iWorld
Zee5 adopts common media application format
Mumbai: Zee5 has successfully adopted the common media application format (CMAF) at a wider scale to transform content delivery and enhance viewer experience. The innovative move, implemented by the company’s technology & innovation centre based in Bengaluru, facilitates smoother video playback across devices and allows Zee5 users to experience good AV quality even in areas with low internet bandwidth.
By optimising bandwidth consumption and reducing operational costs, Zee5 is expanding its reach to 100 million users, ensuring more viewers can have access to high-quality streaming. CMAF is a versatile and extensible standard designed to package segmented media, enabling seamless cross-device compatibility. By adopting CMAF, Zee5 is not only ensuring an uninterrupted viewing experience but also reducing latency, a critical factor in live streaming of sports, news and events.
Reflecting on the impact of CMAF, Zee’s chief technology and product officer Shiva Chinnasamy said, “Our strategic focus is to provide best-in-class AV experience even in areas with low internet. CMAF allows us to serve content more efficiently, ensuring no data wastage while delivering high-quality immersive experiences to every viewer, no matter their bandwidth. Zee5 is focusing on building in-house capabilities to provide robust services and experience to their consumers and adoption of CMAF is a crucial step to achieve the same.”
Zee5 India chief business officer Manish Kalra said, “At Zee5, we remain focused on enhancing viewer experience through cutting-edge technology. Adopting the Common Media Application Format (CMAF) is a step forward in Zee5’s vision to democratise access to quality entertainment. This ensures that even in regions with low internet connectivity, our users can enjoy seamless viewing experiences. This strategic move reflects our commitment to bring quality content to a broader audience, which also aligns with our goal of delivering immersive entertainment across multiple devices. CMAF represents a significant step in further refining how our viewers engage with content on our platform.”
Commenting on the success of the format, Zee’s SVP & head of video engineering Suneel Khare said, “The implementation of CMAF is strategic. It allows us to streamline and improve our content delivery, enabling real-time low-latency streaming while significantly reducing data requirements. This enhancement ensures smoother playback even in regions with low bandwidth, expanding Zee5’s reach to a broader audience, including those with limited internet access.”
Zee5’s successful implementation of CMAF has resulted in several key advantages, including:
. Low-latency streaming: Essential for live events, CMAF ensures near real-time video delivery, minimizing delays and enhancing live event viewing.
. Bandwidth optimization: The efficient CMAF packaging reduces data consumption, enhancing video quality in low-bandwidth environments.
. Cross-device compatibility: CMAF supports both HLS (HTTP live streaming) and DASH (Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP) formats, ensuring consistent video playback across mobile devices, Smart TVs, and more.
. Future-ready encryption: CMAF utilises Widevine CBCS technology, a standard for content protection that allows for seamless playback across both Apple & Android devices and ensures a seamless and secure streaming experience.
Zee’s principal architect of video engineering Rahul Banerjee added, “With CMAF, the real-time improvements in video quality and reduced buffering have significantly enhanced viewer engagement. This upgrade ensures viewers enjoy higher-quality streams with minimal delays, even in regions with weaker internet connectivity.”
CMAF has enhanced the viewer experience and provided operational benefits for Zee5. By optimising content packaging, it has reduced storage requirements by over 30 per cent while keeping CDN (content delivery network) costs stable despite increased demand for higher-resolution content. Additionally, CMAF’s scalability allows Zee5 to expand its global reach in over 12 languages, maintaining consistent performance during peak usage.
With CMAF, Zee5 improves operational efficiency and strengthens its commitment to delivering quality content to a diverse audience. The platform’s approach to content packaging and delivery positions it well for the evolving OTT landscape.
iWorld
Physicswallah acquires Nextseed Foundation for Rs 1 lakh
Edtech firm completes 100 per cent stake purchase, making it wholly owned subsidiary.
MUMBAI: Physicswallah just aced another acquisition because when you’re already teaching millions, why not add a non-profit to the syllabus for just a lakh? Physicswallah Limited announced on Thursday that it has completed the acquisition of Nextseed Foundation, a Section 8 non-profit company, making it a wholly owned subsidiary with effect from 18 March 2026. The transaction, approved by the board on 5 February 2026, involved purchasing 100 per cent of the issued and paid-up equity share capital for a consideration of Rs 1 lakh.
The deal marks the formal closure of the acquisition, with detailed disclosures already submitted to stock exchanges in February in line with SEBI’s Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements (LODR).
Nextseed Foundation will now operate as part of Physicswallah’s broader education ecosystem, aligning with the company’s ongoing strategy to diversify and strengthen its presence across segments.
The announcement comes on the heels of strong financial performance. Physicswallah reported a 34 per cent year-on-year increase in operating revenue to Rs 1,082 crore in Q3 FY26 (from Rs 810 crore in Q3 FY25). Net profit rose 33 per cent to Rs 102 crore (from Rs 77 crore), and surged 46 per cent sequentially from Rs 70 crore in Q2 FY26, crossing the Rs 100 crore quarterly mark for the first time.
In an edtech landscape where growth is the ultimate exam, Physicswallah isn’t just passing, it’s topping the class, one strategic move (and one very affordable acquisition) at a time.
