India’s online video viewership has increased 100% since 2011.

Super viewers are largely from the SEC A and B category and are typically 21 to 26 years old.

Approximately 78% of regular internet users watch or download digital content such as videos, television shows or movies.

Just a few years ago, Internet broadband was considered a luxury restricted mostly to corporate India. Today, it’s a whole different picture thanks to the advent of smartphones and a rapidly growing telecommunications industry. India is poised at the cusp of the digital revolution – be it finance, travel, ecommerce and even media and entertainment.

Online video viewership in the country has nearly doubled between 2011 and 2013. A 69% growth in unique viewers during the same period indicates that more Indians are accessing their entertainment online every day.

The Media Super Consumer

However, Internet users cannot be grouped solely by data consumption. Two factors—consumption and engagement—categorise consumers’ online behaviour. We’ve broken down India’s Internet users into three:

Light: They spend approximately 90 minutes or less online.

Medium: They spend between 90 to 120 minutes online.

Heavy: They spend more than more than 120 minutes online.

Consumers’ online use can be gauged not only by the time they spend on the Internet but also through the medium they use to access it. Using multiple mediums could be an indication of high dependency. Heavy internet users with a corresponding high level of dependency on their connectivity are termed super viewers.

The super viewer depends very heavily on the digital medium for work, as well as play, and the absence of connectivity or a device would have a huge impact on their lifestyle. Our respondents went so far as to admit that they would feel “impaired” without access to the internet.

So Who Is The Super Viewer?

Not surprisingly, the super viewer is young and affluent. They invest in gadgets and devices that enable easy and any-time access to the digital world. The average age tends to be approximately 26, but around 36% super viewers also fall into the 21-25 age group.

The SEC A and B section of a 32 million metro population between the ages of 15 to 45 years log in to the Internet at least once a week*. With 12% or 7,60,000 consumers’ Internet usage patterns mapping to those of super viewers, service providers have a clear opportunity.

THE SUPER VIEWER ONLINESuper viewers do not limit themselves to merely entertainment; they’re comfortable with technology and know how to leverage it, taking to the Internet for many transactions. Our studies indicate that super viewers spend more than two hours a day accessing or downloading videos online. Not only do they spend more time online, they are ‘hooked’ on the content. The advent of smartphones have only made this easier for consumers.

Reaching The Super Viewer

This consumer group is relatively affluent, connected and young. They are familiar with and know how to leverage technology for their convenience. Companies can connect with this segment in two key ways:

ADVERTISING: This is a great avenue for FMCG retailers to support or position branded or customized video content, such as web episodes of a TV show. However, online advertising needs to be approached with care. While 36% of viewers said they would skip ads as they viewed them as irritants, 49% said they would watch advertising previously not seen.

Financial advertising could be a winner given that the super viewer is conducting most financial transactions online anyway. Going online could sway decision making in favour of the advertiser.

UNIQUE CONTENT: Super viewers have demonstrated a willingness to pay for their digital entertainment. There could be a market for the broadcaster creating exclusive ‘online content.’ Hindi tele-serials are also an area of opportunity. Going online offers a great way to connect with an audience currently not covered.

The biggest opportunity area, however, is English content. Television shows and serials currently not available in India have a potential target audience in the super viewer. Paid subscription could be a potential revenue generator.

With nearly 5 million new users taking their first step into the digital world every year, India’s internet users are expected to hit the 500 million mark by 2018, as per a report published by McKinsey & Co and Facebook. Today’s super viewer is not just a willing market for advertisers and broadcasters but also a good forecast of future consumer behaviour online. Leveraged correctly, the digital world is a new space waiting to be explored, and the super viewer is the compass with which to mark one’s direction.

Lions from four more entry sections were tonight announced by the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The winners further asserted that a leading theme in this year’s work is brand-aligned ideas that affect societal change and drive business - simultaneously.

In Design, 79 Lions were awarded, including the second Grand Prix of the week to Grey London for Volvo UK, “Lifepaint”. Jury President, Andy Payne, Global Chief Creative Officer, Interbrand, said the work impacted culture, had the potential for greater scale, was tied to brand purpose and went to the heart of the problem-solving role of design. “Our job is to make things better,” he said. “Understand the status quo, challenge the status quo, change the status quo. That’s what design is.”

Echoing the theme of empowering diversity that has been an undercurrent of the Festival so far, the Cyber Grand Prix went to Droga5 New York for Under Armour, “Gisele Bundchen - I Will What I Want”. Jury President Jean Lin, Global Chief Executive Officer, Isobar, described it as an example of how a powerful brand narrative enabled by technology could thrive in multi-screen digital environment that is social by nature and real-time by design. “It demonstrates how well-crafted digital experiences create the uplifting impact to bring a brand closer to its people, from the point of engagement to the point of transaction. It demonstrates how real-time data enhances creativity and tells a beautiful human story to empower its audience.”

