iWorld
Netflix’s Nick Nelson joins Ownzones Media as head of product innovation
MUMBAI: In a move to bolster its in-house product and innovation development, Ownzones Media Network, the OTT EntTech company, has appointed former Netflix executive Nick Nelson as the new Head of Product Innovation. Nelson, who will be based in Los Angeles, reports to Aaron Sloman, Chief Technology Officer at Ownzones.
In making the announcement, Sloman stated, “We are thrilled that Nick has joined us to further develop and refine our consumer OTT interface and user experience. He’s highly regarded in the industry for his knowledge to build and rollout brilliant OTT and streaming offerings, most notably in the early days of Netflix and recently with Seeso. I look forward to working closely with him on the innovation and strategy around our company’s products.”
In this newly created post at Ownzones, Nelson will oversee the innovation of Ownzones’s suite of products and services, and helping to develop novel concepts that furthers Ownzones’s pursuit of connecting people with the content they love. He will also help evolve the consumer facing discover experience, A/B testing framework and product data intelligence.
Nelson brings a wealth of valuable experience having served as Head of Product Creative at Netflix from 2012 to 2016. During the evolutionary years of the streaming giant, Nelson grew his Netflix team from 5 to 50+ employees to support the increasing responsibilities, volume, and international expansion of the company. Nelson was also responsible for transforming the Creative Services department at Netflix from a process-driven acquisition operation to a highly strategic, cross-functional team focused on improving creative while simultaneously operating at a global scale.
Nelson has also held key positions at other leading digital rights management organizations including Cognizant Technology, Deluxe Entertainment Services and Ascent Media.
Most recently, Nelson served as the Owner of Technically Creative, a company he founded in October 2016 in Los Angeles. For the past year, he consulted with Seeso, the OTT subscription streaming service owned by Comcast through NBC Universal.
Nelson is a graduate of University of California – Santa Cruz, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Systems and Technology Management.
iWorld
Rusk Media announces Battleground Season 2 on Amazon MX Player
Fitness reality show returns in April 2026 with bigger challenges and mentors.
MUMBAI: The arena is reopening and this time the competition promises even more sweat, strategy and spectacle. Rusk Media has confirmed the return of its fitness reality format Battleground for a second season, set to stream on Amazon MX Player from April 2026. The announcement follows the breakout success of the show’s debut season, which positioned itself as a high energy blend of sport, strategy and reality television. Season 1 brought together 16 contestants for a 28 day test of endurance and discipline, as aspiring athletes and fitness enthusiasts competed in physically demanding challenges and team based battles.
Divided into four teams, the participants trained under a panel of mentors drawn from the fitness and lifestyle space, with former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan serving as the show’s Super Mentor.
The format quickly found an audience among digital viewers and was listed among the most binged titles on Amazon MX Player. The show also picked up industry recognition, winning the “Most Popular Non Fiction Show” honour at the IWMBuzz Digital Awards 2025.
The first season also drew a slate of brand partnerships, including Honda Bigwing, Charged, American Pistachio Growers, Bigmuscles Nutrition, Ritebite Max Protein, Plix and Sparsh CCTV, highlighting the show’s appeal to brands targeting India’s rapidly growing youth and fitness audience.
For Season 2, the producers say the format will evolve with tougher physical challenges, a sharper competitive structure and deeper mentor involvement while continuing to focus on discovering the next generation of Indian fitness personalities.
Rusk Media, chief executive officer and co founder Mayank Yadav said the first season proved the appetite for competitive fitness storytelling. “Battleground was always envisioned as more than a show. Season 1 demonstrated that there is a massive audience for aspirational fitness competition at scale. With Season 2 we are going even bigger in ambition, intensity and opportunities for contestants and partners,” he said.
Rusk Ads lead Rahul Arora added that the series has also evolved into a strong platform for brand integration and advertiser engagement. “Season 1 showed that Battleground is not just compelling content but a powerful brand ecosystem. As we move into Season 2, we are looking to deepen brand collaborations and build more integrated partnerships,” he said.
With a larger format, an expanding fan base and a new season set to arrive in April 2026, Battleground is positioning itself as one of India’s emerging fitness reality franchises in the digital entertainment space.
