iWorld
Twitter most popular source for breaking news updates: study
MUMBAI: Twitter has changed the way this generation communicates and consumes news. Ever since the world woke up to its awesomeness, it has given rise to a new breed of citizen journalists, albeit sometimes it has been responsible for many fluke death reports and rumour generated news, which couldn’t be verified.
While its authenticity may have been questioned, the platform still remains the number one source of breaking news across the world.
This is as per a recent study done on Twitter by American Press Institute in association with independent research lab, DB5. Although funded by Twitter, the researchers were allowed complete independence — from framing the survey questions to observing the trends to drawing the inferences by API.
The online survey sampled 4700 social media users and asked them several questions that reveal their usage of social media, specifically Twitter. The study reveals that news consumption is one of the prime usage that majority of the sample users had for Twitter.
Twitter users, who tend to be of younger demographic prefer to consume news via Twitter, and 74 per cent of them do so daily, says the report.
The survey also assessed the number of news breaks that have happened via Twitter, and how thought leaders, journalists and public figures use it as a platform to break news.
“Three quarters of Twitter news users follow individual journalists, writers and commentators (73 per cent) and nearly two thirds follow institutional accounts (62 per cent). Twitter users also are very likely to discover new journalists and writers and consequently follow their work, often on other platforms beyond Twitter,” says the report.
This proves as a vital marker for news publishing organisations to use social media more effectively to have a greater impact and reach of their content.
The report also suggests that most individuals usually scroll through their timeline to get their daily dose of news and 82 per cent of them access the site through mobile application. This is an indicator for news providers to make their content shorter and provide more information in a single post.
DB5 conducted the survey between 23 November and 15 December, 2014 and tabulated results, which were further analysed by API to produce a written report.
iWorld
Tata Play Binge adds Pocket Films to micro drama platform Shots
Over 210 micro dramas and 220 hours of content strengthen short form play
MUMBAI: Short stories are getting shorter and sharper. Tata Play Binge is doubling down on snackable storytelling, adding Pocket Films to its micro-drama hub Shots as it looks to capture India’s fast-growing appetite for quick-consumption content. The move expands Shots into a deeper, more diverse catalogue, now featuring over 210 micro-dramas and 220 hours of short-format programming across genres such as action, drama and thriller. The content spans Hindi and key regional languages, reflecting the increasingly local yet mobile-first nature of viewing habits.
Pocket Films brings with it a library of emotionally driven, culturally rooted narratives, including micro-dramas like Chaturanga, Vidushi, Maasa, Silent Cycle and Pilibhit, alongside short films such as Lock-up, Dubki and The Disguise. The addition builds on existing partnerships with Bullet and Stage, strengthening Shots as a one-stop destination for bite-sized storytelling.
Designed for vertical viewing, the platform leans into scroll-friendly interfaces, auto-play sequencing and seamless discovery mirroring the habits of always-on, digital-first audiences. The content remains ad-supported and is available within the Tata Play Binge app at no additional cost.
The integration also sits within a broader aggregation strategy. Tata Play Binge currently offers access to 30 plus OTT services including Prime Video, JioHotstar, Zee5 and Apple TV+ through a single subscription and interface, aiming to simplify fragmented streaming consumption.
As platforms race to keep up with shrinking attention spans, Tata Play Binge’s bet is straightforward: when stories get shorter, the catalogue needs to get bigger and faster.
