iWorld
Disney+ Hotstar to stream 94th Academy Awards on 28 March
Mumbai: Disney+ Hotstar is set to stream the 94th Academy Awards on 28 March, starting at 5 a.m IST. The Oscars, one of cinema’s most prestigious awards, will take place at Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles.
This year, the event will see the biggest names in world cinema in attendance who will honour the best movies, filmmakers and performances of 2021. Actors Wanda Sykes, Amy Schumer and Regina Hall will walk the live audience and viewers through the ceremony as hosts.
The event will witness the presence of popular stars like Halle Bailey, Ruth E Carter, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Kevin Costner, Jamie Lee Curtis, Woody Harrelson, Anthony Hopkins, Samuel L Jackson, Lily James, Daniel Kaluuya, Zoë Kravitz, Mila Kunis, Lady Gaga, John Leguizamo, Simu Liu, Rami Malek, Shawn Mendes, Lupita Nyong’o, Rosie Perez, Tyler Perry, Chris Rock, Tracee Ellis Ross, Naomi Scott, Wesley Snipes, Uma Thurman, John Travolta and Yuh-Jung Youn, Stephanie Beatriz, DJ Khaled, Jennifer Garner, HER, Tiffany Haddish, Tony Hawk, Bill Murray, Elliot Page, Kelly Slater and Shaun White and several others as they present the award to winners of different categories.
There will also be musical performances by Beyoncé, Billie Eilish and Finneas, Reba McEntire and Sebastián Yatra. They will perform this year’s nominated songs at the event.
This year audiences will be able to vote for their favourite movie in new category called ‘Favourite Movie of 2021’ The Academy Awards will declare a winner for this category based on votes submitted on Twitter and the Oscars ‘Fan Favourite’ website.
iWorld
Instagram to curb reach of repost-heavy accounts in new update
Original content to get priority as reposts lose visibility on Explore and feeds.
MUMBAI: Copy, paste, repeat? Instagram is ready to hit unfollow on that strategy. The platform is tightening its grip on repost-heavy accounts, signalling a clear shift towards rewarding originality over aggregation. As part of the update, Instagram will stop recommending content from accounts that primarily repost others’ work across key discovery surfaces, including feeds and the Explore tab. The change expands existing restrictions that were earlier limited to Reels, now covering photos and carousel posts as well. While reposted content will still be visible to an account’s existing followers, its chances of reaching new audiences through recommendations are set to shrink significantly.
At the heart of the move is a push to clean up clutter. Instagram is targeting aggregator accounts that recycle content without adding meaningful value, aiming to reduce duplication and elevate the visibility of original creators.
The platform has also clarified what qualifies as “original”. Content created directly by users whether photos, videos or substantially edited material will continue to be prioritised. Even when using existing formats or templates, posts that bring in fresh humour, commentary or creative edits will still make the cut.
What will not pass muster are low-effort tweaks. Adding watermarks, making minor speed changes or reposting screenshots even with credit will not be considered original and will not be eligible for broader distribution.
Importantly, the update will not affect what users see from accounts they already follow. But for creators relying heavily on reposts, visibility beyond their existing audience could take a noticeable hit.
In a platform driven by discovery, that shift matters. Instagram’s message is simple, if you want to be seen, start creating not just curating.
