iWorld
Planetcast launches its NexC cloud-first architecture to enable media companies
Mumbai: Planetcast Media Services, a broadcast technology and media services provider, announced the launch of its NexC architecture to simplify content management, distribution, and monetisation services and technologies. NexC provides a single-window, content supply chain management system, enabling users to beat the complexity challenge of today’s media and entertainment landscape.
Benefits of NexC include:
- Frictionless movement of content assets between most-used services increases efficiency and minimises cost.
- NexC’s collaboration tools mean that global teams can work together without leaving NexC
- The inclusion of major functionalities in one interface, including content supply chain, playout and distribution, FAST, OTT distribution, and post-production, enables Planetcast customers to effortlessly add services without complex processes or having to deal with multiple vendors.
- NexC’s cloud-based infrastructure and content-repurposing features enable users to monetise content quickly and cost-effectively across more formats and geographies than ever before.
“Media organisations are finding it increasingly cumbersome and expensive to navigate the various stages of post-production, content delivery, and monetisation,” said Planetcast chief executive officer Sanjay Duda. “In addition to seeking to enhance profitability, many media & entertainment companies are expanding geographically, while at the same time targeting new distribution points and functionalities, such as over-the-top (OTT), Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST), and pop-up channels. This leads to an exponential increase in the requirement for media processing and management, which we call the ‘complexity challenge’. Planetcast’s NexC unified service layer architecture meets this challenge through its flexibility and cloud-first approach, enabling customers to maximize efficiency and cost-effectiveness.”
The NexC architecture consists of the following elements, all accessed through Planetcast’s unified customer user interface (UI) and dashboard:
- Contido content supply chain and management solution
- Content Preparation & Localisation Services, a full suite of core technical post-production services from quality control and compliance to subtitling & dubbing, etc.
- Scheduling, Playout and distribution through the CloudX hybrid cloud playout and Recaster digital delivery
- Planetcast OTT, a white-labelled OTT solution for non-linear content distribution
In addition, the NexC platform offers partner-integrated value-added services such as:
- FAST Playout with partner-driven Server-Side Ad-insertion, Ad-Demand Management and Platform partner management.
- Cloud-based Creative Post Production which includes the full suite of creative services such as Editing, Colour Grading, VFX, etc. on Cloud.
“Planetcast’s success has been built upon the ability to adapt to changing distribution and monetisation trends over the last two decades while successfully handling some of the world’s most valuable sports and entertainment properties,” said Planetcast’s chief operating officer, digital, Venugopal Iyengar. “Our strength lies in having organically built end-to-end distribution value chains using our in-house software development capability, mostly built with our own IP, served by a 200+ software team. We believe that the ‘complexity challenge’ is the greatest issue facing media companies today. To meet this challenge, we have designed the NexC architecture from the ground up to provide all the power and functionality media companies need, combined with the simplicity of a single sign-on collaborative user interface.”
Further, to ensure sustained value enhancement in this rapidly developing industry, NexC will offer API integration support for any Generative AI solutions that serve to enhance the workflows and functionality of the Platform.
Planetcast has developed one of the industry’s most comprehensive cloud-driven media services offerings and is trusted by many of the world’s most demanding global media companies, including Amazon Prime Video, Discovery, Disney, Indian Premier League (IPL), Star TV, Sony, Viacom, and Doordarshan, India’s premier public broadcaster. These unique solutions are right now being integrated into the NexC unified service layer architecture.
iWorld
JioHotstar enters micro-drama space with 100 shows under Tadka banner
Short-form push targets 300M users as content meets commerce in new format
MUMBAI: JioStar has made a bold play in India’s fast-growing micro-drama space, rolling out over 100 short-form shows under its new Tadka banner on JioHotstar, timed with the massive viewership surge of the Indian Premier League 2026.
The scale of the launch signals clear intent. Rather than testing the waters, the company has dived in headfirst, releasing a wide slate of content on day one. Each show is designed for quick consumption, with episodes running 60 to 90 seconds in a vertical format tailored for mobile-first audiences.
The move comes as India’s micro-drama market, currently valued at around $300 million, is projected to grow tenfold to over $3 billion by 2030. Globally, the format has already proven its mettle, with China’s micro-drama sector recording explosive growth in recent years.
What sets this rollout apart is its built-in monetisation strategy. The shows are free to watch and ad-supported, with brand integrations woven directly into storylines from the outset. It reflects a broader shift where content and commerce are increasingly intertwined, rather than operating in silos.
The timing is equally strategic. With more than 300 million users already tuning in for IPL action, JioHotstar is effectively turning cricket’s biggest stage into a discovery engine for its new format.
The company is not entering an empty arena. Early movers like Kuku TV, MX Player and platforms backed by Zee Entertainment Enterprises have already laid the groundwork, building audiences and validating demand for snackable storytelling.
Now, with scale, distribution and advertiser interest aligning, the big players are stepping in. For JioStar, Tadka may well serve as a proving ground for the next evolution of digital entertainment, where every minute counts and every second sells.
If the bet pays off, India’s next big content wave might just arrive in under 90 seconds.
