iWorld
Yahoo Messenger to shut operations from 17 July
MUMBAI: The emergence of new messenger apps in the smartphone era has brought down the closure of decades-old instant messaging application, Yahoo Messenger. Verizon subsidiary Oath, operator of Yahoo, recently announced the wrap up of Yahoo Messenger with its services coming to an end on 17 July.
One of the earliest messaging app, it started its journey in 1998. Yahoo Messenger, once a very popular player witnessed its declining user base eventually due to several new services including smartphone chat apps such as Whatsapp, Skype, Facebook Messenger among others. Existing users now have six months in hand to download their chat history before the service becomes unavailable.
In a statement issued on Friday, Yahoo said, “There currently isn’t a replacement product available for Yahoo Messenger. However, we are constantly experimenting with new services and apps, one of which is an invite-only group messaging app called ‘Yahoo Squirrel’ which is currently in beta form.”
While avoiding any specific reason behind the shut down of the Messenger, Yahoo said, “As the communications landscape continues to change over, we’re focusing on building and introducing new, exciting communications tools that better fit consumer needs.”
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iWorld
Banijay Asia’s The 50 tops OTT charts with 8.1 million JioHotstar views
Reality competition becomes most watched show on JioHotstar in debut week.
MUMBAI: Fifty contestants walked into a palace, but millions of viewers showed up for the drama. Reality competition The 50, produced by Banijay Asia, has emerged as the most watched show on JioHotstar, clocking 8.1 million views in its debut week. The figure, reported by Ormax Media, places the show at the top of the OTT viewership charts and marks a strong opening for the digital reality format.
Adapted from a popular French format, The 50 brings together 50 personalities from television, digital platforms, music and reality shows inside a grand palace setting. Over the course of a 50 day competition, participants form alliances, compete in unpredictable tasks and navigate eliminations as the field steadily narrows.
Guiding the game is a mysterious figure known as The Lion, an unseen game master whose voice introduces twists, challenges and strategic turns throughout the show, adding an extra layer of suspense to the contest.
What distinguishes The 50 from typical reality competitions is its audience driven prize structure. Instead of the winner taking home the final reward, the prize is awarded to one of the winner’s registered followers through the show’s dedicated app. The mechanism effectively turns viewers into participants, allowing fans to have a direct stake in the outcome.
The contestant lineup features a mix of television actors, reality stars and digital creators, including Karan Patel, Urvashi Dholakia, Divya Agarwal, Mr Faisu and Dushyant Kukreja, each bringing their own fan following to the show.
With its blend of celebrity personalities, strategic gameplay and interactive viewer participation, The 50 has quickly carved out a strong foothold in India’s digital entertainment landscape. Its 8.1 million views in the opening week underline the growing appetite for large scale reality formats designed specifically for OTT audiences.
