A streaming pandemic ahead!

The present frenetic progress fee being seen by streaming platforms in India is because of the large nudge of the pandemic and the bunker-in impact it has created.

By Harish Bijoor

India is the quickest rising OTT market on the planet right now, and BCG estimates it to be price $5 billion by 2023. Video-on-demand (VoD) is manna from heaven, served simply in time, in properties and on an entire selection foundation. In a rustic hitherto starved for international content material at will, VoD is the brand new sweet to chew on. Plain previous tv appears to be like so yesterday… so 2019!

The timing is excellent. OTT streaming platforms had nearly gotten their early-entry act collectively in India because the pandemic struck in 2020. Folks bought locked indoors. The world shouldn’t be our oyster anymore. The oyster is our world, and the house is our oyster. Into this oyster then, comes the streaming platform seamlessly with its array of selections, at a value in fact.

Streaming growth

What was not so way back a distinct segment phase of play — which had the youthful phase available in the market streaming stay sport content material that was simply not obtainable on their tv networks — is, right now, as mass as it may possibly aspire to be for now. At the same time as you learn this, the pandemic time streaming enterprise is clocking a 15% progress y-o-y, with a sturdy prognosis of a scorching 21% progress on present numbers within the yr to return. Stakeholders then are excited. Out right here, you’ve the present OTT gamers, broadcasters of each style (and never sports activities alone), telecom operators searching for a chunk of the pie and content material creators from each digital platform leaping in.

As the companies I work with on the OTT area are busy crafting aggressive enterprise plans for themselves, the important thing query everyone seems to be asking is whether or not it is a ‘flash within the pandemic pan’ type of factor, or is it right here to remain?

The present frenetic progress fee being seen by streaming platforms in India is because of the large nudge of the pandemic and the bunker-in impact it has created. There are moments when everyone seems to be immersed into their private cell units for work and examine, and leisure of each variety simply streams in as nicely. There’s a seamless interplay between work/ examine and leisure right now. At the same time as you’re on a gathering in mute mode, you’re probably catching up on the newest UFC motion.

After which there are occasions when the household sits collectively to observe its Breaking Dangerous moments. Streaming and its consumption is, right now, each particular person and group-led. Each style due to this fact will get probed by completely different people.

Watchers of behavior

Digital and digitalism have grown as habits amongst Indians right now. On-line digital fee platforms are booming with participation, simply as online-everything is on a roll. Digital streaming is one among these as nicely.

Dwell sports activities is an enormous success. When cricket took successful with the pandemic, and all live-cricket content material dried up, at the same time as viewers have been searching for extra, different sports activities stepped in. At the same time as that dried out, in stepped leisure content material of each variety in each language. That is, right now, a behavior as nicely. Streaming is rather more than stay sports activities right now. SVoD is on a rampage. It guarantees to proceed blazing its tracks because it enters newer geographies in India. For OTT, geography is historical past!

The climb into streaming in its early days is absolutely on the mannequin of AVoD. As audiences tire of content material that isn’t thrilling sufficient for his or her curiosity right here, we are going to see a climb onto premium providers from the identical broadcaster: in comes SVoD. Anticipate a cusp of the three ultimately, with TVoD leaping in with a pay-per-view mode. I’d, in fact, guess on a DTR (obtain to hire) mannequin out right here for India relatively than the EST (digital promote by) mannequin which is that rather more possession pushed. We stay in a era that’s all about renting, not about proudly owning.

One necessary level to not miss is the truth that the lockdown had theatres closed down and houses opened up. Video streaming platforms attracted the most effective of content material from cinema in India, as new releases in each language opted for an OTT launch. This gave an enormous content material fillip to streaming. So long as OTT is ready to proceed attracting the most effective of recent releases in India, the longer term is shiny.

Streaming platforms are right here to remain, pandemic or not. Because the Covid pandemic blows over, count on the streaming pandemic to thrive and develop.

The creator is founder, Harish Bijoor Consults