1. Please tell our readers about key Digital trends that are reshaping the media industry.

• Video First world
• Bots – Consumers now want everything on demand, everything NOW. Customer service is no exception. Hence, all major digital companies are investing in creating Bots to respond to customer queries instantly. Chatbots are a prime example of such bots.
• Blockchain Technology (Popularized by Bitcoins) is a network of so-called computing “nodes” without a centralized regulatory body. At the moment, the technology found its application in financial industry but soon it will be used across a wide spectrum of industries including that of Media and entertainment.
• Increasing trend of Fake News on digital platforms is a big issue for the media industry.

2. How is BTVI leveraging Digital technology to stay in sync with the demands of the consumer?

• We are in the process of investing in latest cutting-edge equipment to upgrade our studio. The upgrade is focused at leveraging the latest advancement in digital technology. This will help us better serve our viewers going forward.
• BTVI is actively working towards upgrading its website.
• We are also looking at providing another touchpoint to our viewers in the form of the BTVI App.

3. How is IoT (Internet of Things) set to change the Media Industry?

• I believe media and entertainment industry will benefit from the IoT. Especially broadcasters like us. IoT generate immense amount of consumer data – like that of Location, behavioural data, consumer preferences and demographics from a variety of devices and systems. This immense amount of metadata will help us construct detailed consumer profiles and use them to create and instantly deliver personalized content across multiple screens.

4. Your thoughts on news channels maintaining a balance between credibility and speed?

• For any news platform (TV, print, radio, digital), credibility of news should be the first and the only priority. Speed of news delivery without its credibility is unethical. Such practice will hamper brand in longer term.

5. Your thought on AI (Artificial Intelligence) & VR (Virtual Reality) in the OTT space?

• AI is a powerful technology. It can be used to customize storytelling on the OTT space. For example – Narrative of a video the viewer is watching can be personalized to suit his/her own taste, mood etc.
• With VR, you are a part of the story and not an outsider anymore. VR enabled mobile handsets which are being developed will transform the content viewing experience for users.