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hoichoi adds 13 million cumulative subscribers in 3 years with 40% of its direct revenue coming from International users

<ul><li>It has chosen to remain a premium player that provides original content.</li><li>Almost 40% of <keyword id="1723835" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hoichoi" source="Orion">hoichoi</keyword>’s revenues come from international subscriptions – US, UK, Australia, Canada, Middle East and Bangladesh are its key overseas markets.</li><li>It’s expanding its distribution globally with tie-ups with telecom players in Bahrain, Bangladesh and more.</li><li>The group’s television background helped them maintain the timelines and stick to budgets, which helped contain creative costs.</li></ul>When Shree Venkatesh Films (SVF), a West Bengal-based film and TV production company, wanted to get into OTT in 2017 – they wanted to start small – launching five original shows across three genres under the brand name hoichoi, which means excitement. Those were early days for vernacular shows – until then Indian original series across languages mostly premiered on YouTube and were short-form content. This was just before the launch of Netflix’s Sacred Games and Amazon Prime’s Inside Edge. Much like these shows, hoichoi’s bets took off too. <div type="image" title="WhatsApp Image 2022-10-03 at 6.08.30 PM." height="900" width="1200" msid="94629590" hostid="261" sizebytes="34982" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Soumya Mukherjee, chief operating officer of Hoichoi&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> “We saw an initial uptick for our originals. Four out of the five shows we launched created a lot of buzz,” Soumya Mukherjee, chief operating officer of hoichoi told Business Insider India. Ever since, there has been no stopping this regional OTT platform, which now caters to over 250 million Bengalis worldwide. The platform claims to be one of its kind with over 100 originals in a single language and more than 2,000 hours of content across web series, movies, shorts, docu-series and more. Moreover, it claims to have turned profitable within five years of its launch in spite of a large number of in-house productions of original films and shows. The OTT player claims that its direct subscriptions grew 50%, with a 20% month-on-month increase in watch time, in the post-lockdown period. “Along with this, hoichoi continues to have one of the highest refresh rates in India for a single language, with close to 5-7 titles, which includes original shows, world premiere movies and Hindi-dubbed originals releasing every month,” the company said. Turu love, Tansener Tanpura, Karagar and Kaiser are some of its top-rated shows on IMDB. Premium-only The secret, Mukherjee says, lies in its pricing strategy. “From the start, we positioned ourselves as a premium product with around ₹1,000 per annum. From day 1, we knew that content had to be protected and had never looked to diversify. We want to tell great stories with a good mix of movies and shows,” he said. In the US, it charges around $10 per month - on par with what OTT giant Netflix charges in the market. The reason is the love for content in the mother tongue, Bengali, which is the second most-spoken Indian language, as per Mukherjee. “Bengalis are deeply rooted to their culture wherever they are,” he said. In fact, almost 40% of hoichoi’s revenues come from international subscriptions, including the US, UK, Australia, Canada, Middle East and Bangladesh. The OTT claims that customer stickiness is high and almost 70-75% of their subscribers renew subscriptions annually. It premiers a new movie every month and that aids its renewals, it claims. “While our monthly active users have increased by 40%, our international user base has also risen by 30%. Not only do these numbers make us ecstatic, but also motivate us to do even better, as we step into our sixth year,” said Vishnu Mohta, co-founder of hoichoi. Content Refresh: 25 new shows announced Hoichoi also claims to go the extra mile with its user experience. “To help some of our elderly subscribers, we send our people to visit personally and demonstrate as and when needed,” says Mukherjee. As India’s first vernacular OTT enters its sixth year, it announced 25 new shows – four from Bangladesh and 21 from India – with top creators and across genres. For its latest series, it also roped in national award-winning creator Srijit Mukherji, who is creating a crime detective show Feluda. Mukherjee attributes hoichoi’s success to Bengal’s wide talent pool of writers, producers, actors, technicians and directors, in addition to its legacy. “We imbibed the discipline of TV and the quality of films into the OTT venture,” he explains. The group’s presence in television helped them maintain the timelines and stick to budgets, which helped contain creative costs. Their targeted marketing also helped contain marketing costs to 20% of the overall revenue — which Mukherjee claims is one of the lowest in the industry. Over the years, hoichoi launched a lot of new faces, but is also now focusing on bringing in bigger actors into its fold. “Naturally production costs will increase but in terms of revenue growth we are doing ok,” he says. Distribution strategy Last year, the platform became a part of Prime Channels – where multiple OTTs can be subscribed to. While it is seeing traction for its Hindi-dubbed library on Prime Channels as well as on MX Player, it wants to remain rooted in Bengali. Its best-performing show on both these platforms was Charitraheen. It has also partnered with Jio, Airtel XStream, Tata Play and Dish TV and is looking at deep integration within and outside India as well. It has tied up with Bangladeshi telecom players Grameenphone, Robi and Banglalink and also Bahrain-based telco Batelco. Also, the player is not too worried about password sharing, which is the blight of its business. “We do not see too many cases of password sharing. We only offer two simultaneous streaming across five devices,” Mukherjee says. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/auto-sales-remain-buoyant-in-september-with-reports-of-a-good-festive-season-ahead/articleshow/94622721.cms">Auto sales remain buoyant in September with reports of a good festive season ahead</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/electronics-mart-india-ipo-set-to-open-on-oct-4-commands-grey-market-premium-of-30/share/articleshow/94620046.cms">Electronics Mart India IPO set to open on Oct 4; commands grey market premium of ₹30/share</a>

