Bikramjeet Singh Bindra

The next three years will redefine digital media and podcasting in India. We are already the third-largest podcast listening market in the world. Podcast revenues in India crossed $969M in 2024, and are projected to grow at nearly 30% year-on-year. Digital advertising has overtaken television which is HUGE. But the real question is: where is attention moving, and how do we hold it? The shifts I see shaping the next three years: 1)The Attention Deficit Audiences are impatient. If you don’t hook them in the first 30 seconds, you’ve lost them. But while short-form captures attention, it doesn’t hold it. The real opportunity lies in pairing formats: short-form to spark awareness, long-form to build trust. 2)The Hyperlocal Surge Regional and vernacular voices will define scale. The future of reach in India will not be dictated in English—it will be told in the languages of people’s everyday lives. 3)From IP to Ecosystem Shows will no longer live in isolation. The strongest IPs will extend into products, experiences, and communities. A podcast won’t just be an episode—it will be a cultural node that branches into events, collaborations, and even commerce. 4)AI and the Next Medium AI will rewire the value chain—translation, interactive listening, personalized discovery. But the deeper shift is this: AI will turn passive audiences into active participants. The line between creator and consumer will blur. 5)Trust as Currency In a world of infinite content, trust will be the scarcest resource. Audiences and advertisers will no longer chase scale for its own sake; they will back creators who show consistency, credibility, and transparency. So what do people want to consume? Audiences won’t settle for either/or. They’ll want formats that are snackable in the moment but deep enough to return to. They’ll choose voices that feel familiar, not distant. They’ll expect to participate—through remixes, collabs, or community interactions. They’ll reward authenticity over manufactured virality. And they’ll pay for premium experiences—early access, behind-the-scenes, and spaces that feel exclusive. TLDR: The future won’t reward one-off hits. It will reward IPs that compound over time. Retention will matter more than reach—because attention is the only true currency. To scale, vernacular has to be the default, not the afterthought. Ads won’t be enough—multiple revenue streams will be essential. And the strongest moat will be community, because loyalty isn’t something you buy—it’s something you earn, day after day. The future of digital media in India will not be defined by who shouts the loudest, but by who can hold attention with depth, trust, and consistency. I’ve been reflecting on these shifts closely as we build new IPs and platforms at Humans of Bombay. Because the next decade will belong to creators and companies that see beyond the algorithm and build for connection. Thoughts? How do you see the next few years? #digitalmedia #India

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Radhika Gupta, MD & CEO of Edelweiss Asset Management, has taken to social media to voice frustration over the worsening condition of Gurgaon’s Golf Course Extension Road. Terming it “Pothole Extension Road” and even “Crater Connection,” Gupta highlighted how the Delhi-Gurgaon commute becomes a nightmare during the monsoon. She pointed out the irony: while Gurgaon boasts about ₹100 crore luxury apartments, the city’s basic infrastructure, especially roads, needs urgent attention. As India’s “Millennium City,” Gurgaon often represents rapid urbanization and growth—but Gupta’s post is a reminder that world-class infrastructure must come before luxury real estate ambitions. #gurugram #poorInfrastructure #realEstate #startupHUB #startupUpdates #startupro

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The Indian AdGeek episode #8, with Rohan Mehta, founder and CEO of FCB Kinnect, on the agency’s 14th anniversary. 📺 The FCB India acquisition: Rohan walks through the decision-making process, from the initial 2020 partnership to the 2021 stake acquisition and finally the 2023 majority buyout. With insights on working alongside industry veterans like Rohit Ohri and global leadership, including CEO Tyler Turnbull 📺 How The “3 C’s” Framework differentiates them in competitive pitches, including winning the State Bank of India mandate. 📺 With 38% growth in 2024, Rohan discusses the three strategic levers driving success and how they’ve built capabilities across traditional and digital media. 📺 Rohan talks about his ambitious five-year vision for FCB Kinnect’s position in the Indian advertising landscape and the goal of becoming “the most modern marketing partner in the world.” The Indian AdGeek streams on all major podcast apps, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Links in comments below.

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Reliance-backed media giant JioStar’s chief revenue officer (CRO) Ajit Varghese has stepped down from his role. He is now slated to join as the group CEO of media agency Madison Media and its outdoor advertising vertical OOH. 👇 As per an internal memo circulated within JioStar, the media giant’s head of revenue and large customer base business, Mahesh Shetty, will take over as the new CRO. Notably, this will be Varghese’s second stint at Madison. He previously served as the media company’s COO between 1999 to 2006. Varghese’s resignation comes seven months after the completion of Reliance-Disney merger in November 2024, and the subsequent formation of the consolidated entity, JioStar. Prior to this, he was the executive vice-president (EVP) and head of network of ad sales at The Walt Disney Company. Read the full article here - https://lnkd.in/g5qV9iEN #news #Inc42 #tech #media #startupnews #startup #businessnews #business #resignation #India #growth #CXO #founders

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