Event Coverage
Mobile TV generation: 23 too old?
CANNES: Mobile TV is not a guy or girl thing. More than anything else it is a young thing.
And, the young have the capacity to consume mobile TV content even while sitting in front of a television in their living rooms. Multitasking is what it’s called and the older folks can’t really get the drift.
So just who are these older folks that are not clued in to this new world? We’re talking of the 22+ generation and not the 35+ it needs noting.
The key demographic that consumes mobile TV is the 12 to 22 demo, Matt Heiman, CEO and co-founder, Mobix Interactive (UK) points out and not the 14 to 34 (or in India’s case the 15 to 35 demo) that one traditionally looks at as the young and techno savvy lot. And one of the reasons Heiman offered for such a low age skew is that today’s 12-year-olds are like yesterday’s 16-year-olds. Tapping in to their psyche is really important, Heiman stressed.
He was part of a very clued in panel that the first session of the “mobile TV” day at Mipcom had talking on “Programme Commissioning Outlook 2010 Mobile & Cross Platform Formats.” Other speakers on the panel included Roma Khanna, senior VP, content, Chum Television International (Canada) and Sophie Walpole, head of Interactive Drama and Entertainment, BBC (UK).
Said Heiman, the transition of handsets to 3G would really be the take-off for mobile TV. Looked at in revenue terms, the Arpu difference would from the current average of 70 p per user to single digit pounds.
Another issue that was discussed revolved around whether telecom companies or telcos have the capability to become content aggregators. Can they offer the expertise? An emphatic no was Roma Khanna’s take on the matter. “Taste making is much more important than gate keeping,” Khanna argued. She believes that as mobile TV becomes more established, this factor will get even more emphasised.
BBC’s Sophie Walpole said the critical point was “who are the audience and how can you reach them in the simplest most seamless way?”
Walpole said drama is actually harder to introduce during interactivity, since interactivity actually tends to take away from the experience of consuming the content. Interactivity can actually distract or break the narrative flow of the story. Enhancing the drama and not interrupting the drama is critical.
Heiman drew attention to another critical point, which is that mobile requires a certain type of content presentation. And getting that right is no mean task. His advice: Get a partner who has the expertise and can repurpose content for mobile.
What type of content moves well via mobile ? Not surprisingly it is music, news and comedy. Surprisingly though, sports is not high on the interest list of the young jocks who hook in to mobile TV. Except for score updates, which is really an SMS activity more than anything else.
So what’s the future outlook? Linked content on mobile is a possibility. Future is interconnectivity and not just interactivity. Akin to the blogging phenomenon on the net.
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.
