iWorld
Facebook’s billion-dollar push to woo content creators
New Delhi: As its rival TikTok continues to rise up the charts, the social media giant Facebook has announced that it is all set to invest over $1 billion to reward creators for creating content on Facebook and Instagram by the end of 2022.
The announcement is part of the US giant’s big-term plans to up its game against YouTube and TikTok which have been setting new records. The Chinese video sharing app has thrived despite the government bans, and recently became the first non-Facebook mobile app to surpass three billion downloads since 2018 when it became available globally.
According to mobile analytics firm Sensor Tower, the milestone makes TikTok the fifth nongame app to cross the threshold, following WhatsApp, Messenger, Facebook and Instagram- all owned by Facebook. The US social media giant is now gearing up to compete with its rival’s spectacular rise.
“From artists to style experts and budding entertainers, creators drive so much of the passion and creativity we see across our apps. By the end of 2022, we plan to invest over $1 billion in programs that give you new ways to earn money for the content you create on Facebook and Instagram,” Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a FB post. “We want to build the best platforms for millions of creators to make a living. Investing in creators isn’t new for us, but I’m excited to expand this work over time.”
The company said the idea is to reward creators, especially those just starting out. The investment will include new bonus programs that pay eligible creators for hitting certain milestones when they use FB’s creative and monetisation tools. The company will also provide seed funding for creators to produce their content. “Our goal is to help as many creators as possible find sustainable, long-term success on our apps,” it said.
Some programs are already available to select creators by invitation but the platform will now launch a dedicated place for bonuses within the Instagram app soon and later in the Facebook app. Instagram’s bonus programs will include incentives to use Reels,a feature developed post rise of TikTok.
“This investment brings together our many programs and initiatives across the company that support the creator community and enable them to earn a sustainable income on our apps. It complements our growing suite of monetisation tools,” said the company.
iWorld
Streaming boom crosses 200 million as India shifts to sustainable growth
From content bets to CTV rise, industry leaders map streaming’s next phase
MUMBAI: India’s streaming story has entered a new chapter, and this time it is less about land grab and more about staying power. At a panel on the evolving streaming economy, industry leaders agreed that with subscriptions crossing 200 million and revenues surging, the focus has decisively shifted to sustainable growth, smarter content bets and sharper partnerships.
Moderator EY partner Raghav Anand, set the tone by pointing to the sharp jump in paid subscriptions, driven by a mix of sports, bundling and improved distribution. The result is a fast-maturing ecosystem where subscription revenues are beginning to complement, and in some cases rival, advertising-led growth.
For Amazon Prime Video Svod business India director & head Shilangi Mukherji, the past decade has been about balancing choice with clarity. “It’s not an either-or market anymore,” she noted. “There is space for everything, from television to ad-supported streaming to subscriptions. The real win is when they all grow together.”
At the heart of this growth lies a simple trio: selection, value and convenience. Content remains king, but not in isolation. Platforms are now curating vast libraries that blend originals, rentals, and third-party services, all under one roof. The aim is to create an ecosystem where viewers do not need to hop between apps to find what they want.
Content itself is also evolving. Mukherji highlighted that nearly half of Prime Video’s viewership comes from outside a show’s home region, underlining the collapse of traditional language silos. Stories are no longer “regional” but increasingly pan-Indian, with talent and narratives travelling seamlessly across states.
Franchise-building has become another cornerstone, with a majority of shows designed for multiple seasons. The goal is not just to attract viewers but to keep them coming back, turning series into long-term cultural touchpoints rather than one-off hits.
On the production side, Hungama Digital Media managing director & CEO Neeraj Roy, described an industry that is both resilient and recalibrating. While the pandemic accelerated content consumption and discovery, it also reset market dynamics. Pre-sales have softened, satellite revenues have tightened, and the easy money phase of digital deals has cooled.
“The honeymoon is over,” Roy said candidly. “Now, content has to prove itself. If it works at the box office or with audiences, everything else follows.”
This shift, he argued, is pushing creators towards greater discipline. Fewer projects are being made, but with sharper focus on quality and audience appeal. At the same time, global exposure to diverse content, from Korean dramas to Malayalam cinema, has raised the bar for storytelling across the board.
Another quiet transformation is unfolding in how content is consumed. While mobile remains the primary gateway, especially for payments and discovery, connected TVs are fast becoming the preferred screen for long-form viewing. Mukherji described this not as a battle of devices but as a “force multiplier”, with platforms tailoring plans for mobile-only users, living room viewers and multi-device households alike.
The monetisation playbook is also widening. Beyond subscriptions and ads, platforms are experimenting with rentals, bundled offerings and commerce integrations, building layered revenue streams that cater to different stages of the consumer journey.
Looking ahead, both panellists pointed to global ambition as the next frontier. Mukherji emphasised taking Indian stories to the world through deeper localisation, calling content India’s soft power. Roy, meanwhile, stressed the need for investment in infrastructure, skills and, crucially, transparent data systems to guide creators with better insights.
If the first phase of India’s streaming boom was about scale, the next will be about substance. And as the industry settles into this new rhythm, one thing is clear: the real streaming wars may be over, but the race to win viewers’ time has only just begun.