In Product Design, Jury President Dan Formosa highlighted their Grand Prix, ‘The Lucky Iron Fish Project’ from Geometry Global, Dubai, as an example of the wave of “bottom-up thinking” that had returned product design to its roots in user-experience. “Cannes Lions contains outstanding examples of our ability to use high-tech tools to output the best in creative video, digital and print. Yet at the basis, what really makes it work, is our ability to understand people and to communicate. The fact that the Product Design jury selected a low-tech product, using a manufacturing process that has been in place for centuries, in the end, surprised even us. Yet, we were unanimous in our decision.”

Fifty-eight Radio Lions were announced in Radio and Grey Germany Dusseldorf/Grey Germany Berlin collected the Grand Prix for SoundCloud, “The Berlin Wall of Sound – The Most Unbearable Radio Ad”. Jury President Paul Reardon, Executive Creative Director, WHYBIN /TBWA Group Australia said the harrowing memorial work did not make for an easy listening experience. “In some ways it was more like walking through an audio museum than listening to a spot. It's macabre. It's somber. It's uncomfortable. It's 7 minutes and 32 seconds long. But conversations surrounding traditional radio, the rise of new radio and audio platforms are making headlines every second week. So strategically, the timing is perfect. As is the historical timing of the subject matter.”

SY Lau, Senior Executive Vice President of Tencent, President of its Online Media Group, was also honoured on stage tonight as the Cannes Lions Media Person of the Year. Terry Savage, Chairman, Lions Festivals said that SY Lau’s “foresight and vision had contributed to a journey that had built Tencent into the largest integrated internet service company in Asia."

Cannes Lions believes in and champions creativity as a force for change and, following last night’s announcement of the first-ever Glass Lions and Glass Grand Prix, Festival delegates are now helping to “give back” proceeds from entries. Delegates can go to inpactcode.com/glasslion, enter their badge number, select one of ten causes for gender equality and donate €10 from the total fund.

This year, programme content also reflects the theme of using creativity to make a lasting, positive impact on humanity. Today Christiane Amanpour and Julia Louis-Dreyfus discussed how political satire can influence policy andand filmmaker and humanitarian Richard Curtis and Sir John Hegarty were joined by actors Freida Pinto and Chiwetel Ejiofor to share experiences of how cinema can create waves for social change.

Results from a further five Cannes Lions entry sections were tonight revealed at the second of the week’s awards ceremonies, bringing to an end another day of diverse and inspiring content focused on the future.

8 much-anticipated Glass Lions were presented, including a Grand Prix to BBDO India, Mumbai, for Procter & Gamble Whisper, “Touch the Pickle”. Jury President Cindy Gallop, Founder and CEO, IfWeRanTheWorld / MakeLoveNotPorn, said judges came to the decision following lengthy discussion, informed by a strong sense of responsibility for what the category represents. “Ultimately we unanimously agreed on work tackling a gender issue that impacts every single woman worldwide; does it in a way that is innovative and disruptive while entertaining and engaging; comes naturally from a brand for whom effecting change in this area is not only its innate social responsibility but of tremendous business benefit; and which has achieved amazing results in one of the most conservative markets in the world.”

131 Outdoor Lions were awarded. TBWA/Media Arts Lab Los Angeles and Apple Cuppertino claimed the Grand Prix for the “World Gallery” iPhone 6 integrated campaign, described by Jury President Juan Carlos Ortiz, President & CEO of DDB, as a ground-breaking blend of innovation and simplicity-of-thought that made the jury’s choice easy. “We didn’t choose the Grand Prix – the Grand Prix chose us,” he said.

The Creative Effectiveness Lions saw the continuation of a winning streak for Volvo, with Forsman & Bodenfors receiving the Grand Prix for Volvo Trucks “Live Test Series” which Jury President Wendy Clark, President Sparkling Brands & Strategic Marketing, Coca-Cola North America, emphatically called “a gift to the industry” that demonstrated the power of creative bravery as a conduit to exceptional effectiveness. “This was unapologetic advertising, proud to communicate its message. Every jury member was jealous of the work.” A further 16 Lions were also awarded.

PR Lions Jury President, Lynne Anne Davis, President & Senior Partner Asia Pacific, FleishmanHillard, movingly described discussion amongst the jury that had led to the awarding of their Grand Prix to MSL Group NY and Leo Burnett Toronto for Procter & Gamble, Always “#Like A Girl”. “There were two jury members who had showed it to their children, and they will never know ‘like a girl’ to be a put-down,” she said. “This is a campaign that marries a brand promise with brand purpose and commercial pursuit. It’s not just counting the people reached, but reaching the people who count.” She also highlighted that over half of this year’s 79 PR Lion-winners had come from PR specialists, attributing the increase to the creativity gap having “completely closed” between advertising and PR agencies.

