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Tag: subscription video on demand

  • Fast channels surge 14 per cent this year as news and horror fuel boom

    Fast channels surge 14 per cent this year as news and horror fuel boom

    MUMBAI: Free ad-supported television (Fast) is enjoying a blistering run. The number of Fast channels worldwide has climbed nearly 14 per cent since the start of 2025 and 76 per cent since 2023, according to fresh analysis from Gracenote, the content data arm of Nielsen.

    The firm has expanded its Data Hub to track nearly 1,850 active Fast channels, enabling direct comparisons with subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) catalogues from the likes of Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+, Netflix and Paramount+. The enhanced tool now covers more than 645,000 TV shows, films and sports programmes across SVOD and a further 197,000 across Fast.

    Fast is skewing younger than its subscription rivals. Almost half of its content has been produced in the past five years, compared with only a third for SVOD. Stretching the timeframe to 15 years, Fast jumps to nearly 80 per cent of programming, versus 68.5 per cent for SVOD.

    Television dominates both formats, but especially Fast: 93.1 per cent of its content comprises TV programming by episode count, compared with 88.8 per cent on SVOD platforms.

    Genre trends are diverging. Documentaries make up the largest Fast slice at 16.1 per cent, followed by drama (10.6 per cent) and news (9.9 per cent). Yet it is news and horror that are powering growth, up 37 per cent and 30 per cent respectively. On SVOD, sports led the charge in the past quarter with a 13.2 per cent bump, ahead of films (10 per cent) and TV (9.2 per cent). Sports on Fast dipped 3.7 per cent in the last three months but remain up 14 per cent year to date.

    Among the big streamers, Amazon bulked up most aggressively, expanding its catalogue by 12.6 per cent quarter on quarter. Paramount+ followed with a 6.4 per cent increase. Overall, SVOD offerings grew 9.8 per cent in the same period.

    Gracenote, which covers video content in more than 70 languages and 80 countries, is pitching its Data Hub as a strategic compass for distributors, producers and advertisers eager to map where audiences are headed.

  • MPA Report: APAC video market to hit $165B by 2029; streaming set to dominate

    MPA Report: APAC video market to hit $165B by 2029; streaming set to dominate

    MUMBAI: To use a cricket analogy, television is going to go  even  more on the backfoot while online video shall come charging down the pitch to hit revenues out of the park. 

    That’s the latest prediction of Singapore-based  Media Partners’ Asia (MPA) in its  2025 report, outlining transformative trends in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) video and broadband industry.

    Among its key findings and predictions are:

    Industry growth & transition
    * Market Expansion: APAC video revenue is projected to grow by $16.2 billion, reaching over $165 billion by 2029 (CAGR: 2.2 per cent).
    * Online video explodes: Online video revenues projected to climb from $64 billion in 2024 to $89 billion by 2029, marking a 40 per cent increase. Gap with the US (at $140 billion in 2029) will have narrowed. 
    * Traditional TV contracts:  In contrast, traditional TV revenues are expected to shrink by $8 billion during the same period.
    * Streaming overtakes TV: Streaming revenues will surpass traditional TV by 2027, with their industry share rising from 44 per cent in 2024 to 54 per cent  by 2029, led by India and China.
    * Subscription video on demand (SVOD) services are expected to grow their share of the Asia-Pacific (APAC) video industry’s revenue from 44 per cent in 2024 to over 54 per cent by 2029.

    Revenue drivers & contributions
    * Key markets: India, China, and Japan will drive 64  per cent of the growth, with India alone accounting for 26 per cent.
    * Content growth: User-generated content (UGC) and social video platforms will lead, contributing $10.7 billion in new revenue. SVOD ($8.4 billion) and premium AVOD ($5.0 billion) follow closely.
    * Advertising leadership: Advertising will account for 65 per cent  of online video revenue growth, increasing its share of total video revenue from 52 per cent in 2024 to 54 per cent by 2029. Premium ad-supported video on  demand platforms driving growth.

    Shifting dynamics
    * SVOD boom: Subscriptions are set to rise from 644 million in 2024 to 870 million by 2029, driven by sports, Asian entertainment, and US content.
    * Connected TV surge: Penetration will exceed 85 per cent  in developed markets like Australia, Korea, and Japan by 2029, with notable growth in India, Indonesia, and Thailand.
    * Local players gaining ground: Global giants like YouTube, Netflix, and TikTok, which held 67 per cent market share in 2024, will see this decline to 62 per cent by 2029 as regional platforms strengthen.

