So as expected, Maharashtra has declared stringent restrictions in the movement till 1st May. While going through the complete notification I was really baffled why this type of lockdown. In every field someone is working. The main sufferer in this, are the petty shopkeepers who trade in non essential items. As per govt other that food, grocery and chemist shop all other are selling non essential items. Now who decides about essential and non essential items ? Now suppose one tube light in my house conks off, but in this scenario I will not be able to replace tube light as all the shops selling them are closed, so till the shops selling non essential items open, I have to stay in dark in a particular room. There are many other items and emergency services which are required on daily basis by someone or the other. These types are restrictions are going to create more discontent among people. I do not know whether the prescribed restrictions will serve the purpose of curtailing the spread of Covid.
Now coming to my other topic of the day:
Nowadays OTT is becoming quite popular. Now what is this OTT ? It stands for Over the Top and means providing television and film content over the internet at the request and to suit the requirements of the individual. It implies that a content provider is going over the top of existing internet services.
Some of the famous OTT providers are Amazon Prime video, Netflix, Disney Hotstar, Sony Liv, Zee5 and many more. Most of the regular TV channels have their own OTT platform.
Now with increasing competition in video streaming, the OTT players are copying the strategy used by TV channels for years, and in the process losing the distinction they had created as an alternative to TV’s sterile and monotonous content. Lately many viewers are feeling that OTT players are trying to play safe by replicating the TV model in terms of streaming content.
Some experts in the field say that one of the many reason for the rise of OTT streaming was their ability to provide much edgier and bold subjects, which were not being touched by TV and regular cinema. But now many OTT platforms are following the strategical pattern which is no different than TV channels. They have family shows, kids content, all kinds of movies, OTT is becoming a general entertaining platform. The viewers are generally complaining that OTT platforms are offering now contents for my family and not just me.
Now the spokeperson of one of the OTT platform said “ OTT servoces are not copying TV but rather focussing on larger audience pools by giving vast array of content”. He further added that there are nearly 500 million users of OTT services and that number is growing.
According to a recent research, out of 188 billion minutes spent on streaming platforms, users spent the highest-69 billion minutes-on daily soap, followed by movies 31 billion minutes and the balnace for the original produced by OTT platforms. Another opinion is that today streaming platforms are just accumulating content. In doing so they are blurring the distinctions in their offerings. There is duplication of content also, what one see on TV is also available on streaming platforms. The perception that streaming platforms would not offer what TV is, gradually turnimg out to be false. There is a good comments also, as one said “ content in different languages are available under one streaming platform brand” So you can watch different language programs .
Experts also say and draw connection between fundings and earnings of streaming platforms as competion intensifies in the coming years. So almost every new or existing platform is either too niche or provides all kinds of content. This means they will either have stagnant or falling revenues.
The cost of producing content for streaming platforms is higher than TV. One requires good and sustained funding. In the Indian context, this may be demanding thing for impatient investors who seek quick returns.
Lastly a crucial factor which may hasten the process of streaming platforms becoming like TV channels is the imposition of the new content guidelines by the govt. This would rob streaming platforms of certain amount of creative in terms of creating contents and force them to create content which will be more or less similar to TV content with only difference of production value and visuals.
Presently all OTT players are playing safe, and only time will tell where they will be in future.
Awaiting your views/comments.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
14th April 2021