New Media is not just another buzzword to be dropped at the meeting of the minds, but is one of the most influential phenomena that has changed the basic aspect of our lives: Conversation. It has dramatically altered the very fabric of information, that binds lives, companies and economies. You don't need to be a leader anymore to voice your opinion, as the whole world becomes your audience at a click of the mouse.

Radically different lifestyles and changing consumption patterns have forced publishers and content owners to devise new access points for the consumer on the move. Traditional media can no longer keep pace with the frightening speeds at which global business is being done and global economies get affected by a single piece of news.
The biggest contributor to this exponential growth of New Media has been technology. Technology is the backbone of a convergent media ecosystem and with phones getting smarter and high-speed Internet penetration getting deeper; we are only at the tip of the New Media iceberg. Interestingly, 70% of Indian computer users have used the Internet and this augers well for the future of New Media in this country. (Source: Internet in India, IMRB and IAMAI report)

Seldom has any new concept forced decision makers of the world to dramatically change their strategies so quickly. From media conglomerates to marketing gurus and from financial investors to advertising experts, everyone is waking up to the new consumer and is trying to use New Media innovatively to reach out to him. Web 2.0 has heralded the beginnings of a two-way communication between the user and the publisher where interactivity is the name of the game. The Internet is now a global whiteboard where people can voice their opinions and be heard.

Triple play, the seamless convergence of content between the proverbial three screens- television, computer and mobile, has become the buzz word for every media house that wants to provide content to consumers where they want it, when they want it and how they want it. In 2006, India became the 5th country in the world to have crossed the 100 million mark in subscriber base, becoming the fastest growing mobile market in the world. (Source: Mobile value added services in India, IMRB and IAMAI report). It has given rise to new marketing strategies for companies looking to reach that elusive niche market segment and also helped create new revenue streams for publishers through advertising eyeballs. IPTV and Mobile TV broadcasting are still in their infancy but are already posing a challenge to traditional vehicles of media broadcasting.

At NDTV Convergence, we are fellow travelers in the unfolding journey of New Media in which India is slowly emerging as the leader -with the world's youngest population, fastest mobile phone adoption rate and the smartest minds.