This pioneering regional OTT has turned profitable in 5 years – here’s how

<ul><li>After the pandemic, many of us were stuck within the four walls of our houses and OTT platforms like <keyword id="128682" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="netflix" source="Orion">Netflix</keyword>, Amazon Prime and <keyword id="2739840" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hotstar" source="Orion">Hotstar</keyword> sometimes became the only source of entertainment in our lives.</li><li>The pandemic also gave a push to the regional <keyword id="9056838" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ott-industry" source="Orion">OTT industry</keyword> and saw the birth of native language streaming players like Hoichoi, aha, Sun NXT, Planet Marathi, Koode, and City Short TV.</li><li>As per experts, the regional OTT players have already captured 50% of the OTT market in less than 3-4 years.</li></ul>Kaiser, the homicide detective who tries to deal with double murders and his own demons side by side; then there is Three Roses – with young girls who are in the middle of to-be-married mess in the complex Indian juxtaposition of tradition and independence. Yes, you have guessed it right. They are all topics of superhit web series but you can’t find them on Netflix, Prime or even Disney Hotstar – they are from Hoichoi, Bengali OTT and aha, a Telugu and Tamil OTT, respectively. Apart from regional cinema taking over <keyword id="143" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bollywood" source="Orion">Bollywood</keyword>, a silent revolution is underway where regional OTTs are taking away the eyeballs of Indians – by offering them quality content in their mother tongue. And, there are a lot of these. Of the total <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/a-cred-like-platform-is-what-indian-ott-users-want-to-juggle-multiple-subscriptions/articleshow/92570894.cms">60 OTT </a>platforms in India, around 12 of them are exclusively regional across languages like — Sun NXT, Planet Marathi, Koode, and City Short TV, which is a hyperlocal content OTT. One movie, every week According to a FICCI-EY <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/brandwagon/regional-ott-on-the-rise-as-subscribers-choose-native-language-over-hindi/2272860/">report</a>, the share of regional language consumption on OTT platforms will cross 50% by 2025 from the 30% share it held in 2019. As per FICCI-EY though, regional consumption is expected to surpass Hindi, which is predicted to touch a 45% consumption rate. But a few players are confident that it has already hit this number. “The regional OTT market today probably is 50% already of the total OTT market size in India, including all regional languages. It is set to grow faster than Hindi for sure,” Ajit Thakur, CEO of Telugu and Tamil OTT platform aha told Business Insider India. The OTT, which is adding one movie every week, has touched 10 million monthly active users (Maus) in two years. Its app saw 30 million downloads. It has also generated $2 million in non-subscription <a href="https://www.afaqs.com/news/media/telugu-ott-platform-aha-to-rely-on-avod-to-break-even">revenue </a>in the last six months and is considering adding gaming onto its platform and becoming a super app. Aha also intends to target Tamil-speaking viewers as well after winning the hearts of the people who speak the fourth most spoken <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-45902204">language </a>in India and also one of the top 10 fastest-growing <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-45902204">languages </a>in America. The magic price point Apart from the content, the price points of these OTTs are attractive too — as it’s akin to subscribing for a regional TV channel pack as opposed to the full range with all genres and offerings across languages – like Netflix, Prime, Disney Hotstar or even Zee. Hoichoi however has ‘eased’ its subscription with a syndication deal with mainstream OTT players such as MX Player and Amazon Prime. Hoichoi, one of the earliest regional OTT platforms to launch in India, is trying to capture the 250 million Bengali speakers across the world. “The generic OTT market has grown at least 30-50% over the year and we've all outpaced that industry by a fair margin. We've got about 120 odd shows, in addition to about 600-700 movies. In fact, April, May and June were bigger than COVID months for us,” Vishnu Mohta, co-founder of the Bengali streaming platform told Business Insider India. Its extensive content library remains unmatched in the OTT universe. But Mohta says that it’s just ‘getting started’. “I see a stable growth trajectory for the next five years,” he said – which is much higher than the growth in ‘national’ OTTs. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 468pt;" class="redcator-table-advance"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">OTT platform </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Plan </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Price </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Netflix </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Annual mobile </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹1788 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Amazon Prime Video </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Annual </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹1499 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">aha </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Annual </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹299 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Hoichoi </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Annual </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹999 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Planet Marathi </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Annual </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹365 </td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table> Trending across 7 countries Planet Marathi was a pandemic baby as it was launched during the lockdown. As the name suggests it caters to Marathi-speaking audiences India and abroad. <div type="image" title="Planet marathi" msid="92795598" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Planet Marathi&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> It already has a superhit web show to its name – Raanbaazaar, which delves into the murky world of politics and two escorts and the mindgame involved. The show became the most-watched Marathi series on OTT and trended across seven countries – thanks to the state’s extensive expat population. “We launched 13 Planet Marathi originals and have another 24 planned out over the next year. Our viewership comes from India and across the world. There has been an increase in the stickiness of the content, with time spent by users increasing almost 350% after Raanbaazaar’s release,” said Akshay Bardapurkar, founder of Planet Marathi. In the meanwhile, top OTTs haven’t been ignoring these viewers either. In fact most of them release regional movies and shows with audio and subtitle options – thereby ‘extending’ the reach of regional content to non-regional players as well. The best example in this list is the recently launched Modern Love Hyderabad which has an original Telugu show dubbed across five languages including Hindi and English, for those who want to catch the flavour of the show in their own language. ZEE5 too has <a href="https://www.businesstoday.in/latest/corporate/story/zee5-plans-to-triple-investment-in-tamil-telugu-content-in-2022-328762-2022-04-05">tripled </a>its investment into regional content this year and international player <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/netflix-on-the-lookout-for-regional-language-content-in-2022/article37835172.ece">Netflix </a>is also looking to deeper inroads in India by zooming in on regional market — but whether they would be able to win the war in every regional turf across India is left to be seen – as India has 121 official <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/more-than-19500-mother-tongues-spoken-in-india-census-5241056/">languages </a>and 19,500 mother tongues.

Hoichoi, aha and Planet Marathi - regional OTTs challenging Netflix, Prime and Hotstar

