Digital Media India 2025: Key Insights
- The Digital Media Awards South Asia 2025 recognized The Hindu Group as Champion Publisher at it's recent ceremony.
- Alan Hunter and Michael Brunt, co-founders of HBM Advisory, opened the conference, emphasizing the need for publishers to define their mission clearly and leverage AI as a strategic...
- Day one featured discussions on AI-driven workflows, subscriptions, editorial reinvention, and audience engagement.
The Digital Media Awards South Asia 2025 spotlighted the evolving digital landscape, with The Hindu Group taking home the Champion Publisher award. The event’s core focus centered on artificial intelligence, editorial reinvention, and innovative revenue models for news organizations, providing key insights into how to navigate a rapidly changing industry.Discussions explored AI-driven workflows, audience engagement, and the crucial need for value-driven editorial content to achieve sustainable growth. Experts from leading media outlets like the BBC and The Wire shared strategies that prioritize user experience and ethical innovation. News Directory 3 highlights the importance of these strategies. The awards also acknowledged advancements in data visualization and reader revenue models. Discover what’s next in digital media trends.
Digital Media Awards Highlight the Role of AI in South Asia’s Newsrooms
The Digital Media Awards South Asia 2025 recognized The Hindu Group as Champion Publisher at it’s recent ceremony. The event centered on the evolving role of artificial intelligence, editorial reinvention, and sustainable revenue models for news organizations.
Alan Hunter and Michael Brunt, co-founders of HBM Advisory, opened the conference, emphasizing the need for publishers to define their mission clearly and leverage AI as a strategic tool. Hunter stated that everyone in an organization should understand its purpose and value. Brunt added that this is a unique prospect to rethink workflows and core functions.
Day one featured discussions on AI-driven workflows, subscriptions, editorial reinvention, and audience engagement. Leaders from The Hindu, BBC, The Wire, Le Monde, and Jagran News Media participated. A roundtable with Mariam Mammen Mathew (Manorama Online), Pradeep Gairola (The Hindu Group), and Krishnamurthy Ramasubbu (Dinamalar) focused on strategies for sustainable digital growth.
“Editorial has become a side game in news organisations focused on a minimum viable product. But without a great editorial product, there’s no way a newsroom can survive,” said Gairola.
Mathew noted the industry’s pursuit of traffic over value, stressing that sustainable revenue requires more than advertising. Ramasubbu commented that digital-only models are not viable at scale unless they are niche.
Day two emphasized ethical innovation and user-first design. Speakers from BBC Collective Newsroom, The Quint, Manorama, Deutsche Welle, and HT Labs shared insights on building data-smart and accessible products.Chitranshu Tewari (Newslaundry) led a session on creating resilient independent media.
“Our app puts users at the center – from profile deletion and subscription cancellation to granular notification control,” said Tewari.
The digital Media Awards South Asia 2025 received over 110 entries. winners included The BBC, the Hindu, Hindustan Times, The Quint, Sakal, and The Indian express.The awards recognized excellence in data visualization, AI integration, newsletters, and reader revenue strategies.
What’s next
WAN-IFRA continues to host events focused on the future of digital media, with upcoming gatherings listed on their events page.