Opinion | OTT platforms in search of a viable regulatory code

The covid 19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown has proved to be an unprecedented boon for some sectors of the consumer economy. The hitherto niche over-the-top (OTT) video streaming category, encompassing more than 30 service providers, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Zee5 and Voot, is one of them.

From all accounts, these platforms have gained millions of new viewers with an estimated 60-80% spike in their paid subscriber base. Mint reported that Netflix subscribers jumped to 5 million from about half that number in May, while Disney+ Hotstar reported around 9 million users in August, as per Media Partners Asia (MPA), a research and consulting firm. A report by advertising agency Dentsu, meanwhile, said young Indians purchased at least two to three new OTT subscriptions during the covid lockdown.

Besides, there is accelerated adoption of paid streaming content in households as telecom companies started offering OTT services bundled with broadband packages.