Event Coverage
Korean mobile broadcasting odyssey begins
CANNES: The future unwound at the Mobile Multimedia Broadcasting Showcases and business panel at the Palais this afternoon with the West and the East putting forth their offerings marrying content and technology.
The Koreans, who have been in the limelight this MIP, went for it first. Korean KBS’ Seung Kyu Lee detailed the country’s plans of the DMB system – both the terrestrial version, already running, and the satellite version, which is slated to hit the market by 1 May.
Lee described the potential of the Korean market, which has 10 million car owners and 35 million mobile phone owners, who would be targeted with VCD quality video, CD quality audio and value-added data services.
According to the business model presented by Lee, 2005, the year of launch would see only traditional advertisements on video, but 2006 would see ads on data service, banners as well as location based ads.
By 2007, Lee says, it would be full-fledged DMB commerce, with interactive services, scalable video services and customised services for clients. Lee’s revenue estimate for the the terrestrial DMB service is around $751 million by 2007.
TU Media Corp’s Hoekyun Ahn shared the key findings of the research that has preceded the launch of the satellite DMB. While the average Korean watches TV for 160 minutes every day and listens to radio for an average 48 minutes, the SDMB tests revealed that SDMB had an attention of 114 minutes from viewers every day, in four blocks of 28 minutes each.
The weekend viewing pattern is slightly different from the weekdays, as there is also complementary use of TV along with the mobile devices that SDMB offers, Lee said.
Event Coverage
Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026
MUMBAI: Riding high on the success of its blockbuster Mumbai debut, Anime India is accelerating its nationwide expansion with the announcement of Amazon MX Player as the co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the festival’s mission to deliver large-scale, accessible, and fan-first anime experiences across the country.
Scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the iconic Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will launch the first regional chapter of what is set to be a year-long, multi-city tour. As the curtain-raiser for the 2026 circuit, the Kolkata edition aims to fuse the energy of global Japanese pop culture with India’s fast-growing community of anime, manga, and pop-culture fans.
A household name in digital entertainment, Amazon MX Player brings unmatched reach and cultural relevance to the Anime India platform. With its expanding focus on anime and youth-driven content, Amazon MX Player’s involvement as co-presenting partner reinforces Anime India’s vision of making anime culture more inclusive breaking barriers of language, geography, and accessibility to connect with fans nationwide.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will showcase cosplay competitions, interactive zones led by the Indian Gunpla Community, India-39 Vocaloid Community, The Japan Curry, and Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Fans can join tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and more. Acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as guest of honour, appearing in panels and live sessions. Positioned as an immersive celebration of fan culture and industry collaboration, the Kolkata edition marks the beginning of Anime India’s nationwide expansion.
Sharing their perspective on the partnership, Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani expressed, “Anime in India has evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream cultural movement, driven by an increasingly engaged and passionate fanbase. At Amazon MX Player, our focus is on expanding access by bringing anime to audiences across the country for free and in multiple local languages. Our association with Anime India reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of anime in India and deepening connections with fans, while continuing to build Amazon MX Player as a trusted destination for free, high-quality entertainment.”
“Anime India Kolkata is a celebration of how anime has grown beyond entertainment into a powerful cultural and creative force. By bringing fans, creators, and industry leaders onto one shared platform, the festival is helping define the future of pop culture in India,” said Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta.
The debut edition of Anime India 2025 in Mumbai attracted over 29,000 fans, quickly cementing its status as a landmark celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Riding on this overwhelming response, the Kolkata chapter is projected to draw more than 40,000 visitors across two days, positioning it as one of the biggest anime conventions ever held in eastern India.
Anime India is focused on bringing together fans from across the country to create a truly pan-India celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese culture. With plans to expand into four key metropolitan hubs in 2026—east (Kolkata), north (Delhi), west (Mumbai), and south (Hyderabad)—the festival seeks to deliver globally benchmarked experiences while supporting and uplifting creators, artists, and fan communities throughout India.
