The online world is flooded with numerous contents and creators are struggling hard to present their skills before the audiences. For local creators and influencers of Meghalaya swimming in the global space, they are finding it difficult to find audiences for their contents.
The Meghalaya government’s initiative to launch Hello Meghalaya’ the first OTT Platform dedicated to the State’s culture, landscapes, and stories promises to celebrate and rediscover the rich culture and beauty of Meghalaya like never before.
Through this OTT platform content creators of the State will get recognition for their exceptional creativity and dedication.
In the words of Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, Hello Meghalaya has been conceived as a global space for talented young local musicians, filmmakers, and content creators in various fields. Through this OTT platform young content creators will get an opportunity to earn a livelihood.
According to one such creator, Hello Meghalaya is such a platform where one could only appeal to a specific community or state which otherwise in the global platforms their contents tends to get lost. This platform on the other hand will help the local content creators have their own space where people can just go and find them and get all the things related to the state from food, travel, lifestyle and cultures.
Hello Meghalaya is focusing on local content, giving the creators a lot of scope in exploring various fields of entertainment and information sharing content not only to their own people but to others who are new to the state and its people.
Another content creator stated that he has witnessed artists and entrepreneurs fighting to find a space in the community, struggling and always thriving for attention to be heard and discovered so that their skills can be appreciated and get them a livelihood of some sort.
Unfortunately, many fail even with the presence of social media because it runs with algorithms and if one can’t catch up or understand, nobody would notice and no one would care.
Therefore, Hello Meghalaya is a platform which will help to boost the morale of artists and entrepreneurs and give hope that one can be discovered in a very particular way which the OTT is offering.
Hello Meghalaya offers a distinct advantage by focusing on local talent and culture. It’s a dedicated space where artists and content creators can grow, getting the prominent space and attention they deserve within the local community and beyond.
Another creator said that the platform is tailored to promote and support regional artists, making it a valuable opportunity for exposure and growth.
For filmmakers, the platform provides up to Rs.5 lakh per film, with additional funding for nationally or internationally acclaimed films. Content creators will get Rs.18,000 every month for maximum uploads, more funds are provided based on the number of views they have. Short video makers, short film makers stand to benefit from the platform.
Through this OTT platform tourists can watch videos and have an informed knowledge about the culture and lifestyle about Meghalaya.
For filmmakers who do not have access to cinema halls, especially the short film makers, they now have a platform to display their talents and creativity, especially short films in local languages which get lost in other platforms like YouTube.
For cinema goers who want to watch movies in their own languages, tickets are too high for the common folk and it is not possible for them to come with their families.
However, through Hello Meghalaya OTT platform, creators are eligible to get some monetary benefits for the content they have produced.
According to a podcaster each episode of a podcast costs them around 30 to 35k to be honest and now if something can be monetized it will help the content creators immensely as a team.
So far, Hello Meghalaya has received more than one lakh subscribers since its launch.
However, critics argue that the future for Hello Meghalaya OTT platform is bleak.
They argue that in today’s time where the internet is accessible to each and every corner of every individual it is likely to take up their own creations individually whereas in Hello Meghalaya there are restrictions in contents and its quality.
On the other hand individually owned channels can go beyond that… And if you see many successful content creators are those who make their way individually.
