This is one positive we can be happy about! In the lockdown period because of the COVID-19 pandemic, viewership across Television and mobile screens has seen a huge surge, leading to higher engagement and experimentation with content, not only during prime-time but non-prime time too.
According to BARC-Nielsen Week 15 data, Television viewership has surged to 1.24 trillion viewing minutes, a 40% surge over the pre COVID-19 period, as people are watching Television for more than four hours per day. Daily time spent on smartphones in Week 15 of COVID-19 disruption has been 17.8 billion minutes, a 10% increase from pre-COVID-19 average of 16.1 billion minutes.
NON-PRIME-TIME SURGE
Overall Television viewership across categories has grown by 40% with the increased time spent during the lockdown, non-prime-time being the key driver of TV viewership growth. Growth in Week 15 (during lockdown) data as compared to Week 2 to Week 4 (pre-COVID-19 lockdown), non-prime-time TV viewership increased by 79% across India. For the Hindi Speaking Market (HSM), it grew by 79% and for South, it increased by 56%.
Demographically, viewership growth is largely driven by the 15-21 age group, contributing 16% of total TV viewership in urban markets. NCCS A has seen the highest viewership growth during COVID-19 across urban and rural market.
Obviously, News has seen major surge in viewership, with a growth of 195% and business news 82% respectively. Movies come second with 67% growth in viewership over the pre-COVID-19 period followed by infotainment at 48%, Youth 41% and kids 39%. News stays strong in HSM with over 200% growth in Week 15 over pre-COVID-19 period.
“While prime-time continues to be the biggest peak, there has been significant growth in non-prime-time also, specially the afternoon band. This growth is across geographies and age groups,” says Vivek Srivastava, President - Strategy and Business Head - English Entertainment Cluster, Times Network.
WEEK 15 RECORDED 40% GROWTH OVER PRE COVID-19 PERIOD AT 1.24 TRILLION MINUTES
Individuals watching TV for all 7 days increase to 48% Viewership grew by 1% over Week 14 led by ATS
