YouTube's Triumph in India's '24 Elections
Drama, Masala, Wrong Exit Polls and Comebacks lead to a Streaming Surge
Hey Streamers 👋,
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Paramount Global, the media giant behind CBS and MTV, is actively exploring joint-venture options for its streaming service as part of a broader strategy to boost profitability and prepare for a potential sale. The company has identified $500 million in annual savings to streamline operations and improve financial health. This announcement came during the annual shareholder meeting where the leadership team of three co-CEOs shared their vision for the future.
Key Initiatives to Boost Profitability
Expense Reduction: Paramount plans to cut costs significantly, enhancing operational efficiency to adapt to the current market conditions.
International Strategy: The company will refine its approach to international markets, likely focusing on regions with high growth potential.
Content Licensing: Paramount intends to license more titles, increasing revenue from its vast content library.
Debt Reduction: Proceeds from strategic moves will be used to pay down existing debt, strengthening the company’s financial position.
Potential Joint-Venture and Inbound Interest
Paramount has attracted significant interest from potential partners for its streaming business. As discussions continue, the company is weighing options that could provide additional resources and market reach.
Leadership and Strategic Direction
Co-CEO George Cheeks expressed confidence in running the business more efficiently by adjusting to today’s economic realities. Paramount Chair Shari Redstone highlighted management’s achievements with a reduced budget over recent years and expressed optimism about the company’s future under current leadership.
Ellison’s Takeover Proposal
Shari Redstone is considering a takeover offer from independent film producer David Ellison. The proposal involves Ellison buying the Redstone family’s National Amusements Inc. and merging his business, Skydance Media, with Paramount. Despite some investor opposition, Ellison has revised the terms to include a $250 million reduction in his offer for National Amusements and Skydance’s valuation.
Shareholder Decisions and Board Changes
At the shareholder meeting, proposals requiring investor approval for executive severance packages and a report on the use of artificial intelligence were rejected. Additionally, a pared-down six-member board was elected following the departure of four board members and CEO Bob Bakish.
Paramount Global's Indian Market Maneuver
From an Indian streaming perspective, Paramount Global has sold its 13% stake in Viacom18 to Reliance Industries for $517 million. This sale follows a major $8.5 billion deal between Reliance and Disney, merging their TV and streaming assets in India. Reliance, already the majority owner of Viacom18, will integrate it with Disney’s Star India, creating a formidable presence in the Indian market.
These strategic moves underscore Paramount Global’s efforts to adapt to the rapidly changing media landscape, ensuring long-term growth and stability in an increasingly competitive environment.
Today’s program:
India Today Group's YouTube Dominance: Setting New Records with Election Coverage
Advertising Strategies Amidst the ‘24 Indian General Elections
My Views: YouTube Reigns Supreme in India's ‘24 Elections
And….Action!
India Today Group's YouTube Dominance: Setting New Records with Election Coverage
India Today video with 200,000 views
Videos like the one above on India Today’s YouTube handle have garnered 200,000+ views as Indian elections, Modi’s swearing in and related political news and drama has taken the Indian streaming world by storm.
The Indian news juggernaut on YouTube alone make up some of the most visited YouTube pages + their videos are the most watched content on Google’s star video platform.
India Today / Aaj Tak
9 million + subscribers on India Today’s YouTube page
The India Today Group, founded in 1975, stands as India’s most respected and diversified media conglomerate, built on the belief that independent media is essential to democracy. Over 45 years, it has established a legacy of credibility, excellence, and trust, remaining committed to the Indian Constitution amidst a polarized media landscape.
Originating with the iconic India Today magazine, the Group has expanded to include four 24/7 national television channels, 18 digital platforms, and nine magazines, reaching 500 million viewers monthly across various domains. Its news channels, including AajTak and India Today TV, are industry leaders, recognized for their accuracy and journalistic standards.
Aaj Tak: YouTube’s single largest “news” handle with 65 million + subscribers
Known for its innovation and integration of new technologies, the Group operates a state-of-the-art newsroom that delivers content seamlessly across all media platforms - it’s election watch digital dashboard showcasing real time updates to candidate/seat numbers and overall progress from across India was outstanding. Its latest venture, Mobiletak.in, offers 18 niche digital channels catering to mobile-first news consumers.
The India Today Group also hosts influential thought leadership events such as the India Today Conclave, Agenda AajTak, and Sahitya AajTak, addressing diverse societal issues.
Aaj Tak Hits 2.4 Million Peak Concurrency on YouTube During 2024 Election Counting Day
From NDTV India’s 114,000 to Aaj Tak’s 2.4 million, this election saw a massive surge in viewership as digital platforms reaped the benefits of not only Indian but also diaspora viewership. Source: MediaNews4U
Aaj Tak achieved a significant milestone by surpassing 2.4 million peak concurrent viewers on YouTube for its live news coverage during the 2024 Election Counting Day. This peak was recorded on June 4th between 07:00 and 08:59 hrs. Viewer numbers are expected to climb further as the counting process progresses towards the critical phase of government formation.
This achievement solidifies Aaj Tak’s leadership in the digital news arena, particularly within the competitive Hindi news segment. The latest statistics show that Aaj Tak’s peak concurrent viewership reached an impressive 2,416,384, significantly outpacing its nearest rivals.
