eNews
India’s OTT users at 547M paid subscriptions stuck at 100M by Ormax report
Mumbai: Media consulting firm Ormax Media has released the latest edition of India’s largest audience research to size the OTT universe in the country, titled The Ormax OTT Audience Report: 2024. Based on a sample size of 12,000 across urban and rural India, the research was conducted in June and July of 2024.
Select findings of the report released by Ormax Media reveal that the Indian OTT audience universe is currently pegged at 547.3 Million (or 54.73 Crore) people. This translates to a penetration of 38.4 per cent. The 13.8 per cent growth in the universe vis-à-vis 2023 is entirely driven by the AVOD audience, which grew by 21 per cent, while the SVOD segment witnessed a degrowth of 2 per cent. The report defines an OTT audience who watched at least one online video (free or paid) in the last one month. The report breaks down this universe by gender, age, NCCS, pop strata, states, and cities.
Speaking about the findings of the report, Ormax Media head of business development (streaming, TV & brands) Keerat Grewal said: “While the overall expansion rate of the OTT universe has stably been around the 13 per cent mark post-pandemic, this year’s report highlights the significant role of AVOD segment in expanding the universe. The growth is driven by AVOD audiences, with most new entrants into the category watching video content only on YouTube and social media. The stagnation in SVOD audience size also reflects the trend whereby free content is driving OTT growth in small towns and rural India”.
The report reveals that India has 99.6 Million active paid (B2C) OTT subscriptions, a number very similar to last year. The average number of platforms subscribed to per paying audience member decreased from 2.8 to 2.5 in 2024, highlighting the waning need among audiences to subscribe to too many platforms.
This year’s report also elaborates on various devices used by the OTT audience in India to watch online video content. Smartphones have emerged as the most preferred device to watch online video content with 97 per cent of the Indian OTT audience using it, and a sizeable 81 per cent audience watching OTT content only on their smartphone. The connected TV audience base is estimated at 69.7 Million.
Elaborating on the significance of the report, Grewal said: “This year’s report offers an in-depth look at the dynamic growth and future trajectory of the OTT landscape in India, that can help OTT platforms and agencies with growth strategy, acquisition and retention decisions, revenue planning and content strategy. We have also expanded the scope of this year’s report to provide insight into devices of consumption, which will help in defining distribution strategy. This report stands as a testament to Ormax Media’s ongoing commitment to providing insights that empower platforms, production companies, and agencies to enhance profitability through data and analytics.”
The full report is available by subscription for streaming platforms, production companies, media agencies and other companies associated with the OTT category in India.
eNews
Piyush Thakur steps down as Inshorts’ chief revenue officer
Former vice president and cro says exit marks a new chapter after close to a decade of building revenue and partnerships at Inshorts Group.
NOIDA: Piyush Thakur has stepped away from Inshorts Group after nearly 10 years with the company, marking the end of a long tenure that culminated in his role as chief revenue officer.
In a farewell note, Thakur said he was “turning a new page” after almost a decade at Inshorts, calling it one of the hardest professional decisions he has made. He added that his exit was not driven by uncertainty about the future, but by reflection on a long association with the company.
Thakur joined Inshorts in October 2016 as vice president and spent around seven years in the role before being elevated to chief revenue officer in April 2024, a position he held until April 2026.
He said his tenure was defined by “thousands of mornings, late nights, product debates and breakthrough moments”, as the company evolved into a large-scale digital news platform used by millions.
In his note, Thakur emphasised that Inshorts’ growth was a collective effort across teams, adding that engineers, designers, sales teams and customer support staff all contributed to building the platform. He said the company’s success was not the result of individuals but of “everyone who stayed, passed through, and left their mark”.
Before Inshorts, Thakur worked across several digital media and business development roles. At ESPN, he served as senior regional manager from October 2015 to October 2016, focusing on growth initiatives, strategic opportunities and video distribution.
At Times Internet, he worked for nearly three years, including as head of business development from April 2015 to September 2015 and chief manager from January 2013 to March 2015. His responsibilities included monetisation of mobile platforms, managing media and developer partnerships, and driving revenue across digital properties such as The Times of India and The Economic Times.
Earlier, he worked at Brandmovers as head of business development from June 2012 to June 2013, handling digital, mobile and social media marketing solutions, client development and strategic consulting. During this period, he also worked on advertising revenue, brand strategy and CRM-based solutions.
At Inshorts, Thakur’s role focused on revenue strategy, mobile and media partnerships, and growth initiatives across platforms. His profile highlights experience in mobile product management, digital business models, partner ecosystems and revenue expansion in high-growth environments.
