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ABC announces ‘Lost’ contest online
MUMBAI: With less than three months until the final episode of Lost, US broadcaster ABC celebrates the series‘ dedicated fans, providing them with the opportunity to become a part of Lost history.
Sponsored by Kia Motors, the Ultimate “Lost” Fan Promo Contest gives fans the tools to express and share their passion for the groundbreaking hit drama series through the production of an original promo which will air on ABC the week prior to the finale, airing on 23 May. In India, the show airs on Star World.
ABC adds that for the past six years, the fans of Lost have shown extreme passion and unwavering commitment. They‘ve spent countless hours watching and re-watching episodes, and formulating their own theories about the island‘s mysteries.
The broadcaster is, thus, inviting the entire ‘Lost‘ fan community to play an active part in the series‘ final season by participating in the ‘Ultimate Fan Promo Contest‘ and look forward to celebrating their creativity and passion.
Lost fans can visit ABC.com to create and submit their own original 35-second promo. Entries will vie for the opportunity to be broadcast on-air in the week leading up to the final episode of Lost. In addition to having their promo televised, the Grand Prize winner will receive a trip to Los Angeles to attend the series‘ special finale party.
ABC.com has made available an archive of pre-cleared “Lost” assets including video, still images, music, sound bites and special effects audio that fans can use to create their pieces. Additionally, the site is offering an online mash-up tool that can be used to create videos. Original promos can be uploaded to ABC.com till 21 March.
The top creative and original entries that promote the series‘ finale will be evaluated by a panel of judges, including Lost executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, as well as executives from ABC Entertainment. Once the top five videos are selected by the special panel, fans will be able to go to ABC.com from 19-23 April to cast their vote for the Grand Prize winner.
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Inshorts Group chief Deepit Purkayastha joins IAB video council for Southeast Asia and India
The co-founder and chief executive of the short-form content platform has been inducted into the IAB SEA+India Video Council, giving India a stronger voice in shaping digital video frameworks
NOIDA: India has long been the world’s most chaotic, multilingual and mobile-first digital market. Now, one of its most prominent short-video executives is getting a seat at the table where the rules are written.
Deepit Purkayastha, co-founder and chief executive of Inshorts Group, has been selected as a member of the IAB SEA+India Video Council for 2026. Run by the Interactive Advertising Bureau, the council brings together senior leaders from Southeast Asia and India to shape standards, best practices and measurement frameworks for the fast-evolving video and digital advertising ecosystem.
The timing is pointed. According to the IAMAI-Kantar Internet in India Report 2025, over 588 million Indians are now consuming short-video content, with growth increasingly driven by rural and non-metro audiences. India’s active internet user base has crossed 950 million, with 57 per cent of users now coming from rural markets. Yet the frameworks that govern how video consumption is measured and monetised were largely designed for single-language, Western markets and have struggled to keep pace with the scale, diversity and complexity of India’s digital landscape.
Purkayastha is no stranger to these debates. He already serves on the AI Council at Marketing and Media Alliance India and as co-chair of the Digital Entertainment Committee at the Internet and Mobile Association of India. His induction into the IAB SEA+India Video Council extends that influence into the global video standards arena.
Inshorts Group sits squarely at the intersection of these forces. Its flagship product, Inshorts, India’s highest-rated short news app, reaches 12 million active users with 60-word news summaries. Its sister platform, Public App, reaches 80 million monthly active users across more than 700 districts and 12 languages, serving communities that most global platforms barely register.
Purkayastha said the opportunity was about building something more representative. “India today sits at the centre of the global video ecosystem, but the frameworks that define how value is created and measured have not always kept pace with the realities of our market,” he said. “Being part of the IAB SEA+India Video Council is an opportunity to contribute to a more representative and future-ready approach, one that accounts for diversity in language, context, and user intent.”
As a council member, Purkayastha will contribute to shaping regional standards across video advertising, measurement and platform governance, with a focus on frameworks that are native to India’s multilingual, mobile-first ecosystem rather than imported from global benchmarks designed elsewhere.
For years, India has been content to play by rules written for other markets. Purkayastha’s induction is a signal that it is done waiting to be consulted and ready to start writing them.