News18 India followed with a peak of 1,507,274 concurrent viewers, while ABP News secured the third spot with 881,842 peak viewers. Other notable figures include Zee News with 829,397, India TV with 806,086, and News 24 with 629,855 peak concurrent viewers. Additionally, Republic Bharat, Times Now Navbharat, and TV9 Bharatvarsh recorded 331,696, 325,321, and 227,924 peak concurrent viewers respectively.
Digital-first platforms like The Lallantop and NDTV India also demonstrated substantial engagement, with 119,010 and 114,253 peak concurrent viewers respectively.
Advertising Strategies Amidst the ‘24 Indian General Elections
Advertising in the Election Frenzy
Amidst the electrifying buzz of political campaigns and fervent debates, another battleground emerges – the arena of digital and video advertising. As the 2024 elections loom closer, brands geared up nicely to navigate this dynamic landscape with strategic prowess and innovative tactics. From leveraging values to participating in conversations, advertisers are poised to make their mark in this charged atmosphere.
Strategic Advertising Approaches
As the battle for attention intensifies, brands are turning to digital platforms and localized sponsorships to carve out their niche in the crowded media landscape. With the stakes higher than ever, advertisers are embracing a multi-faceted approach to ensure their voices are heard amidst the election cacophony.
Brand Values and Authenticity
According to Parul Mittal, Director, Greenlam Industries, “Authenticity is also key in building brand trust, so it is important to ensure that advertising messages are authentic and genuine. Furthermore, diversifying advertising efforts across multiple platforms can also help brands reach a broader audience and ensure their message is being heard by as many people as possible. Ultimately, the best approach to efficiently navigate ad strategy will depend on the brand’s vision and goals.”
Media Buying and Planning
A spokesperson from EaseMyTrip emphasized, “Early planning enables brands to circumvent the steep surge in ad rates as elections approach, ensuring visibility without excessive expenditure. Moreover, embracing brevity in messaging can further optimize advertising costs and impact. Short, compelling advertisements that convey key messages swiftly are not only cost-effective but are also more likely to capture and retain audience attention amidst the clutter of lengthy ads that generally saturate TV space.”
Media Mix Strategy for Maximum Traction and ROI
News Genre and Brand Advertising
Parul Mittal shared, “Our media mix strategy is focused solely on the News genre, leveraging exclusive network deals on election properties to maximize visibility and impact. With its broad reach and diverse audience, the News genre offers the greatest ROI for our brand during this critical period. By providing a front-row seat to the election process, we can keep our audience informed and engaged while increasing exposure for our brand.”
Digital Platforms and Real-Time Engagement
Leveraging digital platforms to engage in real-time conversations can be highly beneficial. By using social media and streaming platforms, brands can respond quickly to election-related events with relevant, non-partisan content that encourages dialogue and interaction. This strategy not only increases visibility but also enhances consumer engagement by providing valuable information or light-hearted content that relieves the often intense atmosphere of an election season. By focusing on uplifting and uniting messages, brands can successfully participate in election season conversations while fostering a positive connection with their audience.
YouTube: The Digital Campaign Powerhouse
The 2024 general election will be called a “YouTube election,” especially in urban areas. YouTube has emerged as an important tool for electoral campaigning in India, with political parties dedicating resources to livestreams and ads on the platform. Managers of high-profile political campaigns have prioritized growing their YouTube user base to connect with diverse voter groups, increasing spending on Google AdSense and hiring crews to tailor content for YouTube.
Political parties like the Indian National Congress have shown a preference for engaging with YouTube influencers over mainstream journalists to avoid misrepresentation. This digital-first strategy includes real-time engagement, leveraging YouTube’s vast user base of 467 million users to maximize reach and influence.
My Views: YouTube Reigns Supreme in India's ‘24 Elections
Digital Dominance: YouTube's Ascendancy
Amidst the fervor of India's 2024 elections, digital platforms, notably YouTube, have emerged as the cornerstone of political campaigning and advertising. The surge in digital news consumption, exemplified by Aaj Tak's record-breaking peak viewership of 2.4 million during Election Counting Day, underscores the platform's unparalleled reach and influence.
Political Strategy Unveiled: The YouTube Effect
With a user base of 467 million in India, YouTube reigns supreme, outstripping competitors like Facebook and Twitter. Political parties have strategically harnessed YouTube's power, leveraging livestreams, targeted ads, and influencer collaborations to engage directly with voters and shape public opinion.
A New Era of Engagement: Digital-First Approach
This digital-first approach has been particularly evident in the Indian National Congress's preference for YouTube influencers over traditional media channels, highlighting the platform's role as the primary battleground for digital political campaigns.
Advertisers' Adoption: Navigating the Digital Landscape
Advertisers, too, have recognized YouTube's dominance, focusing on authenticity and value-driven messaging to connect with audiences amidst the election frenzy. By adopting early and efficient media buying strategies, brands have maintained visibility in a fiercely competitive media landscape.
YouTube's Electoral Reign: Shaping Political Discourse
In summary, YouTube's unrivaled reach and engagement capabilities have positioned it as the ultimate digital campaign powerhouse in India's 2024 elections, shaping political narratives and advertising strategies with unprecedented impact.
That’s all for today folks. If you enjoyed this breakdown, please consider sharing it with your friends and colleagues.
Not as good as Season 1 & 2, however Season 3 is still an entertaining watch! Basic premise: A comedy-drama, which captures the journey of an engineering graduate Abhishek, who for lack of a better job option joins as secretary of a Panchayat office in a remote village of Uttar Pradesh.
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