Pocket FM CEO breaks silence on microdrama app shutdown
What's the story
Pocket FM, a leading audio entertainment company, recently announced the shutdown of its microdrama vertical, Pocket TV. The decision comes as part of a strategic shift to focus on its core audio business and international expansion. The move also comes ahead of a possible public listing as the company is already profitable. Breaking the silence on this, Pocket FM's co-founder and CEO Rohan Nayak clarified that Pocket TV was always meant to be a beta experiment, not a core business.
Clarification
Pocket TV was a beta experiment, says Nayak
Nayak has said the platform was built and operated for about five months before it was shut down after gathering product learnings. "If we had known shutting down a beta product would get this much attention, we would definitely have put out a press release back then," Nayak wrote in his LinkedIn post.
User retention
Long-term user retention remains a challenge
Nayak also shed light on the learnings from the Pocket TV experiment. He said while attracting users to microdrama was easy, retaining them over the long term remained a major challenge. "User acquisition isn't the challenge in micro drama today, long-term retention is," he added. This insight has led Pocket FM to refocus its efforts on strengthening its audio offerings for better user retention in the long run.
Business sustainability
Nayak questions sustainability of microdrama business models
Nayak also questioned the sustainability of the business models adopted by several players in the microdrama space. He alleged that growth is being driven by aggressive marketing, dark patterns, and auto-renewal mechanisms instead of durable product engagement. "If your business only works because canceling is intentionally difficult, you don't have product-market fit," Nayak said.
Strategic shift
Pocket FM to focus on audio entertainment amid microdrama boom
Despite the booming short video drama market in India, Pocket FM is doubling down on audio entertainment. The company already has an established content library, monetization model, and international presence in this space. Nayak emphasized that Pocket FM prioritizes retention over user acquisition, with more than 50% of its users remaining active even after 12 months.