Event Coverage
IDOS 2014: SureWaves all set for the big digitised wave
GOA: Localisation is the new mantra, which businesses across the world are adopting to survive the highly competitive market scenario. Who would have thought of a paneer burger from the house of KFC?
Taking a cue from that, national advertisers are increasing their spending on local cable television channels as it garners high viewership due to the locally relevant content it airs. The aim is simple: to target consumers in specific geographic areas.
SureWaves MediaTech CMD Rajendra Khare during a fireside chat with Indiantelevision.com founder, CEO and editor in chief Anil Wanvari at IDOS 2014 spoke on ‘New drivers of monetisation for cable TV’.
Cable reaches the remotest of hinterland and the national advertisers are looking for growth from these markets. “SureWaves is already on its way to becoming a game changer as far as geo-targeted advertising in the country is concerned,” he said.
“The local content aired by the MSOs and the LCOs or the niche satellite channels has a great connect with the local audience. Not only in India but world over, people care more about what’s happening in their locality rather than what’s brewing at the national and global level,” he added.
SureWaves MediaTech, a Bangalore-based digital media-technology company, offers the SureWaves Media Grid, an integrated advertisement aggregation, content delivery, network management, media planning and reporting platform. SureWaves provides real-time data monitoring of ads, which has, for the first time, made cable TV advertising accountable.
Elaborating more about the company Khare said, “We build cloud based technology. We have our own devices, which we install at the studios of our channels partners.” The company positions a propriety device which is connected to the grid and the TV channels.
It is learnt that the company has partnered with many channels, irrespective of the people watching those channels. “Here the national advertiser, who wants a large audience, benefits the most as the business house gets combined viewership of end number of channels together,” he said.
As for the local channels, they are happy with the new advertising revenue coming in from the big players. The local channels till all these years never got access to the advertisement revenue from the national advertisers. So that problem is now getting solved. “We are solving the problems of the parties. Advertisers are experimenting with our platform,” he said.
“This is the robust monetisation model that channel partners sign with us. We are accountable and instantly can see whether the advertisements are aired or not,” he highlighted.
Stating the TAM report, Khare said that nationally these channels command around 4.5 per cent of the channels’ share and nationally it is top five channels. “The combined viewership of local channels is very large. As a standalone, these channels don’t get the national advertisers’ revenue as the national advertisers contribute a big chunk to the national television advertising spent,” he said.
With the digitisation process in full swing, the country is expected to see satellite channels increasing, and post digitisation, the solution provided by the company would be more sought after. “In the digitised era, more niche high definition content would be there,” he said.
Talking about the challenges, he agreed that it is problematic as some local broadcasters’ air pirated content. However, he further added that it is easier to screen content.
He concluded by saying that the company is working on a solution to create content for the broadcasters, who are its partner.
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.
