OTT Platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+Hotstar, etc have seen a spike in new subscriptions and viewing hours, a survey by FLYX, a social network platform for OTT content revealed. The survey showed that 50% of respondents purchased new subscriptions during the pandemic.
Among platforms, the survey revealed that while Netflix was the most popular with a 60% majority, Amazon Prime Video was the most subscribed to platform closely followed by Netflix and then Hotstar.
The findings showed that there has been a 5x increase in those spending over 16 hours weekly on OTT platforms and a 4x increase in those spending 12-16 hours weekly, an increase of 2.5 times in viewing hours among those that spend 8-12 hours weekly.
The findings also showed that users popularly watched movies and web series that came under the genre of comedy and drama, followed by action and romance.
The survey found that in the midst of so many options, consumers prefer to discover new content based on recommendations. “53% of consumers primarily discovered new content based on recommendations from friends and family while 21% made the choice based on suggestions from the platform itself,” FLYX said in a media statement.
While there has been an increase in the number of watching hours among users, the restricted movement during the pandemic has observed around 50% of respondents spending time on OTT platforms as a ‘social activity’ with family and friends.
The survey also observed that 62% of respondents showed interest in watching movies in theatres post the pandemic. The survey conducted on 500 respondents between the age groups of 18-65 years including students, professionals, businesspersons, and self-employed people.
“In these unprecedented times the breakthrough and growth witnessed by OTT platforms has been phenomenal. Our survey highlights how COVID has moved OTT from being a niche category, into the mainstream and how consumers of nearly all ages interact with video content on their platforms. Platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hotstar amongst others have seen an exponential rise in their subscriber base with India emerging as the second-largest subscription television market in Asia Pacific,” Shashank Singh, Founder and CEO of FLYX said in a statement.