A peek into viewing habits in twin cities

Hyderabadis prefer to watch Hindi language content on OTT (over-the-top), reveals the report 'Understanding Paid OTT Subscribers of Hyderabad' released by Red Matter Technologies (RMT). While Hindi remains on the top, with 52 percent of the city residents watching Hindi content, English occupies the second place with 28 percent, and Telugu is in third place with 14 percent, says the report. With its rising popularity, OTT platforms are emerging as a new destination for viewers to watch the genre of their choice anytime.

Viewers under 26 years age group like to watch the content on OTT shows alone, while those under 36 years age group, who are nearly 46 percent, prefer to watch along with their families. The report also looks at the gender dimension among the viewers and their preferred choices. For instance, female subscribers prefer Hindi and English content over Telugu. Nearly 60 percent of female subscribers prefer to watch Hindi, 27 percent

English, and six percent Telugu content.

The report provides further information about the viewinghabits of Hyderabad city dwellers who have subscribed to OTT services. Notably, it highlights that 62 percent of the audience actively uses music streaming services, while cable usage stands at 58 percent.

OTT viewing is predominantly a mobile experience, with more than 50 percent preferring to watch it on their mobile phones,32 percent on the television screen, and 14 percent on personal computer/laptops. Older age groups above 35 years show a strong preference for television compared to younger viewers.

Nearly 31 percent of the viewers feel that most of them are finding it difficult to manage multiple OTT subscriptions and feel that these services are becoming very expensive. The report says that viewers are using social media and OTT as a part of the same entertainment continuum. There is a seamless switching between both platforms to fulfil their entertainment needs.

Unlike the national and international players, the regional ones are struggling to gain penetration and affinity among OTT viewers. Among the OTT providers, there are three segments of preferred platforms, which include big technology, broadcasting, and regional.

Speaking to The Hans India, Srikant Rajasekharuni, CEO of RMT, said, "Recognising the growing potential of content marketing and its impact on the OTT landscape, we decided to delve deeper into OTT viewership behavior in Hyderabad. Our collaboration with prominent OTT players like Zee5 and AHA has further underscored the importance of understanding consumer preferences and trends. By conducting this research, we aimed to not only gather valuable insights into viewership patterns but also to tailor our campaigns and refine our creative strategies accordingly. This focus on data-driven approaches has also led us to explore the possibilities offered by AI-based marketing strategies, as we believe this cutting-edge technology will be the next game-changer in the industry."