iWorld
Thinkbox: Portable devices account for 1.5% of TV viewing
MUMBAI: New TV viewing figures from Thinkbox reveal that 98.5 per cent of television viewing is still done on the traditional TV set in the UK, while 1.5 per cent is on other screens such as tablets and mobile devices.
The average daily TV viewing in the UK (during January to June 2013) was four hours, one minute a day per person. This was comprised of three hours, 58 minutes a day of linear TV on a TV set – this is three minutes a day less than the same period last year – and three minutes, 30 seconds a day via devices such as tablets, smartphones and laptops. The majority of this is on-demand viewing, with some live streams.
Viewing on non-TV devices via established services such as ITV Player, Sky Go, 4OD and BBC iPlayer, as well as new services like Dave on-demand, accounted for 1.5 per cent of overall TV viewing in the country during the first half of 2013. This is a slight increase from the full-year figure for 2012, when it accounted for 1.2 per cent.
According to Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board (BARB), it’s estimated that 58 per cent of households own digital TV recorders, and in these homes 83.8 per cent of linear TV was watched live during the period, down from the 84.4 per cent in the same period a year ago. Also, 81 per cent of all time shifted viewing is watched within two days of recording, while 47 per cent is seen within 24 hours of it being recorded. BARB’s figures suggest that the growth in the number of TVs that is recorded and played back is slowing down.
iWorld
JioStar-backed crackdown busts illegal IPTV network, three arrested
Police seize Rs 20 lakh, expose piracy ring streaming IPL and OTT content
MUMBAI: A coordinated anti-piracy operation backed by JioStar India Private Limited has led to the arrest of three individuals linked to an organised illegal IPTV network streaming premium television and sports content, including matches from the TATA IPL 2026.
The crackdown was carried out by the Cyber Crime Police Firozabad, which uncovered a piracy syndicate operating under the name “BOS IPTV”. The accused were apprehended across Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan, signalling the multi-state footprint of the operation.
Investigators found that the network had built a user base of over 900 subscribers, distributing unauthorised streams of copyrighted content through digital platforms, including messaging apps. Authorities also traced structured financial transactions linked to the operation, with payments routed via QR codes, bank accounts and other digital methods.
As part of the enforcement action, law enforcement agencies seized several electronic devices and financial records. Around Rs 20 lakh connected to the accused has been frozen, highlighting the commercial scale of the piracy network.
The case follows an earlier crackdown on a large illegal IPTV operation and marks an expansion of efforts to dismantle connected nodes within the piracy ecosystem. Officials indicated that investigations are ongoing, with more links in the network under scrutiny.
The complaint, supported by JioStar India Private Limited, has been registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Information Technology Act and the Copyright Act.
The development underscores growing collaboration between content owners and law enforcement agencies as India intensifies its fight against digital piracy. With high-value properties like the IPL in focus, the message is clear: the stream may be illegal, but the crackdown is very real.