<ul><li>The pandemic gave a huge boost to the streaming industry. The <keyword id="1245953" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="ott" source="Orion">OTT</keyword> sector in India witnessed a 30% rise in the number of paid subscribers, from 22.2 million to 29.0 million between March and July 2020.</li><li>According to <keyword id="215381" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="amdocs" source="Orion">Amdocs</keyword>’ India Streamer 2021 report, 76% of surveyed consumers are expected to add to their current number of subscriptions – the most likely being video streaming services, wellness and e-health, and eLearning services.</li><li>Here are a few changes we can expect from the industry in the near future, writes <keyword id="5626068" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="raman-abrol" source="Orion">Raman Abrol</keyword>, GM &amp; Chief Commercial Officer, <keyword id="12413885" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="amdocs-media" source="Orion">Amdocs Media</keyword>.</li></ul>The Covid-19 pandemic and resulting lockdowns saw public entertainment across India grind to a standstill. With theatres, cinemas, music concerts, shows and other events closed – and new releases and productions put on hold – consumers flocked to streaming services. 2020 redefined screen-watching for consumers and enabled them to watch their preferred content at their preferred time. A young, growing population with increasing digital skills and more affordable smartphones, growth in mobile and broadband subscriptions and increased time spent at home are among key drivers that have made Over-the-Top (OTT) services a go-to choice for many. As a result, the OTT sector in India witnessed a 30% rise in the number of paid subscribers, from 22.2 million to 29.0 million between March and July 2020. According to Amdocs’ India Streamer 2021 report, 76% of surveyed consumers are expected to add to their current number of subscriptions – the most likely being video streaming services, wellness and e-health, and eLearning services. What changes can we expect on the horizon? This data shows some major emerging trends in the OTT space, which will further transform the way content would be created in the years to come. Here are four areas where we might see traction. 1. Continued demand for personalized, mega-content bundles: Consumers are increasingly looking at options to create and pay for content packages limited to only the content they want to watch. They do not want to pay for the service provider’s entire content library. With schools, offices, and entertainment all coming together under one roof, entertainment services such as wellness, telehealth, e-learning are also becoming popular. However, managing multiple subscriptions across multiple providers is a major challenge that consumers are facing today. To deal with this, communications service providers (CSPs) are looking at offering consumers the ‘perfect bundle’. This would serve as a centralized space where they will be able to access their preferred media and entertainment subscriptions. The Amdocs survey shares that about 56% of the consumers would pay more to include on-demand binge-worthy TV series, 49% would prefer all games for one specific sporting team, 46% of the consumers would bundle up virtual classes/training, while 45% would prefer fitness classes with a “celebrity” trainer. 2. Growing popularity of localized content: The past year has seen a surge in demand for regional content. To cater to this rising demand by viewers for local language content, several regional OTT platforms have emerged in markets like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. <keyword id="12413884" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="oho-gujarati" source="Orion">OHO Gujarati</keyword> (Gujarati), <keyword id="1723835" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hoichoi" source="Orion">Hoichoi</keyword> (Bengali), and <keyword id="4660234" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sun-nxt" source="Orion">Sun NXT</keyword> (Malayalam) are some examples of popular regional OTT platforms. They have carved a niche space for themselves among the existing big players such as <keyword id="128682" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="netflix" source="Orion">Netflix</keyword> and <keyword id="2976376" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="amazon-prime-video" source="Orion">Amazon Prime Video</keyword>, among others. These OTT platforms are catering to local tastes and preferences, offering content in regional and local languages, showcasing local cultures, traditions and lifestyles. An increasing number of viewers from tier-2 and tier-3 cities and towns are also driving this growth. For example, since its launch in February 2020, Telugu service Aha Video has reached 1 million paid subscribers. With consumers looking for quality content, irrespective of the language, this trend is only expected to grow in the coming years. Regional language consumption on OTT platforms is expected to cross 50% of the total time spent by 2025, moving past Hindi at 45%, according to a FICCI-PwC report. 3. Rise in low-budget short-films production: Continued uncertainty around the pandemic has made the entertainment industry cautious about spending on big-budget productions. The growing demand by OTT subscribers for new, enthralling and diverse content is leading to an interesting trend gaining momentum – short stories and web series. These realistic, powerful, thought-provoking short films are sitting well with modern viewers. With consumers hungry for authentic, out-of-the box, realistic content, this trend for short, anthology-style films is expected to continue growing. 4. Immersive technology and 5G network will be game changers for Indian OTT players: The growing trend of streaming 4K videos requires enhanced internet bandwidth. With the accelerated pace of 5G technology adoption in the country, OTT providers are planning on providing their customers with seamless 4K video quality streaming solutions. 5G connectivity is expected to drive the growth of immersive entertainment experiences for users. Advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are increasingly proving to be transformative across different areas of the home entertainment industry. With the help of 5G 5 , consumers will be able to watch content using AR/VR gadgets, taking the entertainment experience to the next level. Way forward The OTT industry was experiencing slow and steady growth when Covid-19 acted as a catalyst for rapid transformation of this medium. From being on the curb to jumping onto the main street of entertainment, OTT has captured consumer eyeballs and hearts. Adoption of digital technologies, personalized bundling options, investments in original and locally relevant content, among others, will aid in furthering growth in the Indian OTT space.

How the pandemic has changed the streaming landscape for good

<ul><li>The DPCGC will have an OCCP Council composed of publishers of OCC as members and an independent Grievance Redressal Board [GRB] -- consisting of a chairperson and six members.</li><li>The GRB will oversee and ensure the alignment and adherence to the <keyword id="184398" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="code-of-ethics">Code of Ethics</keyword>.</li></ul>The <keyword id="128625" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Internet-and-Mobile-Association-of-India">Internet and Mobile Association of India</keyword> (<keyword id="149966" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="IAMAI">IAMAI</keyword>) today announced the formation of the Digital Publishers Content Grievances Council (DPCGC). Over the past two years, IAMAI has worked collectively with its members towards establishing a self-regulatory and grievance redressal framework for Online Curated Content [OCC] Publishers. In light of the <keyword id="6363148" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="information-technology">Information Technology</keyword> (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, IAMAI is establishing the DPCGC as the Level-II Self-Regulatory Body for publishers of OCC as required under Rule 12, with the intent to empower consumers to make informed viewing choices. The DPCGC will have an OCCP Council composed of publishers of OCC as members and an independent Grievance Redressal Board [GRB] -- consisting of a chairperson and six members. The GRB will be chaired by a retired Supreme Court/High Court judge and the members would comprise eminent persons from the media and entertainment industry, experts from various fields including child rights, minority rights, and media law. The GRB will oversee and ensure the alignment and adherence to the Code of Ethics by the OCCP Council members, provide guidance to entities on Code of Ethics, address grievances that have not been resolved by the publisher within 15 days and hear grievances/appeals filed by the complainant(s). Subho Ray, President, Internet and <keyword id="592650" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mobile-Association-of-India">Mobile Association of India</keyword>, said, “IAMAI and members of the DPCGC are deeply committed to protecting consumer rights and empowering consumers with the right tools to make informed decisions, as well as have their grievances addressed. The formation of this body is an important step towards consumer choice, as more and more people are viewing content online.” IAMAI has notified the <keyword id="82970" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ministry-of-Information-and-Broadcasting">Ministry of Information and Broadcasting</keyword> that they are in the process of forming the DPCGC and has also shared a list of publishers who have confirmed to be members of the Council. So far, IAMAI has received confirmation from 10 publishers, including 1.) Alt Balaji 2.) Amazon Prime Video 3.) Arha Media 4.) Firework 5.) Hoichoi 6.) Hungama 7.) Lionsgate Play 8.) MX Player 9.) Netflix and 10) Shemaroo. IAMAI is also awaiting confirmation from several other such digital publishers. The creation of Digital Publishers Content Grievances Council (DPCGC) is a significant step in ensuring that publishers of OCC are compliant with IT rules 2021. The Digital Publishers Content Grievances Council will serve as a transparent and open channel to effectively address consumer grievances. As part of the process to be compliant, this newly formed body is an important step towards consumer empowerment and choice.

