iWorld
Ooyala offers Indian broadcasters a quick OTT build service
MUMBAI: Come September and Indian broadcasters will have easy access to a quick OTT build solution. Australian telco Telstra subsidiary Ooyala is all set to roll out its AppStudio at the IBC convention in Amsttersam from 8-13 September 2016.
Ooyala AppStudio, a press release from the company claims, mitigates the expensive custom development and integration costs typically associated with OTT market entry. An out-of-the-box solution, it ensures customers can deploy premium OTT experiences on time and on budget, with a simple, easy-to-use interface. As such, it does not require highly technical staff to build or manage services. Content providers can automate the build of OTT apps directly within the Ooyala AppStudio console for any device, supporting apps for Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Chromecast as well as on iOS, Android and the web. No engineering is required, drastically reducing time-to-market as well as development and personnel-associated costs.
Developed in partnership with Massive Interactive, Ooyala AppStudio is a comprehensive solution for companies to deploy, manage, track, analyze and monetize all components of a cloud-based OTT service. It supports revenue models including subscription vide-oon-demand (SVOD), advertising-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) or hybrid strategies. It also comes pre-integrated with a comprehensive set of best-in-breed technologies to ensure the experience is simple to use and seamless for the viewer, including:
● User registration, offer management, content scheduling as well as advanced user-interfaces (UIs) for device-tailored user experiences, powered by Massive Interactive’s technology, Massive HALO
● Video management and delivery, powered by Ooyala
● Content recommendation and personalization, powered by Ooyala Discovery
● Detailed analytics for video performance and audience engagement to help boost ad revenue or reduce subscriber churn, powered by Ooyala IQ
● Payment management, security and subscription billing, powered by Stripe
● Quality-of-experience (QoE) analytics, powered by Youbora from Nice People At Work
● Page-level behavior analytics in-app or on the web, powered by Google Analytics
● Support for any IAB VAST-compatible ad server including Ooyala Pulse
Ooyala AppStudio, the company says, has an elegant interface for making changes to content layout, promoting high-performing video, adjusting seasonal promotions and content schedules, and optimizing the user experience for higher engagement. Customers can quickly apply offers and calls to action within the app experience, easily linking in¬-app images to promotional content either within the app or on an external website. These changes and updates are applied automatically with no need to rebuild or recertify the apps.
“Media companies want to tap into the fast-growing opportunity OTT represents, but have been held back by slow pace and high cost of developing apps for the broad array of connected devices in the consumer market. Ooyala AppStudio changes that,” said Ooyala co-founder and senior vice president of roducts and olutions Belsasar Lepe. “There is tremendous growth in OTT demand particularly outside of the U.S., where broadband and 4G connectivity is improving, making offerings accessible to huge new audiences. For local content providers who want to hedge against larger OTT incumbents entering their market, Ooyala AppStudio is a perfect fit.”
Ooyala has provided OTT solutions to companies such as Star India and Viacom18 in the past in India. And last month Ooyala CEO Ramesh Srinivasan announced that it was setting up an R&D facility in Chennai. “Our new office here will be instrumental in expanding the company’s global presence, providing another local team to support our growing Asia-Pacific customer base, and helping accelerate the rapid pace of innovation within the company,” he had told local media.
iWorld
MS Dhoni invests in Kuku, joins Kuku TV as brand ambassador
Cricket icon backs AI storytelling platform, fronts Kuku TV campaign
MUMBAI: MS Dhoni has invested in Kuku and joined its short-form drama app Kuku TV as brand ambassador, signalling a high-profile bet on India’s fast-growing AI-led content space.
Kuku, a mobile-first storytelling platform, operates across formats with apps such as Kuku TV for micro-dramas, Kuku FM for audio content and Guru for learning-led entertainment. Founded in 2018, the company has scaled rapidly, crossing 350 million installs and building a catalogue of over 20,000 titles across multiple Indian languages.
Dhoni said his decision to invest and partner with the platform was driven by its distinct approach to storytelling and its strong growth trajectory. MS Dhoni said, “I chose to invest in Kuku, and also come on board as the ambassador for Kuku TV, because the platform really stood out to me. It has built a differentiated entertainment experience for audiences across India, spanning multiple languages and formats. The growth has been impressive, and I connect strongly with the founders, who come from small towns like mine and have built something of this scale. I believe in their vision of building an AI-driven storytelling platform from Bharat, for Bharat, and for the world.”
Founded by Lal Chand Bisu, Vinod Kumar Meena and Vikas Goyal, the platform positions itself at the intersection of technology and storytelling, using AI to create and distribute bite-sized content tailored to mobile audiences.
Sharing his perspective, Kuku co-founder and CEO Lal Chand Bisu said, “MS Dhoni is known for backing bold decisions that others might hesitate to take. At Kuku, we are also taking bold bets. That spirit of unconventional thinking resonates deeply with us.”
Adding to this, Kuku co-founder and COO Vinod Kumar Meena said, “Our beloved Thala is one of the rare personalities with truly nationwide appeal. As we build Kuku for all of India, that connection makes him a natural fit for us.”
Further, Kuku co-founder and CTO Vikas Goyal said, “MSD has a unique understanding of people. As we build for both creators and consumers, that perspective will be incredibly valuable, especially as we continue strengthening our AI-driven storytelling stack.”
Backing the momentum, Panthera Peak Capital managing director Nikhil Bhandarkar said, “Kuku’s vision, execution, and clarity of thought are exceptional, qualities that closely mirror MS Dhoni’s approach. We are excited to partner with the team as they build Kuku into a global entertainment platform.”
To mark the association, Kuku TV has rolled out the campaign Dhoni Watches Kuku TV, anchored by a brand film that plays on Dhoni’s instinctive decision-making. Built around short, engaging stories delivered in minutes, the campaign highlights the platform’s promise of quick, compelling entertainment.
With Dhoni stepping in as both investor and face of the brand, Kuku appears to be doubling down on its ambition to take AI-driven storytelling from India to a global audience, one short story at a time.
