Covid-19 or Coronavirus conditions are rampant throughout the world. Every passing day things are getting worse, not just for the adults. The adults are coping well, considering work from home and work for home situations, but for the children, the time is of despair. Imagine them being cooped up at home, without their friends and peers to play or bond with. They are also without the relentless cycle of classes and tuitions that kept them busy. Yeah, paints a sad picture.
The parents are in all making tremendous efforts to keep the child busy. While some are devising innovative games, others are involving the children in housework. There are video school lessons too which keeps the kids occupied, but a major part of the day is left free. Believe it or not, this free time doesn’t have losers across the board but results in some gainers.
Coronavirus impact has brought about a resurrection of the OTT content for children. Yes, you are right, the gainers truly are the OTT platforms. If data is to be believed there has been a spike, a boom in viewership of TV and OTT content by kids in this lockdown. Parents were fast to catchup that television content and Youtube content were not very regulated, therefore, unsafe for unattended viewership by children. They switched to the OTT platforms, boy, did the OTT platforms catch up and cheer with joy!
As per the recent reports of Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), kids channels and OTT viewership have registered a 39% jump. This demand has been met uniquely by the broadcasters. They have adopted out of box thinking, new age shows, forming strategic partnerships with OTT platforms for rights and telecast. The customised and fit for children’s viewership segment just had a major boom. OTT content for children is leading the way in increasing the subscriptions.
Disney brought their offerings by clubbing itself with Hotstar. With their combined offering amassing a whopping 8 million subscribers within 15 days of launch, it won’t be misplaced to say that they are on the merry go round. With Zee5, Netflix and others optimising their shows and bringing in more children centric content, lockdown effects have brought a turnaround in OTT content for children.
We are all aware of what Doordarshan achieved with the re-telecast of Ramayan and Mahabharat. To capitalise on the same and to monopolise on the increased viewership of Doordarshan, Cartoon Network owned by Warner Bros has entered into a strategic partnership with Prasar Bharti. With this partnership, Chota Bheem cartoon is to be televised across the cable operated subscriber base in the country.
The OTT content for kids doesn’t stop here, the platforms are launching newer shows meant for release in later part of the years to keep refreshing their content for kids offering.
This truly has marked the rescue of kids and OTT platforms subscriber base.