IAMAI announces formation of Digital Publisher Content Grievances Council

<ul><li>India is the 12th country where <keyword id="18635" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="amazon" source="Orion">Amazon</keyword> has launched its Prime Video Channels.</li><li>The platform allows customers to add on more subscriptions to their existing picks.</li><li>It has partnered with 8 platforms for India, which will add 10,000 screens on <keyword id="758541" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="amazon-prime" source="Orion">Amazon Prime</keyword> videos.</li></ul>Global tech giant Amazon has announced its entry into the content distribution space in India with the launch of its Prime Video Channels. Prime Video Channels enables Prime members to subscribe to over-the-top (OTT) services as an add on to their existing subscription and stream the content on the Amazon Prime Video app/website in India. Prime members are people who subscribe to Amazon Prime services. The platform was launched for the first time about five years ago and India is the twelfth country where this service has been launched, Chaitanya Divan, Business Head at <keyword id="12163185" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="amazon-prime-video-channels-india" source="Orion">Amazon Prime Video Channels India</keyword>, told Business Insider. It has over 350 platforms globally, he added. The company has partnered with eight OTT platforms — discovery+, Lionsgate Play, Docubay, Eros Now, MUBI, hoichoi, Manorama Max, and Shorts TV — for the Indian launch and more platforms will be added along the way. These eight partners will add over 10,000 videos/screens to Amazon’s platform. Prime customers can buy an annual subscription to the channels of their choice. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 468pt;" class="redcator-table-advance"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Channel </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Annual subscription pack on Amazon </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Discovery+ </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹299 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Docubay </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹499 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Eros Now: </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹299 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">hoichoi </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹599 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Lionsgate Play </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹699 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Manorama Max </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹699 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">MUBI </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹1999 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Shorts TV </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹299 </td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table> These add on subscriptions will provide more options for their customers to choose from, Divan added. The company aims to make this into a one-stop-shop for all content related subscriptions, so the customers don’t have to juggle between multiple username, passwords and billing due dates. “We are launching with annual packs and a lot of our partners are offering special launch offers as well. So that, at launch customers can subscribe at slightly lower prices. And that's essentially the key benefit for customers here — the ability to choose which services they want to watch and not be forced to pay for an entire group of services, some of which they may not want,” Divan added. Prime members will be able to watch subscribed Prime Video Channels on the Prime Video app for smart TVs, mobile devices, Fire TV, Fire TV stick, Fire tablets, Apple TV, etc. Notably, <keyword id="5301446" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="amazon-prime-subscription" source="Orion">Amazon Prime subscription</keyword> costs ₹123 per month or ₹999 for a year. It offers an array of services including faster and free of charge delivery on Amazon ecommerce platform, access to audio streaming platform Amazon Music and more. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/tcs-infosys-wipro-and-hcl-tech-share-price-can-jump-after-accentures-blockbuster-earnings/articleshow/86471274.cms" style="">TCS, Infosys and Wipro take a lot of heart from Accenture's blockbuster earnings</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/meet-girish-mathrubootham-founder-and-ceo-of-freshworks/articleshow/86453777.cms" style="">Girish Mathrubootham, the son of a retired bank officer who built a $13 billion company in just 10 years</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/airtel-rights-issue-details-record-date-issue-price-and-more/articleshow/86446419.cms">Airtel rights issue worth ₹21,000 crore opens next month – record date, price, ratio and everything else you need to know</a>

Amazon enters the content distribution space in India, will allow customers to subscribe to more video streaming platforms

