’s leading short drama platform, has unveiled a new campaign featuring cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal and TV anchor-actor Shefali Bagga and it plays out like a one-minute match packed with twists. The film captures a spirited exchange between Chahal, introduced as Chief Story Officer, and Bagga as they brainstorm a new short drama idea. What begins as a creative discussion soon turns into a playful back-and-forth, mirroring the dramatic, high-energy format the platform is known for.
The campaign positions Story TV as a master of what it calls the “instant hook” narratives designed to grab attention within seconds and deliver punchy pay-offs within a minute. The tone is light, self-aware and fast-paced, much like a T20 over where every ball matters.
The numbers suggest the format is striking a chord. Story TV currently hosts India’s most viewed short drama, clocking over 200 million views, while several other titles have crossed the 100 million mark. Its content library now spans more than 600 short dramas across genres including romance, love, sports and thriller.
The platform has also scaled rapidly on the distribution front. With over 5 crore downloads and users spending more than 80 minutes per day on the app, Story TV has, over the past six months, emerged as the second most downloaded app worldwide in the Entertainment category, according to Sensor Tower. It also consistently ranks number one on the Play Store in its segment.
Speaking about the campaign, Story TV CMO Nishant Kumar said the platform was founded on mastering the art of the instant hook. While it pioneered the “1-Minute Break” format in India, he noted that the vision has evolved beyond simply filling spare moments. In an era of shrinking attention spans and rising audience expectations, he described Story TV as transitioning from a platform into what he termed a global cultural powerhouse.
Kumar added that the collaboration with Yuzvendra Chahal and Shefali Bagga during the T20 World Cup was a deliberate attempt to sit at the intersection of India’s two great passions cricket and cinematic storytelling. He likened the platform’s short dramas to a T20 match, where every ball can change the game, saying the narratives are high-stakes and twist-filled. Chahal’s unpredictability and Bagga’s quick-witted energy, he said, align closely with the Story TV DNA.
Chahal, reflecting on his appointment as chief story officer, described the experience as an opportunity to explore his creative side beyond the cricket field. He said the script allowed him to be himself on screen and tell a story in under a minute, adding that he enjoyed discovering his acting and writing skills during the shoot.
Shefali Bagga echoed the sentiment, noting that short dramas felt like a natural extension of her journey in entertainment. She said she had been hearing about the format for some time and was immediately drawn to the idea when Story TV approached her. For Bagga, the campaign offered a chance to experiment while staying authentic to her personality.
At a time when content consumption is increasingly fragmented and mobile-first, Story TV’s model banks on brevity without sacrificing drama. With industry actors fronting its short dramas and audiences spending more than an hour each day on the app, the platform appears to have tapped into a format that blends binge-watching with snackable storytelling.
In a media landscape where attention is the most contested currency, Story TV is betting that one minute is all it takes provided the spin is right.
