iWorld
News18 launches YouTube channel for Maha Kumbh 2025
MUMBAI: Close to Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad) is Triveni Sangam – the sacred confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers. Today, Prayagraj is a husltle bustle of activity as it gets ready to stage the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, a magnificent spiritual celebration anticipated to draw 400 million pilgrims from around the world.
And to make sure its influence is felt the world over, news television network News18 has launched News18 Kumbh, an exclusive YouTube channel that provides 24/7 coverage of this extraordinary event. It will bring the vibrant traditions of Indian spirituality into homes globally, offering viewers a virtual pilgrimage that encapsulates the essence of devotion and unity, showcasing the largest religious gathering on earth from 13 January to 26 February 2025.
To get a dekko of the YouTube channels click here: https://www.youtube.com/@news18kumbh
The News18 Kumbh logo was unveiled by the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad president Mahant Ravindra Puri – the apex religious body of 13 recognized monastic Hindu orders. The showcasing of the logo was streamed directly from the Kumbh Mela on the YouTube channel.
As part of the launch, Prateek Trivedi’s popular show Bhaiyaji Kahin featured a special live episode that captured the rich culture and tradition defining the Kumbh Mela.
According to a press release issued by the network, News18 Kumbh is to provide live coverage from multiple ghats and akharas. With 24-hour live streaming, special programming, and curated shows, the channel will delve into the mythology, spiritual significance, and cultural traditions of the Maha Kumbh. From detailed insights into the Shahi Snan and the importance of bathing rituals for different akharas to key dates, travel advisories, and daily event calendars, News18 Kumbh will serve as a guide for devotees and viewers alike.
As a tribute to the spirit of Maha Kumbh 2025, News18 also released a specially composed song that beautifully captured its essence and magnificence.
News18 network has deployed a dedicated team to cover the event. and has set up operations in Prayagraj to bring viewers updates and insights over the two-month-long event.
iWorld
Micro-Dramas Surge in India, Redefining Mobile Content Habits
Meta-Ormax study maps rapid rise of short-form storytelling among 18–44 audiences.
MUMBAI: Micro-dramas aren’t just short, they’re the snack that ate Indian entertainment, and now everyone’s bingeing between the sofa cushions. Meta, in partnership with Ormax Media, has released ‘Micro Dramas: The India Story’, a comprehensive study unveiled at the inaugural Meta Marketing Summit: Micro-Drama Edition. The report maps how the vertical, bite-sized format is reshaping content consumption for mobile-first audiences aged 18–44 across 14 states.
Conducted between November 2025 and January 2026 through 50 in-depth interviews and 2,000 personal surveys, the research reveals that 65 per cent of viewers discovered micro-dramas within the last year proof of explosive adoption. Nearly 89 per cent encounter the format through social feeds and recommendations, making algorithm-driven discovery the primary engine rather than active search.
Key viewing patterns show a median of 3.5 hours per week (about 30 minutes daily) spread across 7–8 short sessions. Consumption peaks between 8 pm and midnight, with additional spikes during commutes and work breaks classic “in-between moments” that the format fills perfectly. Around 57 per cent of viewing happens in ambient mode (while doing something else), and 90 per cent is solo, enabling more intimate, personal storytelling.
Romance, family drama and comedy lead genre preferences. Audiences show growing openness to AI-generated content, 47 per cent find it unique and creative, while only 6 per cent say they would avoid it entirely. Regional languages are surging after Hindi and English, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada dominate consumption.
Meta, director, media & entertainment (India) Shweta Bajpai said, “Micro-drama isn’t a passing trend, it’s rewriting the rules of Indian entertainment. In under a year, an entirely new category of platforms has emerged, built audience habits from scratch, and created a business vertical that is scaling fast.”
Ormax Media founder-CEO Shailesh Kapoor added, “Micro-dramas are beginning to show the early signs of becoming a distinct content category in India’s digital entertainment landscape. When a format aligns closely with how audiences naturally engage with their devices, it has the potential to scale very quickly.”
The study proposes ecosystem-wide responsibility, universal signposting of commercial intent, shared accountability among advertisers, platforms, creators, schools and parents, built-in safeguards, and formal media literacy in schools.
In a feed that never sleeps and a day that never stops, micro-dramas have slipped into the cracks of every spare minute turning 30-second stories into the new national pastime, one vertical swipe at a time.