Finally, in Media, 80 Lions were awarded including the Grand Prix to Y&R Team Red, Istanbul for Vodafone, “Vodafone Red Light Application / Between Us”. Speaking about the work, Nick Emery, Global CEO, Mindshare, said that it was clever, a good cause and a great media idea. “It embraces the best of both a corporate campaign and the originality of an NGO approach. Technology was at its heart and it also has an adaptable and flexible media approach, personalised to the women of Turkey.”

Earlier in the day delegates heard from Pharrell Williams on unleashing creativity through collaboration; caught a glimpse of the coming AI revolution from visionary pioneer Sir Tim Berners –Lee, explored the creative universe with Professor Brian Cox and got a recipe for purpose-driven innovation from Jamie Oliver.

New York Festivals® International Radio Program Awards announced a diverse roster of prominent radio executives slated to honor the World’s Best Radio Programs℠ award winners and present award segments at the New York Festivals Radio Awards Ceremony on Monday, June 22nd at Manhattan Penthouse in New York City.

Award-winning industry executives taking to the stage to present trophies include: Danielle Aykroyd, C.C. Rider The Venerator, The BluesMobile/Ben Manilla Productions, USA; Paul Bachmann, SiriusXM, USA; Colin Black, Producer & Composer, Frequency Oz, Australia; Clea Chang, Director of Marketing,  Intelligence Squared, USA; Lourdes Muggenburg & Max LaValle, Tenemos Tarea, Radio Educacion, Mexico; Brian O’Connell, Reporter, Today with Sean O'Rourke, RTE Radio 1, Ireland; Peter Shevlin, Producer, Blokmedia, United Kingdom; and Cindy Witten, Acting Executive Director Radio & Audio, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canada.

Rose Anderson, executive director of New York Festivals international Radio Program Awards commented, “New York Festivals Radio Awards is proud to honor the World’s Best Radio Programs by awarding international programming that demonstrates diversity, creativity, innovation and quality from all continents.”

New York Festivals Radio Awards Ceremony attendees will have immediate access to NYF’s e-program via their mobile device.  Attendees can review all of the 2015 Radio Awards winner’s information: Grand Award, Gold, Silver, and Bronze Trophy-winning entries as well as Broadcaster of the Year, Production Company of the Year, and United Nation Department of Public Information Awards. To view the 2015 e-program click Here.

New York Festivals will honor the World’s Best Radio Programs on Monday, June 22nd at the annual awards ceremony taking place at Manhattan Penthouse in New York City. To purchase tickets for the 2015 gala click: Here.

World-wide since 1982, NYF’s International Radio Program competition honors the most innovative work in radio broadcasting, receiving entries from radio stations, networks, and independent producers from around the globe.

Noted journalist Shekhar Gupta on Thursday said that Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were among the most interesting persons interviewed in his TV talk show ‘Walk the Talk’.

However Gupta also regretted the silence maintained by former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh during his tenure as PM.

Speaking at a special program organized by the Pune chapter of FICCI Flo, Gupta bared open his love for the cricket, food and shared his extensive experience in covering various events as reporter.  Varsha Talera, chairperson of FICCI Flo Pune, Sabina Sanghavi, senior vice chairperson and Varsha Chordia, vice chairperson were present on the occasion.

When asked about the most interesting and memorable persons who he interviewed during his 13-year old program, Gupta said that it was Sonia Gandhi and Narendra Modi. “Sonia Gandhi because she never gave open interview anywhere else before or after that interview. I found her very engaging and I was surprised to see her passion for India. I realized that she was in politics not for the power but because she loved Rajiv Gandhi deeply.”

About Modi, Gupta said that it was unfair to portray him in black and white. “He is a very quick learner and hard worker man. He always learns a new thing which is why Modi is a new person every three months. Many global leaders are fascinated by him. When I interviewed him, he came as close as possible to say sorry for the Gujarat riots which was also a unique thing to my show,” he said.

However, Gupta also pointed out the things which he did not like about these personalities. He said, “Sonia Gandhi and her son (Rahul) got their economics from Indira Gandhi which was a bad thing. They relied on doling out money to the poor to appease them but this will no longer do. The PM is hyper communication and he should bring down the chest beating.”

Among other personalities, he counted experiences of talking to Sachin Tendulkar and Mayawati. However, Gupta expressed his regret that former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh did not open up even after so many years. “Personally he is very articulate and honest. But I can't understand his silence,” he said.

Gupta also rued the sorry state of TV news today saying that prime time news on TV has become theater and they have lost all the seriousness. “In the beginning, people liked this but now the audience is getting bored. Journalism has changed. The technology has lowered the entry barriers.” On the same note, he said that he was trying to build a new institution which will deliver opinionated news in new way.

Varsha Talera outlined the Agenda for the year for Pune FLO. She elaborated on projects that FLO plans to do - to Empower women at senior, middle and junior level women in various fields. It was well attended by women from all walks of society.