HD content and change in concepts and stories are redefining the way people watch television
The year 2015 brought in a lot of dynamism to the TV and broadcast industry. Actually, to an extent, it revolutionised content and its reach to the viewers. Of course, a lot of developments made this happen in various forms by various players.
Of the many drivers one is the Digital India initiative that aims to connect over 1.2 billion people in our country. This means a leap in to the next generation of communication and digital infrastructure. The year saw the roll out of 4G services across the country, which will only stabilise and grow in the time ahead. This will allow broadcasters to be able to seamlessly deliver content to a multitude of screens of various form factors.
The onward march of digitisation has ensure that TV content is reaching more and more households in India which is a great fillip to the industry and bodes well for enriching content that will reach the discerning Indian TV viewer. Digitisation has also led to a marked improvement in the quality of content that broadcasters are now able to deliver to Indian audiences. HD content is fast becoming the standard and 2015 saw the launch of many HD channels, including ours, catering to the huge desire of viewers for an education and knowledge based fun interactive channel for kids. As we move forward into 2016 all of us will have to better our content and be innovative to woo the viewer and ensure stickiness of our content. There is also a more than never before focus on localisation of TV content — language as well as concepts and stories, too. There is an increasing demand for specialised niche content. The launch of Da Vinci learning: A special interest channels like ours bears testament to this fact.
Another significant milestone for the broadcast industry this year was the roll-out of Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC). While the actual impact is still to be studied but that fact remains that dynamism is the order of the day. BARC also allows for measurement of rural viewership and ratings with meters split between urban and rural markets. It estimates 153.5 million television households with 77.5 million in urban India and 76 million in rural India. With so much disruption taking place, I do believe that the broadcast industry is in for an exhilarating ride, which no doubt will be filled with many new challenges, but will deliver to the nation a world class ecosystem of top class content catering to a wide cross-section of viewer interest.
While TV has its space in the broadcast universe, we cannot undermine the power of the new era platforms. With over the top (OTT) offerings from leading broadcasters meeting with stupendous success in the year gone by. Content is now available to the Indian viewer at home or on the go, on any device and at the time of their choosing. Some in the industry have already understood the importance of offering content on multiple platforms, while others are busy with firming up their launch plans for a wide variety of OTT services. The reality is that our audience is always on the move and they want their entertainment and information as per their convenience on a platform that they are comfortable with and location is no an impediment anymore. Broadcasters and content providers will have to cater to this fast burgeoning consumer set. With services like Hotstar, Ditto TV, live TV et al., television on the move has also been a significant game-changer for the industry.
In essence, 2015 has laid the premise for the next generation of television broadcasting. Engaging with our audiences beyond the traditional TV set is the order of the day. Broadcasters will have to offer high quality content that the audience can view on smartphones, tablets and a hue of other such devices that allow the viewer to consume content at home or on the go, on any device at any time and at any place.
As per a recent Deloitte survey, Millennials, have grown up less dependent on paid television and are less likely than other demographic groups to subscribe to TV when they move out and establish their own households. Also, to have top-of-mind recall, we cannot ignore the profound impact of social media. An effective strategy across key social media platforms can drive unprecedented engagement and interactivity that drives audience interest towards specific content and spreads the word.
To sum it up, I think, it is time for all of us to engage more with our audiences and ensure that we tap the younger audiences and youth of our country. They will help us change the way we look at content and our treatment of it. The industry is poised to change and we have to brace for these changes and think beyond the ordinary as only the fittest and the most innovative content will survive.
I sign off with a quote by Ana White, “The Internet has made the world a small town again”.
Mohit Anand, managing director, Da Vinci Media India Pvt ltd