India’s legacy cable and DTH operators are pushing TRAI to regulate FAST and ALTD internet-delivered linear television like traditional pay TV, arguing these services bypass licensing, tariffs, interconnection, and content obligations. The consultation follows a Ministry request in December 2025 amid fears of unregulated TV-like channels. Cable and DTH back mandatory carriage, sports signal-sharing with Prasar Bharati, and platform-neutral pricing. Meanwhile, tech and internet players oppose telecom-style or broadcasting regulation, calling it uneven for registered platforms.
Spotify says it will adopt Apple’s HLS streaming technology for video podcasts, enabling Spotify-hosted shows to distribute and monetize on Apple Podcasts without requiring creators to rework their current setup. HLS dynamically adjusts video quality in real time based on a listener’s network speed, aiming to reduce buffering and avoid sudden quality drops. Spotify plans a rollout later this year and is pairing it with expanded creator earning tools, plus partner integrations. Separately, Spotify says Libsyn and others can publish directly to Spotify.
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Netflix has renewed My Life with the Walter Boys for a fourth season, despite Season 3 not premiering yet. The announcement came during the streamer’s 2026 Upfronts presentation in New York, with Netflix confirming it will be back in Silver Falls again. Fans are already speculating what it means for Jackie’s love triangle.
IPL 2026 is seeing a sharp drop on linear TV: ratings down 18.8% and average viewership down 26% in the first half, while digital engagement keeps climbing. Digital reach reportedly hits 515 million with massive watch time. Brand participation is also falling amid the fantasy gaming crackdown, while high-scoring, familiar pitches and tournament timing add to fatigue.
Indian film studios are re-embracing a theatre-first release model as streaming platforms cut spending. Instead of going straight to OTT, movies are reaching OTT only about eight weeks after their cinema debut. The change signals fading appetite for direct-to-digital premieres, with box office collections rising even as demand for digital licensing weakens.
Spotify appears to be down for many users, with reports surging past 15,000 on Downdetector. People worldwide are complaining about playback failures and login or server issues. Spotify acknowledged the outage on X, but did not share when services will be fully restored. Users are now searching for workarounds as complaints continue to climb.
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Spotify is rolling out a Wrapped-style recap that offers a fresh look at your listening habits beyond the usual yearly highlight. The feature surfaces a key metric: the number of unique songs you’ve listened to so far. It’s designed to make your music preferences feel more tangible by quantifying how broad—or niche—your taste has been.
Peacock is betting on the fast-growing microdrama boom, announcing two unscripted Bravo microdramas for streaming inside the Peacock app. The move follows rivals like ReelShort and DramaBox, which have built massive audiences on short episodic stories. Details on format, cast, and release timing are still coming, but the strategy is clear: win attention with bite-sized drama.
Prime Video is rolling out a new TikTok like “Clips” feed inside its app, designed to help viewers discover content faster. Instead of browsing full titles, users will get a scrollable stream of short snippets from shows and movies, aiming to make recommendations feel more immediate and addictive like social video.
Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro, who stepped in after Bob Iger earlier this year, is reportedly focused on building a unified “super app.” The goal: streamline how audiences access Disney’s services by consolidating experiences into a single platform, potentially simplifying sign-ins and navigation across content, features, and related offerings.
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Amazon’s move to link MX Player with Prime Video points to a new wave of unified streaming platforms in India. By blending subscription, ad-supported, and transactional viewing in one ecosystem, firms aim to cut churn, improve content discovery, and drive higher monetization amid slowing subscriber growth and rising content costs in a price-sensitive market.
Amazon Prime Video will invest at least 90 million euros in French film and video production in 2026, according to a regulator. The amount may increase to 110 million euros if specific conditions are met. The move ties to EU rules that require streaming platforms to fund European content, reshaping how global services allocate budgets in the region.
Days after suing Nykaa, Zee Entertainment Enterprises has reportedly filed a fresh Delhi High Court case against JioStar, alleging unauthorised use of its copyrighted music after licence expiry. Zee claims the streaming platform JioHotstar and some TV channels exploited its catalog at least 50 times between 2024 and 2025, seeking about $3 million in damages and orders to stop infringement.
Amazon Prime Video is integrating Amazon MX Player to form what it calls India’s largest originals streaming platform, bundling free and paid content. The company says the unified service will combine SVOD, AVOD, and TVOD in one destination, targeting wider audience reach and creating new scale for advertisers seeking cross-format video inventory.
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Warner Bros. Discovery reported streaming results that beat revenue expectations, powered by HBO Max expanding internationally and adding subscribers. Even as the company logged a major net loss linked to a termination fee tied to a Paramount Skydance merger, it says it is on track to top 150 million global subscribers this year, strengthening its push against rivals.
Disney’s new CEO Josh D’Amaro laid out a growth strategy after the company posted results that beat estimates. He pledged continued focus on creative excellence, pushed for strengthening the streaming business, and pointed to live sports as a major opportunity. The plan also includes sustained investment in theme parks and cruise lines to drive longer-term expansion.
India’s CTV and smart TV adoption is rising quickly, with Southern regions ahead in smart TV ownership. The shift is being driven by improving internet access and growing demand for larger screens to stream content. While many Indians still use phones to get online, video viewing and social media consumption are pushing entertainment habits toward connected TVs.
Netflix is rolling out a redesigned mobile app feature called “Clips” in India, the US, the UK and Australia. The update adds a vertical, scrollable video feed that surfaces personalized snippets of shows and movies, helping users decide faster. Netflix says the mobile-first design also improves discovery by making browsing feel more engaging and streamlined.
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Spotify is rolling out a new “Verified by Spotify” badge aimed at making it easier for listeners to identify authentic human artists as AI-generated music proliferates. Artists must meet specific eligibility criteria, including consistent, identifiable presence both on the platform and in the real world, such as concerts, merchandise, and other linked activity.
Google TV has rolled out additional Gemini features, bringing AI-powered creativity to the living room. The update includes the ability to transform photos and videos using tools called Nano Banana and Veo, aiming to make content editing and generation feel more immediate on the TV interface.
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