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BARC’s Elbert D’Silva on kids’ viewership trends, NTO impact & category growth prospects
MUMBAI: According to BARC India data, Kids’ segment is only three per cent of the overall advertising space on television, with GEC and News channels accounting for the larger pies. However, with Kids’ segment contributing 20 per cent of total viewership on television, there is a great opportunity for creators to produce localised content and advertisers to explore this category.
BARC India head product leadership and excellence Elbert D’Silva gave a presentation at KAM Summit organised by Animation Xpress on 30th August. D’Silva spoke on the market trends, Kids viewership trends and data, NTO impact on genre, and industry growth.
“There is a myth that viewers are moving towards digital but according to data viewership on television is still holding strong. 20 per cent of total viewership is contributed from Kids viewership. The time spend on television by kids from 2 years to 14 years is around 3 hours 32 minutes. Kids in urban Indi spend more time watching TV than rural. In Urban area the time spend on TV is around 3 hours 58 minutes and in rural is 3 hours 15 minutes. 2 to 14 years old kids in urban India contributes 59 per cent of kids viewership,” said BARC India head product leadership and excellence Elbert D’Silva at the recently concluded Kids Animation and more (KAM) Summit KAM organised by Animation Xpress.
According to a FICCI report, he pointed out, animation, VFX and post production industry grew by 18 per cent in 2018 and is expected to reach Rs 127.6 billion by 2021. Currently the industry is growing at 30 per cent. There is huge demand for kids content not only on OTT but also on TV. Domestic demand over digital and other platforms for animation is also growing.
“90 per cent of viewership is on animated content be it movie, serial or any other form. Animation is dominant player in the kids segment on television. Within that movies tend to have higher affinity towards viewership while serial falls in second bucket,” said D’Silva.
When it comes to gender, BARC data also states that boys show greater affinity towards kids channels. In the viewership of kids genre, boys contribute 59 per cent and girls 41 per cent of total viewership.
Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Assam are states clocking high consumption of kids content, with a large share of viewership being accounted for by central India. In the south language market, Tamil Nadu spends a lot of time on TV and that holds for kids viewership as well. As a genre, kids is the third most dominant after GEC and movies.
In terms of the new tariff order’s impact, D’Silva said, “During the NTO, there was some amount of disruption in terms of consumption in kids genre. But the genre redesigned with the increasing trends lead by summer vacation. Post NTO we are seeing upward moment in kids viewership.”
BARC data also offered an understanding in terms of age group and time spent. 2 to 8 years olds spend more 25 to 30 minutes more on kids channels as compared to 9 to 14 years olds on a daily basis. 9 to 14 year olds have a more diverse taste in terms of TV viewership. The ‘prime time’ in a sense for kids viewership is between 8 AM to 12 PM and before GECs’ primetime i.e. 6 PM to 8 PM.
“Kids is an important segment and in India we have large population operating in that space. But unfortunately the segment is only three per cent of the overall advertising market. Most of the ads that are telecasted are on GECs and News channels on television,” D’Silva stated.
He further opined that there is there is scope for more advertisement on kids channels, with a great opportunity for content creators to cater to both young and older kids’ audience.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
