Rediffusion bags creative & media mandate of BIRD

Delhi: Rediffusion announced that it has won the creative and media mandate of BIRD (Billion Readers Initiative), led by PlanetRead, in association with IIT-Delhi. 

BIRD aims to ensure daily and lifelong reading practice for a billion people in India by integrating Same Language Subtitling (SLS) on mainstream entertainment content across television, films, and streaming platforms. BIRD aspires to serve just one vision: Every Indian, A Fluent Reader.

BIRD is a systems change initiative supported by Co-Impact, aimed to enhance literacy, language learning, and media access for all Indians. 

The initiative focuses on integrating Same Language Subtitling (SLS) into all entertainment video content in every Indian language. By providing subtitles in the same language as the audio, viewers get to read what they see and hear on the screen, making literacy a part of their daily entertainment experience.

Same Language Subtitling (SLS) is a concept that involves subtitling audio-visual (AV) content in the same language as the audio. This method allows viewers to read along with the dialogues and lyrics they hear, effectively turning every moment of entertainment into a reading opportunity. SLS has been proven to significantly improve reading skills, making it an essential tool for literacy advancement.

Rediffusion will leverage its expertise in advertising and media to promote BIRD’s mission across India. The agency has been mandated to create campaigns that highlight the importance of literacy and the benefits of SLS. 

Brij Kothari, Adjunct Professor at IIT-Delhi’s School of Public Policy who leads BIRD, stated, “India is the first country leveraging SLS on mainstream entertainment for literacy. Rediffusion’s creative prowess and strategic insights will be instrumental in establishing this globally important innovation.” 

Commenting on the partnership, Sandeep Goyal, Chairman of Rediffusion, said, “We are honoured to be a part of this groundbreaking initiative. At Rediffusion, we are fully supportive of BIRD’s SLS initiatives and will work towards making Dr. Brij Kothari’s dream a reality.”   

Asheesh Malhotra, Executive, added, "The SLS initiative is a small intervention that will have a big societal impact, capable of transforming the lives of children (especially the girl child) and adults alike who are deprived of basic reading skills. At Rediffusion, we are helping shape a war cry narrative to reach out to media houses, central and state governments, on-ground agencies, and key people who will support the initiative and make the mission their own as well.”