<ul><li>Streaming services grew at 50-60% during the pandemic, now it’s fallen to around 13%.</li><li>Ad supported models and new regional players are disrupting the market.</li><li>Higher acquisition and production costs and churn are troubling players who are seeing effects of slowdown.</li><li>The original content that’s streaming on OTTs is also falling into a rote, say consumers and film-makers. </li></ul>The year 2020 was a watershed year for many industries, as lockdowns put enormous restrictions on people. Ramesh Bharadwaj was stuck at home waiting for the pandemic to end. To pass time and keep his mind off crazy thoughts, the 27-year-old script writer started watching web series. And he subscribed to more and more OTT platforms to keep himself occupied. “Last year (2022), I realized that I had the big three — Prime, <keyword id="128682" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="netflix" source="Orion">Netflix</keyword> and <keyword id="2739840" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hotstar" source="Orion">Hotstar</keyword>, and one more Telugu OTT. I was spending over ₹5,000 a year on these services. When I came to senses, I retained two and cancelled the rest,” he told Business Insider India. Bharadwaj joins the list of many people who are cutting down on the number of OTT subscriptions. Apart from costs, the screen-time has drastically reduced after they started stepping out after the pandemic. Binge watching is no more in vogue — which is taking the shine off the growth rates of OTT players compared to the pandemic. The ‘cool factor’ goes poof The dullness that’s seeped into the OTTs is not just because of screen fatigue and too many options. The ‘alternate’ content that’s made streaming cooler than TV, is also fast waning. Akshay Bardapurkar, CEO and Founder, Planet Marathi too says that people are moving away because there is nothing exciting to watch. “People want to devote their free time to watching OTTs but the quality of content post-Covid is not up to its mark. You don’t subscribe to OTTs for one series or a movie, you need continuity and that’s seen a downfall post-Covid,” he adds. Bharadwaj too tells that he is watching a lot less of streaming services because there’s nothing exciting to watch. “The last time I enjoyed a series was Khakee and Panchayat Season 2,” he sighs. Experts also say that all the web series are sounding and looking the same too. “The thriller genre is overdone on OTT and they’re falling into a rote. In order to make people watch the next episode, they’re having to invent ‘kicks’ in each episode and extend a story that can be told in 1.5 hours to 4-4.5 hours across eight episodes,” Indrani, a documentary filmmaker tells Business Insider India. “They’re nothing more than sophisticated soaps,” she opines. The growth curve has flattened In 2023, the number of people using OTT platforms increased by 13.5%. While it’s still double-digit growth, it’s nowhere close to the 50-60% seen during the pandemic. OTT players call these reduced growth numbers as signs of stabilization and maturity. “The curve has flattened over time. This had to happen. But we at Hoichoi are seeing some pockets of high growth,” Soumya Mukherjee, COO of regional language OTT player Hoichoi tells Business Insider India. The business is moving but at a much slower pace. “Now, the (OTT) growth is more organic, influenced by factors like cheaper data, content variety and the widespread availability of digital platforms. The fervour witnessed during the pandemic-induced surge has mellowed down to a more gradual pace,” said Sameer Jain, managing director of Primus Partners. Bharat binges but on AVOD model All in all, 423.8 million Indians watch content on an OTT platform. An average user holds 2.8 subscriptions each. And India has over 100 million paid subscriptions in India. Most of the new subscribers are coming from non-metroes. “Metropolitan areas and some smaller urban centers are showing signs of saturation, experiencing minimal growth. Notably, smaller towns and rural areas, where only 23% of the population is engaged compared to the national average of 34%, are driving this growth,” Jain tells Business Insider India. This new-growth patch for OTT is coming at a new business model – AVOD or advertising-based Video on Demand. Popularized by Jio Cinema which offered Indian Cricket World Cup for free with ads, the model involves some ‘free content’ and some ‘premium’ offerings behind a paywall. The large OTTs, which disrupted linear TV, are now being disrupted. “A clear structural disruption for the India content/telecom ecosystem may lead to early consolidation signs for India OTT, strain on global OTT giants (behind the paywall), and India OTT shifting to free offerings,” says Karan Taurani, media sector analyst at Elara Capital, says in a note. Mushrooming and churn During its high-growth phase, many new and regional players have mushroomed thanks to low-entry barriers. India now has over 47 OTT platforms across languages like Haryanvi etc in addition to multiple options in South languages. “The acquisition cost of new customers is very high, and their churn is also very high,” Archana Anand, chief business officer of ZEE5 Global said at an event in November. The average cost of customer acquisition for an OTT platform currently ranges from ₹250 to ₹650, as per Jain. “The growth rate of paid subscriptions decreased by about 20% in 2022 from its peak during the pandemic. Moreover, users are now frequently activating and deactivating subscriptions,” he sums up. Mukherjee too says that there would be consolidation in the sector. “A lot of newer and smaller players will survive only on the aggregator model. And large players and established language players will be able to go on independently,” he believes. Even when it’s becoming difficult to acquire customers, OTT players are having to spend heavily on new shows. In 2022, where spending on original shows alone ranged from $600-700 million, which does include the cost of acquiring movies etc. Most OTT players are now stuck between a rock and a hard place — having to keep churning out new and interesting content for viewers who are not swelling as fast. (This is an article in the ‘Boom to Bust’ series which will discuss post-pandemic trends.)

Boom2Bust: Streaming services slip after their pandemic-highs

<ul><li><keyword id="18076926" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bbc-player" source="Orion">BBC Player</keyword> and <keyword id="18076927" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bbc-kids" source="Orion">BBC Kids</keyword> will be available for Prime Video subscribers, as an add-on.</li><li>Benedict Cumberbatch-starring Sherlock, BAFTA -winning Happy Valley and crime thriller Six Four are some of the shows that will be available on the streaming platform.</li><li>BBC Kids will offer shows like Hey Duggee, Go Jetters, JoJo &amp; Gran Gran, Sarah &amp; Duck, Junior Bake Off and others. </li></ul>The bustling Indian OTT video market has a new entrant — the legendary BBC, which launched its services on <keyword id="12162669" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="prime-video-channels" source="Orion">Prime Video Channels</keyword> on Thursday. Both its OTT offerings – BBC Player and BBC Kids will bring a curated line-up of old and new content across dramas, documentaries, comedies and more. Prime members will be able to purchase an annual add-on subscription of BBC Player for ₹599 – which will also provide full access to BBC Kids. Alternatively, members can subscribe to BBC Kids only for ₹199 annually. BBC’s popular show Sherlock starring Benedict Cumberbatch, BAFTA award-winning Happy Valley, crime thriller Six Four, British political thriller The Diplomat and sitcom Citizen Khan – are some of the shows that will be available on the new OTT offering that’s entering India. BBC Kids will offer BBC Studios’ kids shows like Hey Duggee, Go Jetters, JoJo &amp; Gran Gran, Sarah &amp; Duck, Junior Bake Off and others. “These brands will offer a curated, multi-genre content line-up, offering the best of British entertainment to the discerning Indian audience. Subscribed members will gain access to some of BBC Studios’ latest hits as well as our classics shows, including our well-acclaimed wealth of kids’ entertainment, all under one roof,” said Stanley Fernandes, vice president-distribution, BBC Studios, South Asia. Prime Video Channels bring 20 international and regional OTTs under its umbrella including – Lionsgate Play, discovery+, Eros Now, ManoramaMAX, hoichoi, NammaFlix and many more. Subscribers of Prime Video can add on to their subscription by choosing these OTTs. “Since its launch in India, Prime Video Channels has seen exponential growth in India with people subscribing to Channels of their choice from the length and breadth of the country,” said Vivek Srivastava, head – Prime Video Channels, Prime Video. The Indian OTT market is expected to see a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.3% to produce revenue of $3.5 billion by 2027, says a recent report by PricewaterhouseCoopers. “With new launches from international players and increasing pay-lite options, OTT revenue has surged in recent years, expanding a further 25.1% in 2022 to reach $1.8 billion This is over six times the revenue of 2018,” said PwC. The report also estimates that subscription service revenue will expand at 13% CAGR, while advertising-supported services (AVOD) will grow at a higher rate, albeit from a lower base.

