Rusk Media launches YouTube channel ‘Binge' with a focus on regional content

The new-age digital entertainment firm Rusk Media has launched a new YouTube channel ‘Binge’ with an aim to create premium content for the regional markets. This announcement comes after the strategic acquisition of infotainment platform, Digital Commentary, who will head content for this channel.

With four existing channels - Alright, Lit, Hattke and Recharge, Rusk Media claims to have a viewer base of over 30 million in the urban metros.

Specifically targeted to tap viewers based in UP, Bihar and parts of Madhya Pradesh between the age group of 16-35 years, Binge will produce fictional content in the form of short video stories and web series that will be distributed across its YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and other Social platforms. The content will have artists talking in the regional dialects and will cover topics that are localised and region-specific. 

Mayank Yadav, CEO, Rusk Media, said, “With over 40% of India’s smartphone users residing in the regional markets, the availability of premium entertainment content for those viewers on digital mediums has been skewed. To address this gap, we decided to launch BINGE that will focus on telling stories that are of interest to people in those regional markets, with popular dialects of Hindi language. Additionally, through advertiser integrated short-form content on Binge, we want to support the brands in reaching out to the regional audiences.”

“Founders of Digital Commentary, Aakash Kumar and Kshitiz Sudhakar come with a vast experience of creating medium and long format web shows and TV series for OTT platforms. Having driven successful shows on TVF, SonyLIV, MX Player and TSP, Aakash and Kshitiz bring an earthy touch to the content, making it more relatable and hence, more engaging. Therefore, we roped in Digital Commentary to spearhead content for Binge,” he further added.

Sudhakar, Creative Director, Binge, said, “With easy access to internet and smartphones, people have been turning to social media and content platforms for their regular dose of entertainment - be it in the metropolitan cities or the other towns. While the urban population has a lot of options for entertainment content on social media, viewers in the regional markets lack access to quality premium content. With BINGE we intend to address this problem, by making it one of India’s only platform that curates and produces content specific for the regional markets.”