Try GOLD - Free
Regional content players struggle with low ad rates, poor algorithms
Mint Bangalore
|August 12, 2025
Regional content is booming across audio and video streaming platforms. But for many small players, the growth hasn't translated into fair value or visibility.
Despite the surge in hyperlocal, regional-language content across audio and video platforms, smaller creators producing such films, shows, and music say they remain constrained by industry norms that favor mainstream languages like Hindi and English.
A key hurdle: ad rates. CPMs (cost per mille, the cost an advertiser pays for 1,000 impressions) for regional content are usually lower, and smaller creators have little negotiating power. Platforms often offer standard rates, leaving them as 'price takers, not price makers'.
Adding to the challenge, algorithm-driven platforms such as YouTube and Meta determine revenue largely on performance metrics—watch time, clicks, and ad returns—rather than on direct deals or custom rates. These algorithms optimize for engagement, but don't always account for the nuances or loyalty of niche audiences.
This story is from the August 12, 2025 edition of Mint Bangalore.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM Mint Bangalore
Mint Bangalore
Tariff ruling sends CEOs back to company war rooms
iffs under a different legal authority prove costlier?
4 mins
February 23, 2026
Mint Bangalore
IDFC First vets papers in alleged fraud case
IDFC First Bank is investigating if the documents at the centre of an alleged ₹590 crore fraud at its Chandigarh branch were genuine or forged, two people familiar with the matter said, even as it has suspended four officials and prepares a forensic audit.
1 min
February 23, 2026
Mint Bangalore
SBI aims to hike share of green advances
State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s biggest lender, has set a goal of increasing green advances to 7.5-10% by 2030, with 25% of these advances to be funded through green lines of credit.
1 min
February 23, 2026
Mint Bangalore
Cargo ships are being carried by electric currents at long last
Small trade vessels are being electrified to cut costs and emissions
3 mins
February 23, 2026
Mint Bangalore
Addiction case: Your child's problem isn't social media
A few months ago when the editor of Rahul Pandita’s debut novel asked me for a blurb, I wrote that his book was “addictive”.
4 mins
February 23, 2026
Mint Bangalore
Missiles pound Kyiv ahead of Russia invasion anniversary
Explosions rocked Ukraine’s capital Kyiv early on Sunday with officials warning of a ballistic missile attack, just two days before the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion.
2 mins
February 23, 2026
Mint Bangalore
IT chiefs dismiss AI concerns ahead of Nasscom gathering
India's top three technology outsourcers, together valued at $210 billion, have dismissed concerns that modern artificial intelligence (AI) could upend their businesses, even as investors remain on the edge and questions hang over the industry's future.
3 mins
February 23, 2026
Mint Bangalore
Xi wins upper hand before summit due to US tariff reversal
Chinese President Xi Jinping is heading to the negotiating table with Donald Trump with a boost in bargaining power, after the U.S. leader lost his ability to quickly raise tariffs for nearly any reason.
2 mins
February 23, 2026
Mint Bangalore
Mahagun strikes creditor settlement
he National Company Law Appellate ‘Tribunal (NCLAT) has directed the withdrawal of insolvency proceedings against realty firm Mahagun alter it has arrived ata settlement with its financial creditor.
1 min
February 23, 2026
Mint Bangalore
Iranian students protest as anger grows
Antigovernment sit-ins, marches and chants mark a new university term
2 mins
February 23, 2026
Listen
Translate
Change font size