BBC takes the India OTT market plunge – Sherlock, Happy Valley & more on offer

<ul><li><keyword id="15491" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="airtel" source="Orion">Airtel</keyword> has launched a new streaming service called “Xstream Premium.”</li><li>It offers access to 15 Indian and global OTTs like SonyLIV, ErosNow and Lionsgate Play.</li><li>Xstream Premium is available only to Airtel customers.</li></ul>Airtel today launched a new video streaming service called “Xstream Premium”. The new service offers content from 15 Indian and global OTTs in one platform. It’s available on all platforms including smartphone, tablet, laptop and even TV. <keyword id="10058973" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="airtel-xstream-premium" source="Orion">Airtel Xstream Premium</keyword> is priced at ₹149 per month, and it is available exclusively to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/bharti-airtel-reports-12-6-increase-in-revenue-6-5-increase-in-arpu/articleshow/89433160.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Airtel </a>customers. There’s also a yearly subscription available at ₹1,499 for 12 months. It’s also available on the <keyword id="8052861" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="airtel-xstream" source="Orion">Airtel Xstream</keyword> set-top box. The new service is essentially an upgrade to the Airtel Xstream platform that’s currently available. Users can download the Airtel Xstream app on Android and iOS to access the new service. And the current app will also get automatically upgraded to Xstream Premium. On Airtel Xstream, subscribers get access to over 10,500 movies and shows along with live channels from SonyLIV, ErosNow, Lionsgate Play, Hoichoi, ManoramaMax, Shemaroo, Ultra, HungamaPlay, EPICon, Docubay, DivoTV, Klikk, Nammaflix, Dollywood, and Shorts TV. So instead of getting individual subscriptions to these services, you can get a bundled monthly or yearly subscription. Airtel Xstream is however missing some popular players like Netflix and Disney+ Hotstar. “Airtel Xstream Premium is a game-changing innovation to democratize OTT content in India by solving the key challenges of content discovery, affordability and distribution. As a unified digital platform, it’s a win-win proposition for customers and OTT players alike as we begin an exciting journey to make digital entertainment mainstream in India,” said Adarsh Nair, CEO - Airtel Digital. With this new service, Airtel aims to offer a unified experience with a single subscription, sign-in, content search and personalisation as well. The telco is also targeting 20 million subscriptions for Xstream Premium. SEE ALSO:

Airtel Xstream Premium streaming service launched in India, priced at ₹149 per month

<ul><li>Indian <keyword id="9648057" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ott-viewers" source="Orion">OTT viewers</keyword> are frustrated by juggling between 2-3 platforms on average to catch the latest content.</li><li>Since more expansion is expected in the market, an aggregator who would bring the best and offer it under one roof is in the offing.</li><li>As per a recent report by PwC, the OTT market is now ripe for aggregation.</li></ul>Before the fintech app CRED launched, Indian consumers downloaded at least 2-3 banking apps to pay their credit bills. CRED identified this gap and consolidated them all under one platform, for a small commission. The next market that’s desperately in need of an aggregation is the OTT market – which has over <a href="https://www.exchange4media.com/digital-news/ht-medias-ott-play-premium-service-eyes-15-million-paid-subs-by-year-end-120746.html">55 </a>offerings. “The largest streaming services in the market are Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon and Netflix. The country also has a vast array of smaller local SVODs, including provisions from local broadcasters like Zee TV and premium cinema providers like Eros Now. Due to its size and diversity, the market is ripe for aggregation,” says a report by PwC. Many streaming services, many more subscriptions Apart from the national offerings, Indian OTTs have become specialized and niche over time with regional offerings like Hoichoi, Aha, Sun Nxt and more. Since more expansion is expected in the market, an aggregator who would bring the best and offer it under one roof is in the offing. In fact, <keyword id="758541" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="amazon-prime" source="Orion">Amazon Prime</keyword> has also started this with Prime Video Channels but has eight channels that users can subscribe to and pay at one go. Such offerings can only expand from here. Most <keyword id="13730389" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ott-users" source="Orion">OTT users</keyword> have more than 2 subscriptions According to media consulting firm Ormax Media, the average number of video streaming subscriptions per person has reached 2.4 in India – since no one OTT can replace what hundreds of channels provided earlier. Currently, platforms like Tata Play, OTTplay, YuppTV Scope, ScreenHits TV and Airtel offer subscriptions to a few OTT services under one roof – but the choice, like in the case of Amazon Prime, is limited. Times Prime offers 15+ OTT subscriptions under one roof. "We are pulling out all the stops to ensure that our members get the best experiences under one umbrella. The Times Prime app, which is super easy to use, is the perfect product for consumption of content in today's subscription environment," says Harshita Singh, business head of Times Prime. 33-year-old Mumbai resident Khushboo Alag watches content across four <keyword id="5293670" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ott-platforms" source="Orion">OTT platforms</keyword>. She has subscribed to two of them, and shares two more with her family. “I have tried a couple of aggregators but I haven’t found the one yet that offers personalized experience. Existing apps haven’t been helpful and I am still looking for that one space where I could just log in to watch all the content that I am interested in,” says Alag. Some entertainment lovers have bought a smart television or a firestick to easily juggle through different OTT platforms on their television set. Firestick is just not enough, say users Vaamanaa Sethi, a Delhi-based resident, is one such user who has access to Amazon Prime, Disney+ Hotstar, Netflix and ZEE5 — thanks to her firestick. “We need an aggregator that can allow us to select which movie we want to watch under one roof. If I want to watch a movie and it is not available on Netflix, then I can easily switch to Amazon Prime. I don’t want to struggle,” says Sethi. Then there is the problem of managing and paying multiple subscriptions. Chaittali Dave, a Mumbai resident who is a mother of twins, said that she can’t watch OTT content on her television set. She is hoping to find a mobile-agnostic aggregator. “I can’t watch Mirzapur on television in front of my kids. You can use a firestick or Tata Play if you live with a nuclear family,” says Dave. 23-year-old Mumbai resident Shraddha Khaire is particularly a movie buff. She has subscribed to 6-8 OTT apps and says that it has been a frustrating experience for her to pay a premium price for one movie. “There have been times that I had to subscribe to a whole new OTT just to watch that one show or movie, and let’s not forget the premium charges for the same,” shared Khaire. Her experience with teleco aggregators hasn’t been very pleasant either. She hopes a new aggregator will make the whole experience very seamless, simple and efficient for me as a regular user of various OTTs, such as her. “There will be a single sign-up, single ID for accessing multiple platforms. While telcos like Jio and Airtel, DTH services like Tata Sky, etc., offer an array of OTT services, but you need a connection to these services to access the OTTs. Overall, I think if there was a platform that offered access to a bundle of more streaming services, I wouldn’t mind going for it,” adds Khaire. Disclaimer: Business Insider India is a part of Times Internet India

