iWorld
Disney+ Hotstar enables all mobile users to access Pro Kabaddi League season 10
Mumbai: After the resounding success of the Asia Cup 2023 and the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, Disney+ Hotstar is gearing up to present Pro Kabaddi League, the most watched sport in the country after cricket. The platform has announced that the upcoming season of Pro Kabaddi League will be available to stream for all the mobile users in India starting 2 December 2023.
The decision to enable ad-supported streaming of the tenth edition of Pro Kabaddi League closely follows the historic viewership achieved during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. During the India vs South Africa match, the platform recorded a peak concurrency of 4.4 Crore viewers, and this is expected to go up as we draw closer to the culmination of the tournament.
Commenting on this, Disney+ Hotstar India head Sajith Sivanandan said, “The landscape of sports viewing is evolving, as was witnessed by the phenomenal response to our free on mobile offering during Asia Cup 2023 and ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. Our audience is continually seeking the thrill of sports with the convenience of on-the-go access and we are elated to meet this demand. The popularity of Pro Kabaddi League spans across age groups and by making it available to all our mobile audience without having to subscribe, our aim is to make Kabaddi accessible to all of India and foster a stronger sense of engagement amongst the fans.”
The upcoming season of the Pro Kabaddi League will be conducted in a 12-city caravan format with 12 competing teams.
Tune into Disney+ Hotstar to stream Pro Kabaddi League 2023 live. The tournament will also be broadcast live on Star Sports Network.
iWorld
Spotify rolls out ‘Verified by Spotify’ badge for artists
New badge and profile details aim to boost transparency in AI-driven music era.
MUMBAI: In a world where even playlists can have imposters, Spotify is adding a badge of trust. The streaming platform has begun rolling out a new ‘Verified by Spotify’ badge, alongside expanded artist profile details, as it looks to bring greater clarity to listeners navigating an increasingly complex mix of human and AI-generated music. The badge, currently in beta, will appear on artist profiles that meet Spotify’s internal criteria for authenticity. These include consistent listener engagement, adherence to platform policies and signs of a real-world presence such as live performances, merchandise or active social media profiles. Notably, profiles representing primarily AI-generated artists will not be eligible for verification at launch.
Spotify says the verification process will combine automated systems with human review, prioritising artists with sustained audience interest over those driven by short-term spikes. The rollout will be gradual, with the badge appearing across profiles and search results over the coming weeks. The company noted that more than 99 per cent of artists users actively search for are already included in the initial phase.
Alongside the badge, Spotify is also introducing a new artist details section within profiles. Available even for non-verified artists, the feature will highlight career milestones, release activity and touring history, offering listeners a more comprehensive view of an artist’s journey and output.
The move builds on Spotify’s broader push towards transparency, complementing existing features such as SongDNA, expanded song credits and AI attribution tools. Together, these updates aim to give users more context about what they are listening to and who is behind it.
As generative AI continues to blur the lines between creator and creation, Spotify’s latest update signals a clear intent: in the streaming era, authenticity is becoming just as important as accessibility.
