Deep Dive: What’s going on with India’s OTT platforms

A recent report by PricewaterhouseCoopers found that India is currently the world’s fastest-growing market for video streaming, and it’s set to become the sixth largest by 2024.

With over 40 over-the-top streaming (OTT) players in the country vying for the attention of anyone with an internet connection, how’s the industry faring?

Photo credit: Pixnoo / 123RF

On this episode of Deep Dive, Tech in Asia journalist Nikita Puri discusses the growth of India’s OTT scene, what the top players are doing to stay ahead of the competition, and what’s in store for the industry’s future.

Timecodes:

00:00 – Intro music
00:46 – Today’s topic: India’s OTT platforms
01:33 – A competitive market with several players in the game
01:45 – Why OTT is so big in India
02:25 – The origins of India’s OTT scene
03:45 – Young professionals started to see the appeal
04:26 – Enter Netflix and Prime Video
06:13 – The second OTT hike: Covid-19
07:28 – Despite the return of TV, OTT is here to stay
08:16 – India’s OTT vs. OTT in other markets
10:25 – The departures of Hooq and Viu
11:55 – Why join the OTT scene in the first place?
12:43 – Content is king
14:02 – The ones that do well have deep pockets
14:24 – Bulking up their content libraries
17:11 – The top dogs of India’s OTT industry
19:10 – A high-burn, high-risk game
19:46 – Why do these players believe that OTT is worth the trouble?
21:24 – How the top dogs stay on top
24:03 – Partnering other businesses to widen their reach
25:40 – Getting senior citizens onboard
26:18 – The problem (and opportunities) of slow internet
27:45 – The future of India’s OTT industry
30:27 – Preview of Startup Snapshot season 3

Download the full transcript here.

Featured reporter:

• Nikita Puri, a Tech in Asia reporter based in India

Essential reading:

• High-voltage drama in the world’s fastest-growing video-streaming market

Episode Sponsor:

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