Event Coverage
IDOS 2014: A must, say industry stalwarts
MUMBAI: The broadcast, cable, DTH industry and the regulatory body is all set for the biggest confab of the year. To be held in Goa, starting 25 September with a big bang opening night party organised by HBO Hits and Defined, all the heads of India’s pay TV market, distribution, broadcast, cable and DTH industry are gathering to brainstorm and suggest the way forward for the already delayed digitisation at the Indian Digital Operators Summit (IDOS) 2014.
The extension in the deadline as announced by the Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar has somewhat delayed the plans of many in the pay TV circuit. While the biggest concern currently is smooth rollout of the phase III and phase IV of digitisation, industry biggies will also ideate on how, with consumers moving to other screens apart of television, can be monetised.
The tenth edition of IDOS, is themed around, ‘Digitisation: The Next Big Push.’ Organised by Indian Television Dot Com and Media Partners Asia, the conference unites stakeholders across the value chain to drive meaningful dialogue and facilitate practical solutions to drive the content and distribution markets forward.
“The forum provides opportunity for interaction with all key people involved in the broadcasting sector, not only digital operators but others as well,” says Dish TV CEO RC Venkateish.
According to Venkateish, the theme is very relevant given digitisation is an ongoing process. “That process is something we all hope will take the industry to the next level,” he adds. The Dish CEO expects the conclave to be a platform for exchange of news, information and opportunity to share some of their view points with the regulator.
For Maharashtra Cable Operators Foundation president Arvind Prabhoo, IDOS’ concept is most pertinent in today’s market scenario. “Once digitisation was announced, all the players in the ecosystem needed to come together and voice their opinion to benefit from it,” says Prabhoo adding that Indiantelevision.com was the first to identify this need and organise such a conference.
“It is a really good one and is only going to get bigger,” he opines.
On the theme for this year’s IDOS, Prabhoo says, “Everyone needs a push, after all the struggle that happened in phase I and phase II. There had to be some kind of out-of-the-box thinking. And this is what will come out in the next two days of the conference.”
Prabhoo is looking forward to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India chairman Rahul Khullar, Hathway director Viren Raheja and Tata Sky MD and CEO Harit Nagpal amongst others to come up with the kind of impetus that can be given by large corporate houses.
BBC Global News India COO Naveen Jhunjhunwala is another industry stalwart who is looking forward to some meaningful sessions and interactions at IDOS, this year. “The TV industry is progressing rapidly and the theme for this year’s conference is a positive step towards bringing together the stakeholders and tapping into opportunities that exist in digitisation,” he concludes.
Event Coverage
Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026
MUMBAI: Riding high on the success of its blockbuster Mumbai debut, Anime India is accelerating its nationwide expansion with the announcement of Amazon MX Player as the co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the festival’s mission to deliver large-scale, accessible, and fan-first anime experiences across the country.
Scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the iconic Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will launch the first regional chapter of what is set to be a year-long, multi-city tour. As the curtain-raiser for the 2026 circuit, the Kolkata edition aims to fuse the energy of global Japanese pop culture with India’s fast-growing community of anime, manga, and pop-culture fans.
A household name in digital entertainment, Amazon MX Player brings unmatched reach and cultural relevance to the Anime India platform. With its expanding focus on anime and youth-driven content, Amazon MX Player’s involvement as co-presenting partner reinforces Anime India’s vision of making anime culture more inclusive breaking barriers of language, geography, and accessibility to connect with fans nationwide.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will showcase cosplay competitions, interactive zones led by the Indian Gunpla Community, India-39 Vocaloid Community, The Japan Curry, and Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Fans can join tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and more. Acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as guest of honour, appearing in panels and live sessions. Positioned as an immersive celebration of fan culture and industry collaboration, the Kolkata edition marks the beginning of Anime India’s nationwide expansion.
Sharing their perspective on the partnership, Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani expressed, “Anime in India has evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream cultural movement, driven by an increasingly engaged and passionate fanbase. At Amazon MX Player, our focus is on expanding access by bringing anime to audiences across the country for free and in multiple local languages. Our association with Anime India reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of anime in India and deepening connections with fans, while continuing to build Amazon MX Player as a trusted destination for free, high-quality entertainment.”
“Anime India Kolkata is a celebration of how anime has grown beyond entertainment into a powerful cultural and creative force. By bringing fans, creators, and industry leaders onto one shared platform, the festival is helping define the future of pop culture in India,” said Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta.
The debut edition of Anime India 2025 in Mumbai attracted over 29,000 fans, quickly cementing its status as a landmark celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Riding on this overwhelming response, the Kolkata chapter is projected to draw more than 40,000 visitors across two days, positioning it as one of the biggest anime conventions ever held in eastern India.
Anime India is focused on bringing together fans from across the country to create a truly pan-India celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese culture. With plans to expand into four key metropolitan hubs in 2026—east (Kolkata), north (Delhi), west (Mumbai), and south (Hyderabad)—the festival seeks to deliver globally benchmarked experiences while supporting and uplifting creators, artists, and fan communities throughout India.