A CRED-like platform is what Indian OTT users want to juggle multiple subscriptions

<ul><li><keyword id="149966" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="IAMAI">IAMAI</keyword> has announced the adoption of a comprehensive implementation toolkit in furtherance to the Universal Self-Regulation Code for Online Curated Content Providers.</li><li>The Code has been adopted by seventeen (17) leading Online Curated Content Providers in India. </li><li>The present set of signatories include <keyword id="6245082" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="ZEE5">ZEE5</keyword>, Viacom 18 (Voot), Disney+ Hotstar, <keyword id="2976376" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon-Prime-Video">Amazon Prime Video</keyword>, <keyword id="128682" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Netflix">Netflix</keyword>, SonyLiv, <keyword id="2214311" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mx-player">MX Player</keyword>, Jio Cinema, Eros Now, Alt Balaji, Arre, HoiChoi, Hungama, Shemaroo, Discovery Plus, Aha and Lionsgate Play. </li><li>The Tool Kit is effective from 10 February 2021.</li></ul>The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) has announced the adoption of a comprehensive Implementation Toolkit (Tool Kit) which is in furtherance to the Universal Self-Regulation Code ('Code') for Online Curated Content Providers (OCCP) that was put in motion on September 4, 2020. The core purpose of this Tool Kit is to provide for procedures to effectuate the various provisions of the Code; assist the signatories in fulfilling their commitments and responsibilities as set out in the Code; and to achieve effective self-regulation goals as envisioned by the signatories in the Code. Importantly, the effort of the Signatories, through this Tool Kit, is to also address feedback received from Ministry of Information and Broadcasting inter-alia, on the issues of conflict of interest and prohibited content. The Code has been adopted by seventeen (17) leading Online Curated Content Providers in India. The present set of signatories include ZEE5, Viacom 18 (Voot), Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, SonyLiv, MX Player, Jio Cinema, Eros Now, Alt Balaji, Arre, HoiChoi, Hungama, Shemaroo, Discovery Plus, Aha and Lionsgate Play. The Tool Kit is effective from 10 February 2021. The all-inclusive 'Implementation Toolkit' will assist signatories in seamless transition to self-regulation and guide them on various dimensions like: Relevant laws of the land which will be adhered to by the signatories: <ul><li>Fair and transparent functioning of the grievance redressal mechanism, with escalation to an Advisory Panel with independent members</li><li>Training programs for creative and legal teams of OCCPs to enhance the knowledge and nuances of laws that govern content</li><li>Awareness programs for consumers to help increase understanding and use of age rating, content descriptor &amp; parental controls</li><li>Implementation of a detailed audit and compliance mechanism</li></ul> Amit Goenka, Chair, Digital Entertainment Committee, IAMAI said, “The Universal Self-Regulation Code, which is signed by the Country’s top video streaming services marks a watershed moment in the history of the online streaming industry. Today, with the adoption of ‘Implementation Toolkit’, it further strengthens our (OCCPs) commitment to augment consumer empowerment and creative excellence for the Indian entertainment industry to grow multifold. This Tool Kit amplifies all the critical points that were addressed in the Code signed last year and aims to address feedback received from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, particularly on strengthening the grievance redressal mechanism. It further sets out clear tentpoles that the OCCPs need to undertake to achieve a common goal of entertaining millions of Indians responsibly.” Furthermore, IAMAI will constitute first of its kind ‘IAMAI Secretariat for the Code’ comprising of representatives of the signatories to the Code and IAMAI which will administer the implementation of the Code and the Toolkit. IAMAI aims to develop a process to seek periodic updates from the Signatories regarding their progress with respect to compliance with the provisions of the Code.

Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, MX Player along with 13 other OTT players sign up for IAMAI's new implementation toolkit

<ul><li><keyword id="10862183" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="delhi-crime-season-2">Delhi Crime season 2</keyword> is the most awaited web series of 2021, <keyword id="15508" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="YouGov">YouGov</keyword> survey.</li><li>Among the shows released this year, Family Man Season 2 is the most popular with two in five calling it their favourite series.</li></ul>The Coronavirus pandemic gave a huge boost to the booming OTT video- streaming industry in India. As consumers endured lockdowns and restrictions, digital content became a major source of entertainment as well as a platform for the industry to connect with their audiences in these unprecedented times. YouGov’s latest study reveals that among the upcoming web series this year, Season 2 of Delhi Crime is the most awaited show by OTT platform viewers in the country (as said by 22%). The International Emmy winning drama series enthralled viewers with its first season and we see excitement building up for the next edition, despite the absence of an official release date. <div type="image" title="image002" msid="84997672" hostid="261"></div>It seems audiences are looking forward to the sequels of some of the popular shows of the past years. Along with Season 2 of Delhi Crime, viewers are also excited for the sequel of Voot’s mythological thriller Asur (20%), Kay Kay Menon’s Special Ops Season 2 (19%) , Kota Factory’s Season 2 (18%), Four More Shots Please Season 3 (14%) and Little Things Season 4 (13%). New shows like Rudra- the edge of darkness (11%) and Finding Anamika (9%) have also managed to spark interest and feature among the most awaited shows of 2021. YouGov also asked people about the web series they enjoyed watching in 2021. Among the shows already released this year, action-thriller Family Man Season 2 (40%) emerged as the most favourite show of OTT viewers in urban India. The ever-charming Manoj Bajpayee’s performance, and the engaging plot totally lived up to the expectations of fans, especially after the cliff-hanger ending of season 1. <div type="image" title="image004" msid="84997697" hostid="261"></div>Other series that received the appreciation and love of the audiences are Tandav (14%), Aspirants (12%) and Maharani (10%). With lack of entertainment choices, it is not surprising to see consumers shift to digital entertainment during the pandemic. Data suggests that a majority of respondents (59%) claim to have watched more content online than on TV in the past one year. One in ten have started exploring global (non-English) content in the past year (9%) and almost as many (11%) have begun watching regional content (non-Hindi) during this time. Roughly a fifth among those who claim to watch regional content like watching Telugu (22%) and Marathi (20%) language series. Gujarati (18%), Punjabi (17%), Tamil and Kannada (16% each) series are also popular among people. Language has become an important factor in determining people’s choice of content. One in eight respondents (12%) consider the language or origin of a series important when deciding what to watch on OTT platforms. Having said that, the genre of the show (22%), recommendations of family &amp; friends (21%) and reviews and ratings (19%) are ranked higher than language as consideration factors by people. <div type="image" title="image006" msid="84997721" hostid="261"></div> When it comes to digital platforms, Amazon Prime (53%), Netflix (47%) and Disney Hotstar (43%) are the most preferred channels for watching Indian web shows. Even though international networks are more popular among the masses, regional platforms like Sun NXT, Aha and Hoichoi also feature in the list, indicating the growth of regional content consumption in India. <div type="image" title="image008" msid="84997744" hostid="261"></div> With an interest in regional language streaming, non-Bollywood cinema is likely to come out of Covid in a better shape. Almost half of the total surveyed respondents (49%) said that they are open to watching regional movies in theatres, with younger adults between the age of 18-39 years more likely to say so than older ones of 40 years and above. Data collected online by YouGov Omnibus among 1009 respondents in the country between June 15th-20th, 2021 using YouGov’s panel of over 11 million people worldwide. Data is representative of the adult online population in the country.

