iWorld
Madras HC lifts stay on cricket scores via SMS
MUMBAI: Cell phone operators heaved a huge sigh of relief today after the Madras High Court allowed scores of the ongoing India-Pakistan one-day international cricket series to be sent through SMS.
A single judge bench of the Madras High Court, in an interim order, set aside a 7 February order of another single-judge bench of the court that had restrained mobile phone operators, websites and other content providers from providing score updates. The restraint would have applied for four weeks, by which time the series would have been over.
Justice R Bhanumathi issed her order on a batch of 18 petitions, including those of Airtel, BSNL, Reliance Infocomm, Hutchison Essar, Idea Cellular, Aircel Cellular, Spice Telecom, Tata Indicom, Sify, Yahoo Webservices Ltd, Indiatimes, IMI Mobile, PhonyTunes.com, Rediff.com, Pyro Mobile, ON Mobile Asia-Pacific and CricInfo India.
The order also directs operators to maintain accounts of the revenues earned through the score SMS of the one-dayers so as to ensure that if the suit finally went in favour of trhe original plaintiff, the company could be compensated and it would not suffer any loss.
The 7 February order was issued on a civil suit by Marksman Marketing Services Private Limited. Marksman had contended it had secured the rights of disseminating information relating to scores, alerts and updates or other events or happenings of the tour through SMS.
In its suit, Marksman had submitted that Vectracom Pvt Ltd had entered into an agreement with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on 29 December, 2005 for exclusive global SMS rights to the cricket matches. Marksman’s contention was that cell phone operators and websites were providing information related to scores and updates without obtaining permission from Vectracom.
iWorld
JioHotstar enters micro-drama space with 100 shows under Tadka banner
Short-form push targets 300M users as content meets commerce in new format
MUMBAI: JioStar has made a bold play in India’s fast-growing micro-drama space, rolling out over 100 short-form shows under its new Tadka banner on JioHotstar, timed with the massive viewership surge of the Indian Premier League 2026.
The scale of the launch signals clear intent. Rather than testing the waters, the company has dived in headfirst, releasing a wide slate of content on day one. Each show is designed for quick consumption, with episodes running 60 to 90 seconds in a vertical format tailored for mobile-first audiences.
The move comes as India’s micro-drama market, currently valued at around $300 million, is projected to grow tenfold to over $3 billion by 2030. Globally, the format has already proven its mettle, with China’s micro-drama sector recording explosive growth in recent years.
What sets this rollout apart is its built-in monetisation strategy. The shows are free to watch and ad-supported, with brand integrations woven directly into storylines from the outset. It reflects a broader shift where content and commerce are increasingly intertwined, rather than operating in silos.
The timing is equally strategic. With more than 300 million users already tuning in for IPL action, JioHotstar is effectively turning cricket’s biggest stage into a discovery engine for its new format.
The company is not entering an empty arena. Early movers like Kuku TV, MX Player and platforms backed by Zee Entertainment Enterprises have already laid the groundwork, building audiences and validating demand for snackable storytelling.
Now, with scale, distribution and advertiser interest aligning, the big players are stepping in. For JioStar, Tadka may well serve as a proving ground for the next evolution of digital entertainment, where every minute counts and every second sells.
If the bet pays off, India’s next big content wave might just arrive in under 90 seconds.
