In an early morning session at MIPCOM 2024, government officials and content leaders highlighted how India’s content market has expanded, creating new opportunities to attract increased foreign investment.
The session titled ‘The Great Indian Content Push’ featured prominent figures including Prasar Bharti CEO Gaurav Dwivedi, Telangana special chief secretary of the industries & commerce (I&C) and information technology (IT) Jayesh Ranjan, GoQuest Media CEO Vivek Lath, ALL3Media International Asia Pacific EVP Sabrina Duguet, Toonz Media Group CEO P Jayakumar, Enterr 10 Television director Akshat Singhal, and Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC) chairman Karan Rathore. The discussion was moderated by IndianTelevision.com Group founder, chairman & editor in chief Anil NM Wanvari.
“India offers numerous advantages such as cost-effective production, scalability, incentives, and a flexible regulatory framework. It’s a unique position that can attract global companies while boosting employment,” noted animation industry veteran Jayakumar. “Industry and government officials need to collaborate to market these strengths effectively.”
Dwivedi encouraged companies and creators to participate in the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES), being held in India. He emphasised that this event spans diverse areas of media and entertainment, and winners of various challenges would gain visibility while the government gains deeper insights into the industry’s potential.
He also elaborated on initiatives by Prasar Bharati and All India Radio to extend their reach across India’s vast geography. To better connect with the Indian diaspora abroad, they are focusing on digital platforms. He revealed that Doordarshan (an autonomous public service broadcaster founded by the Government of India) is also developing its own streaming service, which will be ready by next month.
Ranjan spoke on similar lines highlighting the fact that Telangana was the first Indian state to have a dedicated AVGC (animation, visual effects, gaming, comics) Policy and is developing the state-of-the-art IMAGE Tower to provide top-notch infrastructure to the industry.
Around 225 Indian delegates and 70 companies mark the country’s presence at the market this year. Rathore explained SEPC is subsidising travel and booth costs to encourage greater participation from Indian companies.
The session’s only international speaker, Duguet, emphasised the critical role of marketing in content distribution. “Even if a production is excellent, without proper marketing and the right pitch, the shows won’t travel,” she said.
Moving ahead, Lath who has a strong track record in producing quality dramas, especially in the Turkish market, stressed on the need to improve the production quality of Indian series. He stressed that series producers should adopt the same high standards as film producers to elevate the Indian content catalogue.
When asked about the future of Indian content in next five years, Singhal mentioned that Indian content will become more diversified. He cited the success of localised content like Bhojpuri shows overseas and stressed the importance of effective marketing.
Wanvari wrapped up the session on a positive note, stating that India already has outstanding content creators, and the government’s focus on AVGC-XR will help them attract global business, better market their content, and succeed internationally.