iWorld
MinersINC, ITV Studios Global Entertainment collaborate to bring British & European series to India
MUMBAI: In line with its vision of offering the best of global content, myNK, the blockchain-powered VOD platform by MinersINC today inked a ground-breaking content partnership deal with ITV Studios Global Entertainment, the distribution arm of ITV Studios and part of ITV PLC which includes the UK’s largest commercial broadcaster. ITV Studios produces more than 8,900 hours of original programming a year for broadcasters in the UK and around the world.
With this new partnership, ITV Studios Global Entertainment will enable the expansion of myNK’s curated library with the addition of landmark British and European series, never-before-released in India. Shows such as The Bay, the high-rating, compelling and beautifully crafted crime drama series will be premiered in India on myNK as well as other prominent titles in the library including the Canadian mystery drama based on the classic Detective Murdoch novels by Maureen Jennings Murdoch Mysteries – Season 9; the critically acclaimed legal drama Aber Bergen from Norway; Undeniable written by the renowned Chris Lang (Unforgotten, Dark Heart) and The Line, also known as Un Village Français, a series set in central France during World War II.
myNK’s content acquisition strategy leads the way in bringing world class entertainment (films & series) to India. Combining curation with its unique blockchain-powered tech and business model, it further empowers the film fan by community enabled recommendations, rewards and on-selling of films (micro-distribution) via transactional VoD (TVOD) /PPV. All this is backed by a robust content security infrastructure protected by public key cryptography that is exclusive globally only to myNK.
The partnership with ITV Global Entertainment will not only strengthen myNK’s distribution & niche content ecosystem but also contribute to the overall VoD sector in India.
ITV Studios Global Entertainment sales director south Asia Bharti Mittal said, “Our world-famous returning dramas such as Victoria, Poldarkand Harlots have been very well received in India, creating a buzz on social media and even a following of Bollywood stars. I’m sure The Bay, which has been one of ITV’s highest-rated dramas in the last year, along with these other celebrated titles are set to do the same. We are really excited by myNK’s forward-thinking offering and with our catalogue of 45,000+ hours of content, there’s a lot more we can do together.”
MinersINC founder and CEO Nitin Narkhede said, “myNK is continually expanding its exploration of cinema and drama gems from around the world, bringing international films and series that are globally appreciated, noteworthy with gripping story lines and talent, and yet most of which were not yet released in India. With partners like ITV Studios Global Entertainment, we are taking our myNK proposition to the next level. We are truly excited to bring some of the top British drama series to our audiences and at the same time, open the market for monetization via blockchain transparency and security.”
iWorld
Youtube rolls out major creator and monetisation upgrades
New tools, bigger thumbnails and shopping perks aim to keep the platform ahead in the video race.
MUMBAI: Youtube has just turned up the volume on its creator tools because when the competition is fierce, even the biggest platform knows it needs to hit refresh. Neal Mohan, CEO of Youtube, has announced a wide-ranging set of platform updates designed to boost creator tools, open new monetisation avenues and enhance the overall user experience. The changes span content discovery, advertising solutions, safety features and global partnerships.
Among the most practical improvements, Youtube has increased the maximum thumbnail file size from 2MB to 50MB, allowing creators to upload higher-quality visuals for their videos. The platform has also expanded access to localised thumbnails, enabling creators to tailor video previews for different regions and audiences.
On the monetisation front, Youtube has widened access to its Shopping Affiliate programme, giving more creators the ability to earn through product recommendations. It has also introduced a unified advertiser and creator suite called Youtube Creator Partnerships, aimed at streamlining brand collaborations and campaign execution.
Creative tools are receiving a boost with expanded access to Effect Maker, a web-based platform that allows creators to build interactive effects. The tool now integrates with Veo 3, further advancing content creation capabilities.
Youtube is also investing in social impact with a $20 million global teen wellbeing programme in collaboration with Google.org, focused on supporting youth mental health and digital wellbeing.
For content discovery, the platform has introduced a new grid layout for Shorts in mobile search results, making it easier for users to browse short-form videos. New gifting features such as Gifts and Jewels have been rolled out for vertical live streams in South Korea, opening additional avenues for fan engagement and creator earnings. The company has also added NanoBanana to its Youtube Create app, continuing to expand its suite of mobile content creation tools.
On the safety side, Youtube has expanded likeness detection technology to include government officials, journalists and political candidates, aiming to prevent misuse of identity on the platform.
Finally, Youtube has partnered with FIFA for the FIFA World Cup, signalling a continued push into sports content and global event collaborations.
From bigger thumbnails to smarter shopping tools and safety upgrades, Youtube is clearly playing to stay on top proving that even the biggest video platform knows when it’s time to hit the refresh button.
