iWorld
Hotstar clocks 25.3 mn concurrent viewers to set new global record
MUMBAI: Hotstar, India’s largest premium streaming platform, continued to raise the bar in live streaming, setting a new global benchmark during the India vs New Zealand semi-final on 10th July 2019. The platform registered an unprecedented 25.3 million concurrent viewers, shattering its own previous world record of 18.6 million set during the VIVO IPL 2019 final. Hotstar also witnessed upwards of 15 million concurrent viewers across multiple matches through the ICC Cricket World Cup.
Built to handle immense scale, Hotstar had previously crossed the milestone of 100 million daily users during the India vs Pakistan match. Even with the massive cricket consumption, the entertainment consumption on Hotstar remains extremely high. 60% of cricket viewers also consume entertainment content on the platform and the past 12 months have seen a 2X growth in entertainment consumption. The watch time on entertainment content is 1.5 times that of sports content on the platform. These astounding numbers are a resounding testimony to Hotstar’s immense technology prowess, with the platform continuing to be the preferred destination for sports and entertainment for millions of Indians across the country.
Commenting on the development, Varun Narang, Chief Product Officer, Hotstar, said, “We are thrilled about, once again, re-writing the global record for the highest concurrent video viewership anywhere in the world.
Using tech in creating a delightful consumer experience is at the core of what we do. From building scalable services that enable massive concurrency to managing complexities of live streaming from video acquisition to authentication to delivery, we prepare for failure in the system. We load test our infrastructure extensively to identify failure points.
With a robust technology backbone, and expertise in driving scale by changing behaviour and growing the category, we look forward to setting new benchmarks and delivering unmatched experiences to all our users.”
Commenting on the record, Vinod Thadani, Chief Digital Officer, Mindshare South Asia, said, “Achieving 25.3 million simultaneous viewers in any match is no mean feat. The nail-biting semi-final saw Hotstar’s viewership rise steadily and during the last leg of the game, the viewership increased nearly with every ball! Also, what’s remarkable is the fact that these numbers were attained for a disrupted semi-final played over two days. It’s anyone’s guess what the figures would’ve been had India made it to the finals. Hotstar would’ve definitely surpassed these numbers and set new global standards.”
In addition to India, Hotstar brought the ICC Cricket World Cup to consumers in the US and Canada as well, who tuned in to the platform via the app, on the web (us.hotstar.com & ca.hotstar.com), Google play store, app store, as well as on living room devices like Roku TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Android TV, and Samsung Smart TV.
iWorld
Frodoh, Chaupal introduce non-intrusive first-screen ads for OTT platforms
New ad-tech layer unlocks revenue without interrupting OTT viewing
MUMBAI: Frodoh has partnered with regional OTT platform Chaupal to roll out what it calls an industry-first “first-screen” monetisation framework, aimed at helping subscription-led streaming services generate additional revenue without interrupting content viewing.
The new model focuses on connected TV home screens, introducing ad formats that sit within the discovery layer rather than the content itself. In simple terms, viewers may notice subtle brand placements while browsing, but once they hit play, the experience remains ad-free.
The technology is designed to tap into high-attention areas such as session depth, viewing intent and discovery behaviour, turning previously unused interface space into monetisable real estate. For OTT platforms, this opens up a fresh revenue stream without diluting the premium experience that subscribers expect.
Chaupal chief executive officer Sandeep Bansal said the move balances growth with user trust. “By partnering with Frodoh, we are introducing a sophisticated ‘first-screen’ monetisation layer that integrates seamlessly into our UI, ensuring discovery remains native and non-intrusive while keeping content consumption ad-free.”
From Frodoh’s side, the pitch is clear: expand the ad pie without cluttering the screen. Frodoh founder and chief executive officer Russhabh R Thakkar said the framework creates a new category of advertising by unlocking high-visibility home screen inventory that was previously untapped.
Industry watchers see this as part of a broader shift in OTT monetisation strategies, especially as subscription platforms look to diversify revenue without risking churn. With connected TV usage rising steadily, the home screen is quickly becoming the next battleground for attention.
If the model scales, this partnership could signal a subtle but significant shift in how OTT platforms monetise, proving that sometimes, the most valuable ad space is the one you see before the show even begins.
