Will traditional TV overtake OTT when people are confined to their couches, flipping channels for some entertainment amid the Coronavirus pandemic, asks Chahak Mittal
Can traditional TV keep up in times of digital world? This debate has been raging ever since OTT channels cast the first stone and created waves in the entertainment space. It not only catered to the millennials but also made the adults in the house switch from typical saas bahu dramas to some good content with its taut storytelling and snazzy production. However, with most citizens confined to their couches this April due to the nationwide lockdown amid Coronavirus pandemic, there’s a lot more time for the audience to watch television, binge on some new series or engage in movie marathons everyday. Moreover, without live sports, viewers are looking for other engaging content to pass the time. And hence, the never-ending debate has just taken a U-turn.
Well, to match it up to the level of OTT and give the viewers something to hold on to during their time at home, the Information and Broadcast Ministry emerged with an advisory to the DTH (direct-to-home) and cable operators to broadcast the most-liked shows of the 1990s. Some biggest examples being the re-run of Ramayana, Circus, Mahabharata, Khichdi and Dekh Bhai Dekh on Doordarshan and Sarabhai vs Sarabhai on Star Plus. So who will win the war of screens this quarantine — TV or OTT? Here’s a look at the many factors that have ensured a stalemate — as of now.
How fierce is the competition?
A recent Nielson report indicated that the overall TV consumption has risen up to eight per cent over the past few weeks. However, OTT platforms still have an upper hand because if the TV viewership has gone up, the hours spent scrolling through smartphones have also seen a sharp rise during the lockdown. According to an industry survey, users are spending 12 per cent more time on online streaming platforms during the lockdown (between March 20 to April 3) than they did before.
Anirban Chaudhuri, associate professor, Marketing, Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurugram, says, “Globally, TV viewing has gone up and the genre that has gained the most is TV news as people have been scouting for credible information and announcements in these turbulent times. In India, the overall TV viewership in the second week of lockdown grew up to 37 per cent compared to pre-lockdown period as reported by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC).”
However, it is not just news but other forms of entertainment too that have seen a spike in viewership. Ferzad Palia, Head, Voot Select, Youth, Music and English Entertainment, Viacom18, says, “India is a hybrid market with consumers for both TV and OTT. During the lockdown, the trend that we have observed is an increased family viewership of both TV and OTT content for selective viewing and binge-watching though the latter certainly gives a more personalised experience. When it comes to youth, time spent on both TV and OTT platforms has gone up, too. Looking at the trend, content from different channels must be platform-agnostic, should speak their language and be available to them at any time. And while linear TV serves as a traditional medium for content consumption, many are now subscribing to OTT platforms due to its flexibility across devices and a bigger library to choose from. Well, content is king.”
This can be seen in the increase in the number of subscriptions of OTT platforms, which have seen a steady rise. Ali Hussein, CEO, Eros Now, says, “We have also seen an increase in paid subscribers daily over the past few weeks. We have observed a 78 per cent increase in daily traffic on the platform. We recently launched a global campaign, Eros Now #StaySafe, wherein consumers can access two months free subscription of the channel.”
Tarun Katial, CEO, ZEE5, recently said that the channel’s premium subscribers have gone up by 100 per cent — one of the reasons why it has also made a lot of its premium content free so that customers can stay calm and be entertained. He told a national daily that just like demonetisation made digital payments a hit, COVID-19 will be the turning point for digital video consumption.
As per an industry report, viewers are spending 32 per cent more time watching original series on online platforms. Examples of some popular Indian originals indicated Sacred Games and SHE on Netflix, and Special Ops on Hotstar as the most-watched shows during the lockdown. Anirban argues that even though originals on OTT are highly preferred, the “size of the library still remains a challenge.”
The report also indicated how Disney+Hotstar garnered approximately 80 lakh paid subscribers in India within days of its launch. The number of users watching movies on platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and VOOT has gone up by 56 per cent. For sports series, the number has declined by 98 per cent.
