iWorld
Kantar’s OTT audience measurement aims to be industry currency
MUMBAI: Kantar, in association with VTION, has launched OTT Audience Measurement Insights for audio streaming platforms at a time when a unified third-party measurement is need of the hour. While the video measurement will come up in Q2, both the companies, on the back of the collaboration, aim to fill the need gap.
“The idea here is that we hope to provide a third party independent measurement, which tells platforms about what the consumers are listening, at what time which platforms, what kind of content is being consumed. We don't have any stake, either of the parties in any of the platform. The idea is that we want to be the currency for the OTT industry to make decisions about content, marketing and communication,” Kantar South Asia Insights Division managing director and chief strategy officer Hemant Mehta said.
Mehta added that VTION’s expertise in technologies is the core strength of the partnership, while Kantar brings in the knowledge of using that data to understand from a media planning or market insights perspective. Despite challenges, both the parties are now confident that what they are measuring and reporting to the market is reliable.
He added that having one standard metric is not possible, it would vary. “What we are giving is our standard variables by which you can evaluate like in any other medium. We've got reach, rating, time spent, share – the four variables which every medium has, we are also releasing those to the industry. And we hope that industry will take a consensus about what should be the measure,” Mehta said.
He also added that the in-depth measurement data will be subscription-based. As shared by him, along with platforms, advertisers are also showing interest in the data. The recent study is based on a robust sample size of 9000+ stretching across top 9 cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad & Lucknow/Kanpur) among male and female of age group of 18+ and across SEC A, B & CDE.
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.
