iWorld
Zenith report says online video viewing to cross 1 hour a day
MUMBAI: Consumers across the globe are becoming increasingly engaged with online videos. Zenith’s Online Video Forecasts 2018 reveals global consumers will spend watching online videos more than one hour on average this year. From 2017’s 56 minutes, the average will go up to 67 minutes.
In addition to that, the report also predicts this time span will go up to 84 minutes in the next two years. Viewers from China, Russia and the UK are expected to watch the most online video at 105, 102 and 101 minutes per day respectively.
“It [online video] accounts for almost all the growth in total internet use, and is growing faster than media consumption overall, so it is taking consumption time from traditional media,” the report says.
Still now, ad spends for online video is very less compared to traditional media. The report predicts that by 2020, online video adspend will reach 23 per cent of the size of television adspend. In 2015, online video ad market was 10 per cent of the size of the TV ad market.
“The rapid rise in video viewing makes online video the world fastest-growing advertising format, creating new strategic and creative opportunities. Brands that do not currently have a strategy for online video need to think about getting one,” Zenith’s global intelligence director Jonathan Barnard said.
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.
