iWorld
ZEE5 appoints Yogesh Manwani as head, news & stories
MUMBAI: ZEE5, India’s fastest growing OTT platform has appointedMr. YogeshManwani as Head, News & Stories.
Commenting on the new appointment,Taranjeet Singh,Chief Revenue Officer and Business Head, New Projects, ZEE5 Indiasaid, “News is a dynamic space which is constantly changing and evolving.Yogesh’s experience across various genres will help us strengthen our bond with the viewers along with keeping the brand interesting and relevant. His strong background will go a long way in making ZEE5, the most trusted brand for news.”
Speaking about his role, YogeshManwani, Head, News & Stories, ZEE5Indiasaid, “With its stand out originals slate and the unparalleled depth of its library content across genres, formats and languages, ZEE5 has successfully established itself as the fastest growing OTT brand in the category. I am excited about carrying this momentum forward to build a robust News & Stories service on the platform that will provide consumers with a high-quality experience. I am happy to join the Zee family and be a part of the ZEE5 team that is shaping the future of this category.”
Yogesh Manwani is a seasoned professionalwith 15 years of experience in the media and entertainment space.Prior to joining ZEE5,he was Business Head at Star Utsav.A UCLA Anderson alumnus, he has successfully shouldered and delivered the responsibility for business growth, market share leadership, revenue and profitability. Yogesh has worked on various genres such as Hindi News,Regional News, Regional languages, English Entertainmentand Hindi Entertainment.
With over 3500 films, 500+ TV shows, 4000+ music videos, 35+ theatre plays and 80+ LIVE TV Channels across 12 languages, ZEE5 truly presents a blend of unrivalled content offering for its viewers across the nation and worldwide.
iWorld
Frodoh, Chaupal introduce non-intrusive first-screen ads for OTT platforms
New ad-tech layer unlocks revenue without interrupting OTT viewing
MUMBAI: Frodoh has partnered with regional OTT platform Chaupal to roll out what it calls an industry-first “first-screen” monetisation framework, aimed at helping subscription-led streaming services generate additional revenue without interrupting content viewing.
The new model focuses on connected TV home screens, introducing ad formats that sit within the discovery layer rather than the content itself. In simple terms, viewers may notice subtle brand placements while browsing, but once they hit play, the experience remains ad-free.
The technology is designed to tap into high-attention areas such as session depth, viewing intent and discovery behaviour, turning previously unused interface space into monetisable real estate. For OTT platforms, this opens up a fresh revenue stream without diluting the premium experience that subscribers expect.
Chaupal chief executive officer Sandeep Bansal said the move balances growth with user trust. “By partnering with Frodoh, we are introducing a sophisticated ‘first-screen’ monetisation layer that integrates seamlessly into our UI, ensuring discovery remains native and non-intrusive while keeping content consumption ad-free.”
From Frodoh’s side, the pitch is clear: expand the ad pie without cluttering the screen. Frodoh founder and chief executive officer Russhabh R Thakkar said the framework creates a new category of advertising by unlocking high-visibility home screen inventory that was previously untapped.
Industry watchers see this as part of a broader shift in OTT monetisation strategies, especially as subscription platforms look to diversify revenue without risking churn. With connected TV usage rising steadily, the home screen is quickly becoming the next battleground for attention.
If the model scales, this partnership could signal a subtle but significant shift in how OTT platforms monetise, proving that sometimes, the most valuable ad space is the one you see before the show even begins.