Here are the top most awaited Indian web series of 2021 as per YouGov's survey

<ul><li>The Indian <keyword id="1245953" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="OTT">OTT</keyword> industry which was roughly of the size of $1.7 billion (both Video and Audio) in FY20 has the potential to grow to become a $15 billion industry over the next 9 to 10 years, according to independent transaction advisory firm RBSA Advisors.</li><li>The pandemic has given a big boost to the OTT industry.</li><li>The massive investments made by OTT services like <keyword id="128682" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Netflix">Netflix</keyword>, Amazon, Disney+ Hotstar and others in original as well as acquired content will help subscription video-on-demand make up a lion share of the total OTT revenues going forward.</li></ul>India's Over the Top (OTT) entertainment industry has the potential to grow to be a $15 billion industry over the next 9 to 10 years, according to independent transaction advisory firm RBSA Advisors. The size of the OTT market in FY20 stood in the range of $ 1.7 billion (both Video and Audio) and it is burgeoning into a multi-billion-dollar industry, cannibalizing into the established bastion of traditional television, radio and cinema auditorium forms of media and entertainment. With access to better networks, digital connectivity and smartphones, OTT platforms in India have increasingly attracted subscribers on a concurrent basis. Apart from top favourites like Disney+ Hotstar, <keyword id="2976376" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon-Prime-Video">Amazon Prime Video</keyword> and Netflix, the space is seeing many local and regional OTT players, such as <keyword id="3163762" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="SonyLIV">SonyLIV</keyword>, <keyword id="3113913" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="VOOT">Voot</keyword>, <keyword id="6245082" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ZEE5">Zee5</keyword>, <keyword id="2480506" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Eros-Now">Eros Now</keyword>, ALTBalaji, Hoichoi and Adda Times, to name just a few. <keyword id="1257401" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajeev-shah">Rajeev Shah</keyword>, MD &amp; CEO RBSA Advisors, "Covid-19 has changed the way audience consume media. An undeniable trend surfaced in this period with the adoption of OTTs. The growing market and consumer appetite for content of choice available on OTT platforms fuelled this spurt. OTTs offer a never before consumer experience–choice of content, ease of access, choice of device/mediums (hand phone, laptop, tablet or TV screen), liberal censorship policy." Adds Shah, "We find ourselves in extraordinary times, where pandemic has had a negative effect on many traditional sectors. Conversely Covid has accelerated the shift in consumers' behaviour, pulling forward OTT disruption, otherwise which would have taken minimum half a decade." NV Capital Co-Founder and Managing Partner Vivek Menon adds, “India is the next bastion after US for boosting the subscriber base of International OTT players given the highly regulated environment of International OTT players in China. Add to that there are many international entrants like Comcast owned “Peacock” &amp; HBO sitting on the fence waiting to make their mark in India. Looking at this trend as well as the rapid rise of home-grown OTT providers, this industry will continue its strong growth momentum in the years to come.” The quality of content will always remain a significant driver of consumer growth. In recent years, we have witnessed a massive rise in original content being aired on OTT platforms. Apart from creating original content and facilitating binge-watching, networks and production houses have also begun to see value in getting rights to live events and performances. Audiences in India recently saw Filmfare and streaming social networks join forces for the first-ever OTT awards. This was a landmark event for India's media and entertainment industry. The massive investments made by OTT services like Netflix, Amazon, Disney+ Hotstar and others in original as well as acquired content will help subscription video-on-demand make up a lion share of the total OTT revenues going forward. Further, the next wave of growth in the OTT landscape will come from tier 2,3,4 cities and the Indian language speaking population. Key Factors Driving the industry • India has the second-highest per capita consumption of online video in the world • Cheapest mobile data in the world at INR 18.5/GB (2015 - INR313/GB) • Growth in rural internet penetration • The number of smartphone users in India is increasing at astronomical rate •The average monthly data usage per user in India increased 20% year-on-year to 13.5 GB in December 2020 as Indians spent about five hours daily on a smartphone, as per the Mobile Broadband India Traffic Index (Mbit) 2021. • Smartphones with affordable data have also brought the vibrant native speakers base of 22 scheduled Indian languages from Tier 2, 3, 4 cities online and created a massive opportunity • The next wave of growth in the OTT landscape will come from our very own Tier 2,3,4 cities and the Indian language speaking population • The viewing habits of Indian consumers have evolved a lot in the last few years. While on the one hand, short-form video content consumption on smartphones and social platforms has been on the rise, binge-watching shows on various OTT platforms have also become more common on the other hand

You Searched For "hoichoi content" and got 13 results

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