    Vivek Couto, Executive Director at MPA, stated, “The APAC video market is undergoing rapid transformation, with streaming driving deeper engagement and improved monetisation. However, the decline of traditional TV and challenges in local streaming profitability are pushing the industry toward consolidation, particularly in markets like India, Japan, and Southeast Asia

  • GUEST ARTICLE: Why content creators need to embrace OTT platforms for better growth and impact

    GUEST ARTICLE: Why content creators need to embrace OTT platforms for better growth and impact

    Mumbai: OTT (over-the-top) services have received a lot of attention in the last three years, completely transforming the way we consume information online. OTT platforms are significantly altering the landscape of the entertainment and media industries. OTT services are classified into several groups based on the type of content, helping both innovative content creators and brands gain better visibility and engagement among a wider set of global audiences. With access to internet video material, artists and content creators also have an opportunity to build a brand out of their work, which will lead to organic development and popularity among viewers.

    With the versatility of gadgets, modern consumers are more accustomed to consuming video material at any time and from any location. According to a PWC analysis, India’s OTT video industry would grow at a 21.8 per cent CAGR from Rs 4,464 crore in 2018 to Rs 1,1976 crore in 2023.

    From large companies to start-ups, everyone is welcoming OTT platforms for innovative and data-driven campaigns. This also provides content creators with an opportunity to drive better brand partnerships, find sponsors, and build a stronger viewer base for themselves, as well as enjoy a wider reach to viewers via dedicated OTT platforms.

    In line with the above, having a dedicated OTT platform and building a niche ecosystem can have several benefits for content creators, like:

    1. Better engagement

    OTT platforms have enormous potential for expansion. The enormous market makes it all feasible, but before proceeding, one needs to understand the approach to engaging the audience. OTT enables content makers to create content that increases engagement. It provides a diverse range of materials to choose from based on the consumer’s preferences. Consumers, on the other hand, have increased viewing independence in terms of location, device, time, and quality of options.

    Additionally, OTT platforms also help the audience to locate new material quickly and effortlessly, which will undoubtedly lead to success for content providers.

    2. Increases brand awareness

    OTT platforms are excellent at preserving an image that will improve your audience’s reach. On a regular basis, almost 70 per cent of users watch at least three hours of video streaming services. According to a different survey, video accounts for 82 per cent of all consumer web traffic. So it’s evident that digital and video are here to stay. Any brand, person, or organisation that can successfully combine these two. Owning an OTT platform will aid in improving brand exposure, increasing reach, and gaining more consumer loyalty.

    3. Focus on your target audience

    OTT platforms clearly identify their target audience, followed by enticing and relevant advertising based on their target group’s interests, which increases the ads’ views and reach. The OTT network’s 5G network is based on fixed wireless access video transmission. 5G will encourage high-quality consumption in households, thus enlarging the advertising area. Focus on a certain target first, then expand your reach after you have a clear understanding of the OTT audience.

    4. Monetization model

    Content producers now have the resources and flexibility to pursue their passions. They might monetize their material in a single or several ways. These include ad-supported video-on-demand (AVoD), subscription video-on-demand (SVoD), and a hybrid approach, i.e., ad-supported video with a subscription mode. The service provider or creator should select the most appropriate model for the platform. It all depends on your target audience.

    Every content producer has a strong desire to increase the exposure of his or her own brand in the entertainment industry. And with a strategically planned platform, it is possible for large and small content creators to generate revenue and make an impact in the market through a well-planned and managed platform.

    The author of this article is Ssoftoons COO Hansa Mondal.

  • Sony Pictures revises Q3 results; posts profit of $51 million

    Sony Pictures revises Q3 results; posts profit of $51 million

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures has posted a profit of $51 million in the quarter ended 31 December, 2014, which is the same period that was affected by the email hacking attack. This more than the $20 million profit figure that the company had anticipated in February this year. The profit was down 75 per cent from the year-ago period in yen.

     

    Sony Pictures’ revenue stood at $1.71 billion for the fiscal third quarter, up from the company’s estimate of $1.63 billion. When compared to the same quarter in 2013, the company’s revenue was down 20 per cent on a dollar basis, but only 7.7 percent in yen. The significant decrease in revenue on a US dollar basis was primarily due to a decrease in sales for motion pictures and TV productions. The decrease in motion pictures sales was due to significantly lower home entertainment and theatrical revenues. 

     

    The decrease in TV production sales was attributed to the same quarter of the previous fiscal year benefitting from higher home entertainment and subscription video on demand (SVoD) revenues from the US television series Breaking Bad.

     

    It may be recalled that Sony had delayed its third quarter earnings owing to the hacking of its servers last year.

     

    Additionally, the mother company – Sony Corp’s official Q3 operating profit stood at $1.5 billion, which was up 2.2 per cent from the estimate it reported last month.