iWorld
Star India, Jio reach consensus for IPL 2020, report suggests
KOLKATA: In the past couple of days, there have been speculations floating around a Star India-Jio deal for IPL 2020. The two companies have come to an agreement finally that will allow subscribers of select Jio mobile plans to watch IPL 2020 for free. In addition to that, Jio Fiber users of certain plans will also be able to watch it for free, according to media reports.
The report also added that Jio will be providing free IPL 2020 streaming on its Rs 401 and Rs 2,599 mobile recharge plans. However, the plans mentioned already provide users access to Disney+ Hotstar. Viewers without a subscription to Disney+ Hotstar or free access to the service will be able to stream only five minutes of the IPL 2020 matches.
When the news broke out that IPL might not be available for Jio users to watch this year, experts suggested there might be a huge impact on the digital reach of the tournament. It has always been estimated that a large number of IPL’s digital reach came on the back of Jio deal.
Given the fandom of the greatest cricket showbiz in India, Disney, which owns Star India, planned to launch Disney+ combining with Hotstar during March to exploit the popularity of IPL. Owing to the postponement of the league due to pandemic, it delayed the launch slightly. Hence, it can be assumed that Star India will leave no stone unturned to boost the digital reach of Disney+ Hotstar.
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.
