iWorld
Why free TV channels are making a comeback on your smart TV
New Delhi: If choice paralysis were a sport, Indians scrolling endlessly on OTT menus would win gold. RunnTV thinks it has the cure.
At the 5th Indian Digital Brand Fest, a session on the rise of Fast and connected TV in brand marketing featured RunnTV founder and CEO Manish Sinha in conversation with Anil Wanvari, founder & editor-in-chief of the Indiantelevision.com Group, where they explained why free streaming is regaining traction in India.
Sinha is betting Indians want their TV channels back. Not cable subscriptions, but free streaming channels that work like the old days: switch on, flip through, start watching.
“When you have 30 minutes on OTT, users spend 6 to 12 minutes just searching,” Sinha told Wanvari. “With Fast (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV), you’re consuming content in 28 of those 30 minutes.”
When Wanvari asked about advertising innovations, Sinha highlighted Fast’s unique advantage: “Traditional TV relies on sample metres in about a lakh households. CTV can be targeted and measurable.” CPMs range from 100 to 250 rupees for connected TVs.
The platform’s clever insight: switching channels takes exactly two clicks. “If users aren’t switching during ad breaks, they’re actually watching the ads,” Sinha explained.
Wanvari raised a practical concern: isn’t downloading another app cumbersome? Sinha countered that RunnTV aggregates multiple channels in one place. During Operation Sindoor, downloads surged as viewers flipped between Nav Bharat, ABP News, India TV and TV9 in a single app.
On customer acquisition costs, Sinha acknowledged initial challenges but noted strong organic growth. The platform now reaches 10 million monthly active users through its own app and partners including Xiaomi TV Plus and LG.
Wanvari questioned whether OEMs pushing their own Fast platforms posed competition. Sinha saw opportunity instead, “Mobile is still 70% of video consumption. OEMs aren’t targeting that.” Unlike manufacturer platforms restricted to specific devices, RunnTV works everywhere.
Wanvari pressed on language barriers. Sinha explained personalisation solves this: Gen Z users see apps built for Gen Z, millennials see content for millennials.
His ten-year vision? “To be the Tata Play of digital television.” Wanvari captured it perfectly: “You’re going to be the next CTV pioneer of India.”
With global players eyeing India and Fast adoption rising, the Runn TV founder believes the free-TV wave is only beginning to swell.
iWorld
Samay Raina returns with Still Alive, confronts 2025 controversy in bold comeback special
Comeback set tackles controversy, blending humour with raw storytelling
MUMBAI: Samay Raina is set to release his new stand-up comedy special, Still Alive, on YouTube on April 7, 2026, marking a high-profile return following a turbulent year.
The trailer for the special dropped on April 5, offering a glimpse into what Raina describes as a raw and unfiltered set that leans as much on honesty as it does on humour.
Positioned as a comeback of sorts, Still Alive draws heavily from the controversy surrounding his show India’s Got Latent in early 2025. The episode led to legal trouble, multiple FIRs, and a lengthy six-hour interrogation by the Maharashtra Cyber Cell, placing the comedian at the centre of intense public scrutiny.
Rather than sidestep the episode, Raina leans into it. The special reflects on the fallout and his personal journey through it, blending observational comedy with moments of emotional candour. Early audience feedback from live performances suggests the tone is less about rapid-fire punchlines and more about storytelling with bite.
The special was filmed during his global Still Alive & Unfiltered tour, which ran from August 2025 to early 2026. The tour saw Raina perform across major international venues, including the Madison Square Garden Theatre in New York, a milestone that places him among the youngest Indian comedians to take that stage.
The title itself signals resilience. “Still Alive” is a nod to navigating both legal and public backlash while choosing to remain unapologetically authentic, a theme that appears to anchor the set.
With the special set to premiere online, all eyes are now on how audiences respond to a performance that promises equal parts reflection and wit. For Raina, the message is clear. He is not just back, he is ready to be heard on his own terms.
