iWorld
Global Standards Symposium 2024 concludes, paving way for digital progress
Mumbai: The fifth Global Standards Symposium (GSS-24) wraps up in New Delhi, making history as the first time the event has been held in the Asia-Pacific region. Organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and hosted by the Department of Telecommunications, Government of India, GSS-24 gathers a record 1,500 policymakers, innovators, and experts to chart the future of digital transformation. The event emphasises the critical role of international standards in enabling emerging technologies to drive sustainable global development.
Minister of state for communications and rural development, Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani delivers a closing address lauding India’s transformation under prime minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. “The standards we establish are more than just technical standards, but they are moral compasses, guiding us towards a future of shared global progress. India is ready to take this journey not alone, but with all of you as partners,” Pemmasani states, advocating for an inclusive, democratic approach to international standards.
The symposium’s theme, “Charting the Next Digital Wave: Emerging Technologies, Innovation, and International Standards,” highlights the need for cohesive, forward-looking governance and standardisation in digital technologies. It serves as a platform for high-level dialogues on crucial issues like AI governance, open-source technologies, blockchain-based authentication, and the impact of AI and the Metaverse on public services.
Union minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia underscores India’s role as a global telecommunications and digital innovation hub. He describes India as “a land of science, innovation, and rules aiding in the prosperity of the world.”
The key discussions focus on bridging the standards gap between developed and developing countries, emphasising equitable access to technology for all. The AI Standards Summit, held as part of GSS-24, illustrates how consensus-based standards can ignite innovation across multiple sectors, driving technological advancements.
Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT), CEO, Rajkumar Upadhyay chairs the symposium, marking India’s first time leading the event. The symposium’s outcome document lays the groundwork for discussions at the World Telecommunication Standardisation Assembly (WTSA-24), taking place from 15-24 October 2024, in New Delhi.
iWorld
Banijay Asia’s The 50 tops OTT charts with 8.1 million JioHotstar views
Reality competition becomes most watched show on JioHotstar in debut week.
MUMBAI: Fifty contestants walked into a palace, but millions of viewers showed up for the drama. Reality competition The 50, produced by Banijay Asia, has emerged as the most watched show on JioHotstar, clocking 8.1 million views in its debut week. The figure, reported by Ormax Media, places the show at the top of the OTT viewership charts and marks a strong opening for the digital reality format.
Adapted from a popular French format, The 50 brings together 50 personalities from television, digital platforms, music and reality shows inside a grand palace setting. Over the course of a 50 day competition, participants form alliances, compete in unpredictable tasks and navigate eliminations as the field steadily narrows.
Guiding the game is a mysterious figure known as The Lion, an unseen game master whose voice introduces twists, challenges and strategic turns throughout the show, adding an extra layer of suspense to the contest.
What distinguishes The 50 from typical reality competitions is its audience driven prize structure. Instead of the winner taking home the final reward, the prize is awarded to one of the winner’s registered followers through the show’s dedicated app. The mechanism effectively turns viewers into participants, allowing fans to have a direct stake in the outcome.
The contestant lineup features a mix of television actors, reality stars and digital creators, including Karan Patel, Urvashi Dholakia, Divya Agarwal, Mr Faisu and Dushyant Kukreja, each bringing their own fan following to the show.
With its blend of celebrity personalities, strategic gameplay and interactive viewer participation, The 50 has quickly carved out a strong foothold in India’s digital entertainment landscape. Its 8.1 million views in the opening week underline the growing appetite for large scale reality formats designed specifically for OTT audiences.
