Indiantelevision.com's Digital Edge: MIH Group forays into Indian internet and digital space

Indiantelevision.com's Digital Edge

MIH Group forays into Indian internet and digital space

Indiantelevision.com Team

(1 August 2006 7:00 pm)

MUMBAI: MIH, part of the multinational media group Naspers Limited, is making a foray into the Indian internet and digital space.

"MIH plans to develop internet and mobile applications for the growing online Indian market. India is an attractive market, which is forecast to show strong economic growth going forward. Internet penetration which is currently only at 4.5 per cent is expected to grow rapidly over the next five to ten years offering many opportunities in online communication. MIH seeks to capitalise on these opportunities in the long run by building strong online communication platforms. MIH Internet's first office will be based in Gurgaon, Haryana," said spokesperson for MIH Internet (India) Craig White.

MIH operates pay television and internet subscriber platforms and related technologies in over 50 countries. Its significant operations are located in South Africa, elsewhere in Africa, Brazil, China, Thailand, The Netherlands, Greece and Cyprus. Given the huge growth in the internet and mobile VAS space in India, the group is now planning investments here.

The group would be launching a range of innovative applications in the Indian internet and mobile space. Its aim is to create a personal reference world of entertainment and information, which can be accessed wherever you are, whenever you want.

MIH creates media content, builds brand names around it, and manages the platforms distributing the content. The content is delivered in a variety of forms and through a variety of channels, including television platforms and internet services.

With a view to expand offices across the nation, the group plans to set up its first office in Gurgaon and hire talent for various functions ranging from engineering, R&D, technology, creative, marketing, sales, support etc.

The MIH group is exploring media opportunities in emerging markets where strong economic growth is expected. Within emerging markets the specific focus is on the BRICSA countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and the rest of sub-Saharan Africa.

In China, the group has an investment in the pioneer instant messaging platform, Tencent, which is a developer and operator of innovative real-time communication and online entertainment technologies and services. Tencent's instant messaging product, QQ, processes more than three billion messages every day and is one of the top 10 portals globally.