.jpg)
Speaking about the trends of 2024, Vinay Hegde, CEO of Investments (Media), Madison World, said: “The focus is on the convergence of formats, technologies, and audience experiences through unified media ecosystems.”
He added that this year has seen major players integrating cable, satellite, and OTT services into seamless bundles due to the fragmentation of content across platforms. He highlighted the intense consolidation and strategic realignments in the industry, saying: “Amazon-MX, Saregama-Pocket Aces, Serene-Dharma, and JioStar's mega merger have the potential of altering the India's media landscape.” Vinay also spoke about the innovation in India’s sports media in 2024: “India’s sports media landscape saw unprecedented innovation in 2024.”
He went on to discuss the use of hybrid delivery models, with dynamic AR features and 5G-enabled immersive experiences: “The advent of dynamic AR features and 5G-enabled immersive experiences have changed the way audiences consume sports content.”
He also noted the importance of vernacular commentary and localised marketing, which contributed to the growth of regional sports: “Vernacular commentary and localised marketing ensured that regional sports became valuable contributors to India's overall sports media ecosystem.”
On the convergence of AI, advertising, and live commerce, Vinay stated: “Live commerce further transformed engagement by integrating real-time shopping into live events, unlocking new revenue streams and enhancing viewer interactivity.”
Speaking of trends to be seen in 2025, Vinay Hegde said: “Brands will leverage dynamic content creation and automated campaign optimisation, making advertising efforts more efficient.”
He also predicted that Connected TV (CTV) will grow at an even faster pace: “CTV is rewriting video advertising, and it will be the platform of choice for brands seeking to reach premium audiences.” Vinay acknowledged the ongoing challenge for linear TV, which will continue to face decline due to cord-cutting: “Linear TV will continue to see a structural decline as cord-cutting increases, but the revenue from linear TV still continues to be big enough to help fund streaming and other priorities.”
Lastly, Vinay highlighted the growth in rural consumption and how advertisers are shifting strategies: “Rural consumption will grow, and premiumisation will continue to rise. Advertisers are shifting towards audience-first, programmatic strategies to deliver personalised ads in premium environments.”
