The 4th edition of the TV Summit gathered an esteemed panel of industry experts to engage in thought-provoking discussions on key topics that shape the future of television. The summit explored how the TV industry is evolving to meet the challenges of a changing media landscape.
One of the most significant discussions focused on Disruption in Connected TV, featuring a fireside chat between Mr. Siddhartha Laik, Founder & Editor-in-Chief, IWMBuzz Media, and Mr. Anuj Gandhi, Founder & CEO, Streambox Media. The session delved into the evolution of connected TV and its impact on content distribution.
Key Excerpts from the Conversation
Siddhartha: The audience would love to know more about Dor TV. Please enlighten.
Anuj: Dor TV is India’s first subscription-based television platform. We have been working on building our own TV operating system to enhance the viewing experience. All of us grew up with cable and DTH, where if you wanted to watch a movie, you had to choose from a limited selection across five channels. Now, in households with multiple family members, each person has different content preferences. With Dor TV, we aim to make content discovery just as important as content consumption.
Siddhartha: How did you decide that this was the next step for you?
Anuj: My decision was largely influenced by my background in media and distribution. One of the core ideas behind Dor TV was to simplify content distribution for consumers. The goal was to bring content right in front of the viewer’s screen—apps shouldn’t be the primary focus; content should be. Additionally, TV isn’t just about entertainment; news and sports play an equally important role. So, we created India’s first TV operating system that provides a comprehensive viewing experience across all content categories.
Siddhartha: How is AI helping you build a better product?
Anuj: Towards the end of 2022, we saw the rise of AI-driven innovations in content consumption. We’ve integrated AI into live news broadcasts by using speech-to-text technology. This allows users to instantly access the key topics being discussed in real time. Another significant feature is SearchAI—when users search for a movie or actor, the screen automatically splits like a ChatGPT interface, displaying relevant information without requiring additional searches. This makes content discovery seamless and highly intuitive.
Siddhartha: What are your thoughts on sales trends and deadlines? How have sales been so far?
Anuj: TV sales are seasonal. For example, during exams and Ramzan, sales tend to decline, but we saw strong performance in December and January. February was slow, but we anticipate April to be a big month, especially due to IPL.
Siddhartha: As someone with vast experience in content distribution, how have you seen the distribution landscape evolve over the years?
Anuj: The market is currently in a downturn. Around COVID-19, we started seeing a gradual decline, and since then, the trend has continued downward. However, distribution companies have adapted well—many now offer OTT services alongside traditional TV. You can’t rely solely on pure-play distribution anymore, because consumers demand more flexibility. Pay TV is facing challenges, but in the long run, I believe Pay TV, OTT, and Connected TV will co-exist rather than replace each other.
Siddhartha: When it comes to Dor TV, how do you envision its growth in the next three years?
Anuj: For us, Dor is not just a TV platform—it’s an operating system. The real disruption isn’t in hardware, but in the ecosystem we are building. Dor TV is part of a much larger vision, and we are focused on expanding its capabilities rather than just its form factor.
Siddhartha: What would you say to critics and skeptics of Dor TV?
Anuj: Whenever a new product launches, there will always be skepticism and criticism. Some of it comes from misunderstanding, while some feedback is genuinely constructive. One major learning for us was that TV buying behavior is very different from what we see with services like Tata Sky or Dish TV. Over time, we have adjusted our pricing strategy, which has helped address many initial concerns.
Criticism is part of innovation, especially when investors and stakeholders are involved. However, our confidence in our software and hardware was always strong. I personally took the time to speak to direct customers, understand their needs, and implement necessary changes based on their feedback.
Siddhartha: The UI of Dor TV has been compared to Netflix. Was that a deliberate choice?
Anuj: Interestingly, it wasn’t intentional. If you look at Zee News, it also has a similar UI color scheme. Blue and red are dominant colors in the industry, and when we were designing Dor TV’s interface, it naturally aligned with that aesthetic. It was purely a coincidence, and there were no objections from anyone in the industry. So, I don’t see any reason to raise concerns about it.
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