Rubeena Singh

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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🎙️ The Golden Voice of Advertising is Getting Smarter. Radio in India isn’t just surviving—it’s thriving with innovation. From the trusted familiarity of FM to the precision of programmatic audio, the future of radio advertising is vibrant, intelligent, and full of opportunity. 💡 Programmatic Radio is transforming the game: ✅ Precision targeting with real-time data ✅ Personalized audio experiences for every listener ✅ Seamless brand integration across music apps, podcasts & smart devices ✅ Unmatched cost-efficiency with measurable results Whether you're reaching rural Bharat or urban Gen Z, audio cuts through the noise with emotion, authenticity, and scale. And now—with programmatic tech—it also delivers performance, agility, and insight. 🎧 Radio is no longer “just a medium.” It’s a dynamic, data-driven storyteller that connects brands to hearts—and now, to dashboards. 🔊 The future of audio advertising in India is not coming—it’s already playing. #RadioReimagined #ProgrammaticAudio #IndiaOnAir #FutureOfMedia #AdTechWithHeart #MarketingInnovation #DigitalIndia #AudioFirst #VoiceEconomy #SmartAdvertising #FMtoFuture #DataDrivenBranding #MarketingThatSpeaks #MediaTransformation #AdvertisingInIndia #GrowthWithAudio

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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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“Advertising today is a spectacle and it has to be immersive, multi-sensory, and larger than life.” – Nishank Joshi, CMO, Nexus Select Malls Step into Nexus Seawoods, where the traditional mall space is being redefined into a high-impact, tech-driven media destination. In this exclusive walk-through, Nishank shares how Nexus is turning spatial design, digital innovation, and contextual storytelling into a seamless canvas for brands. From anamorphic screens to rebranded food courts and parking zones, it’s not just mall advertising, it’s a connected ecosystem built for the modern consumer. Bhoomi Lakhani | Nexus Select Trust #NexusSelectMalls #DOOH #OOH #OOHCampain #DOOHMallAdvertising #MallAdvertising #RetailAdvertising #MallDOOH #NishankJoshi #NexusMalls

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For marketers, the festive season is a time when demand surges, moments matter, and timing and placement carry weight. As OMD India's CEO, Anisha Iyer, explains, the real opportunity lies in preparation: giving campaigns the room to refine ideas, align strategy with creativity, and show up in the right spaces at the right moments. Last-minute moves have their place, but only when they’re astute and add to a well-thought-out plan. In a marketplace alive with consumer energy, the brands that combine foresight with agility are the ones that truly connect. Read the full story here on Social Samosa: https://lnkd.in/gUTF2QPq

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