iWorld
Odisha’s OTT TarangPlus ready for bigger, better things
KOLKATA: In the state of Odisha, a little known regional OTT called TarangPlus is slowly but surely making its presence felt. Not many mainline players have heard of it and those who have, don’t put much store by it. But in the world of digital, dismissing anyone can prove fatal. Today’s minnow can become tomorrow’s whale shark.
Coming from the news-based Odisha Television network stable, which was founded by feisty entrepreneur and cable TV professional Jagi Mangat, TarangPlus is being steered by her sharp daughter Litisha Mangat.
An alumnus of IIM Calcutta, the young lady, who serves as the group’s digital operating officer, says she has set her sights on the big picture.
“What I am doing today may not have an impact in the short-term but it will definitely work in the long run,” assures the 20-something Litisha, who came on board TarangPlus only last year. “Lack of technology was one major issue when I joined. I am getting into more technologies which can integrate between TV and OTT because TV is not going anywhere,” she adds.
Launched in November 2019 as a platform to make progressive content, TarangPlus is Odisha TV’s biggest investment and bet. “We knew that society is moving forward and we need to move forward along with it. I am not aware of anybody in Odisha making as much as progressive content as we are,” Litisha claims.
The users on the platform are a “young, energetic and liberal crowd,” she adds, “aged between 18-34 from both the major cities in Odisha and from the hinterlands. The user demography is almost similar for both catch-up content and premium shows on AVoD and SVoD respectively.”
Currently, the ratio of network content and original content on the platform is 20:80. The idea was to launch a new piece of content every month; but Covid2019 put paid to those ambitions. Litisha continues to have her eye on that target, and will get things moving once large-scale shoots get the go-ahead from the authorities.
The silver lining, according to her, is that the last four-five months were a great opportunity for the team to study how consumers were navigating the app as there was not much fresh content being served on TV because of the lockdown. They got to measure and understand how many people actually made the switch to digital along with what they were consuming.
“We learnt what audiences want and that is what we are heading towards,” she states. “Our marketing strategy is simple. We pride ourselves as Odias. Odisha is a beautiful state replete with culture, lovely traditions and progressive festivals like Raja Parba (a festival that celebrates menstruation and womanhood.) We just want to tell stories that focus on showcasing the pride of Odisha.”
She is quite sanguine that TarangPlus has many advantages to its credit: being the first and only regional OTT platform in Odia, it will appeal to Odia diaspora who will love to watch, endorse the organic content that the platform has in store.
She is hoping to sign on at least two million active users in the coming year. Will she get there?
Well, she has the pedigree. Her father Jay Panda is a senior BJP leader.
And her mother, Jagi Mangat, is a trailblazer. She was the founder of the Ortel – Orissa’s MSO, which promised a lot initially but then failed. However, Jagi did not let that debacle deter her: she poured all her energy into OTV, expanded the channels under its portfolio by launching Tarang TV, Tarang Music, and Prarthana. Today, the Odisha TV network has burst into the top 15 Indian network league, just below ABP News. And the Youtube channel of OTV, boasts of a healthy four million subs.
Thinking back to when Odisha TV set out to prop its digital business, Litisha proudly says it was the first broadcaster in the state to do so. Realising the necessity to have a digital footprint, the network had launched its website nearly eight years ago. Later, the company also decided to launch two apps – one dedicated to news and the other serving general entertainment content. Moreover, it also has a user-generated news platform called Odisha Reporter which lets common people report on day-to-day issues and developments.
With that kind of a heritage, Litisha can only forge ahead.
iWorld
Meta warns 200 users after fake Whatsapp spyware attack
Italy-targeted campaign used unofficial app to deploy surveillance spyware.
MUMBAI: It looked like a message, but it behaved like a mole. Meta has warned around 200 users most of them in Italy after uncovering a targeted spyware campaign that weaponised a fake version of WhatsApp to infiltrate devices. The attack, first reported by Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata, relied on classic social engineering with a modern twist: persuading users to download an unofficial WhatsApp clone embedded with surveillance software. The malicious application, believed to be developed by Italian firm SIO through its subsidiary ASIGINT, was designed to mimic the real app closely enough to bypass suspicion.
Meta’s security teams identified roughly 200 individuals who may have installed the compromised version, triggering immediate countermeasures. Affected users were logged out of their accounts and issued alerts warning of potential privacy breaches, with the company describing the incident as a “targeted social engineering attempt” aimed at gaining device-level access.
The malicious app was not distributed via official app stores but circulated through third-party channels, where it was presented as a legitimate WhatsApp alternative. Once installed, it reportedly allowed external operators to access sensitive data stored on the device turning a simple download into a potential surveillance gateway.
According to Techcrunch, Meta is now preparing legal action against the spyware developers to curb further misuse. The company, however, has not disclosed details about the specific individuals targeted or the extent of data compromised.
A Whatsapp spokesperson reiterated that user safety remains the top priority, particularly for those misled into installing the fake iOS application. Meanwhile, reports from La Repubblica suggest the spyware may be linked to “Spyrtacus”, a strain previously associated with Android-based attacks that could intercept calls, activate microphones and even access cameras.
The episode underscores a growing reality in the digital age, the threat is no longer just what you download, but where you download it from. As unofficial apps become increasingly convincing, the line between communication tool and covert surveillance is getting harder to spot and far easier to exploit.