How much are the 90s shows gaining?
As per the data, the re-runs of Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayana (1980s) have garnered Doordarshan record-breaking TRPs for the first time in three decades. On an average, each of its episode has seen 42.6 million tune-ins. Anirban says, “As BARC reports, it garnered 51 million viewers on the Sunday evening of its first week of comeback. Certainly, some nostalgia but it was the Navratri week in India. However, yes, for TV, re-run of old content is the only way to keep connected to its audience. But the chances of them garnering viewership is based on the past equity of these shows.”
Riding on the nostalgia bandwagon, DD became the most watched channel in India for week ended April 3, BARC said. The national broadcaster could achieve the feat, which involved a nearly 40,000 per cent jump in viewership in the evening and morning bands.
Hussein points out that there are pre-defined audiences for different platforms be it TV or OTT. He says, “Re-running of some old TV classics is certainly a good way but we believe that there are different audience sets that consume TV programming and other fence sitters who watch the OTT content.” Not observing any particular bias, he adds that both platforms have seen a significant growth in both viewership and time spent in the last couple of weeks.
Ferzad says, “The lockdown has resulted in the emergence of many unfettered trends with nostalgia seeming to appeal more in television-viewing. Despite there being nearly limitless options across OTT platforms, viewers are often drawn back to TV viewing with family. Some shows are perennial and have a universal appeal across age groups and genres. For instance, the 1990s’ sitcom Friends continues to be one of the best performing and highest-rated shows on Comedy Central, airing on the channel even before the quarantine.”
What about their appeal among the millennials?
Despite favouring OTT platforms for their seamless and mobile-friendly access, millennials are also the most demanding when it comes to the content they consume, believes Ferzad. He adds, “Committing to a new show for them often depends on various factors like ensemble cast, reviews, concept, genre and more. But due to lockdown, they’re becoming more open to experimenting with shows, including re-runs. These shows trigger a nostalgia that gives emotional comfort and also finds room for conversation among family members and on social media. Re-runs reignite many memories associated with those shows among people who had seen them as adolescents. The lockdown has increased the viewership of such shows and it is imperative to maintain a balance between not only content offerings but also platforms as one of the key drivers to sustain. We have brought back our popular episodes of some marquee properties like Roadies, Splitsvilla X, Love School S3 and MTV Ace of Space S1 — some youth-centric shows.”
Shashi Shekhar Vempati, chief executive, Prasar Bharti, earlier pointed out that today’s internet generation has no memory of Doordarshan. Since even younger generations have been watching the re-runs of Ramayana religiously during the lockdown, Vempati said, “This, in a way, is the proverbial first moment of truth for them to experience what DD used to be.”
Interruption of ads on TV a barrier?
In this digital age, a viral video on social media could do more rounds than an advertisement on TV. So what about ads which interrupt TV shows every now and then? Will they still be a barrier amid lockdown?
Ferzad says, “Only subscription-based OTT services are ad-free, which is why it’s a growing market. Hence, consumers of AVoD services are still served ads, making the experience similar to TV viewing. That being said, TV channels are airing ad-free marathons of relevant and top-rated shows and movies on special days. Comedy Central and Colors Infinity often air marathons for some of the most enjoyed and fan favourite series guaranteeing non-stop entertainment to the audience. Currently, we are airing back-to-back episodes of The Big Bang Theory, Mom, Superstore, Mike & Molly in the form of our ‘Quaran-Binge’ bloc to entertain viewers.”
For Anirban, “General Entertainment Channel (GEC) on TV and OTT is not an ‘either’ or ‘or’ concept but clearly a case of flirting with both during this time of social distancing. And they do not mind intermittent ads running at a time where the information from any credible source is welcome. ‘Brand speaks’ have become more powerful to nudge change in behaviour now than ever before.”
Well, while OTT does rule in terms of providing new content to the viewers, TV paves a way for them to revisit memories and have some conversations about the old classics at home.