iWorld
Time spent on OTT audio streaming apps goes up by 42%
MUMBAI: The COVID19 crisis has changed the average Indian’s life. With schools and colleges being shut coupled with corporates and governments encouraging employees to work from home, Indians in the metropolitan cities are looking at ways to keep themselves entertained and/ or to find “companions”.
Kantar – VTION’s passive OTT Audio Audience Measurement service data reveals that there was a 42 per cent increase (amongst consumers able to consume OTT / streaming audio platforms) in time spent on listening to OTT/ streaming audio apps.
What is driving this growth?
Social distancing is the new norm! with consumers being forced to be housebound in the current environment, a large number of “new users” (consumers who were not tuning into OTT / streaming audio apps in the previous period) have started using these services
Amongst various demographic groups that were analysed, two segments display huge growth in the time spent on listening to OTT/ Streaming Audio apps:
Over 50 per cent growth in the time spent on listening amongst the age group of 18-24 – a reflection of the closure of colleges and youngsters being housebound and looking for alternate entertainment options?
Consumers in the age group of 25-34 have shown a 30 per cent growth in usage – perhaps driven by the fact that they are working from home (WFH) and using the OTT/ streaming apps as a companion medium
In terms of day-wise consumption behaviour, the study shows that new “peaks” are emerging as far as consumption of OTT/ streaming audio apps is concerned. The report reveals a 52 per cent growth in the incidence of listening in the afternoons – between noon to 6 pm. Late night (post-midnight till 6 am in the morning) registers an 80 per cent increase in the incidence of listening, compared to the last month.
Will the current environment change the consumer behaviour? Will the consumers continue to avail of the OTT / Streaming Audio services? Will the medium grow? Only time will tell.
The OTT Audio Audience Measurement offering brings together Kantar’s expertise in media measurement and consumer insights with VTION’s proprietary audience measurement technology and data management framework to provide a unique, comprehensive understanding of audience behaviour, insights for communication planning as well assessment of ROI for media investments across OTT Video platforms, OTT Audio Streaming & Podcasting and Broadcast Radio FM Platforms.
The study is based on a robust sample size of 9000+ stretching across top 9 cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad & Lucknow/Kanpur) among male and female of age group of 18+ and across SEC A, B & CDE.
iWorld
JioStar revenue hits Rs 9,784 crore as cricket fuels 22 per cent growth
A surge in digital viewership and sports dominance fuels a blockbuster quarter for the media giant
MUMBAI: JioStar is batting on a flat pitch. The media titan’s fourth-quarter results for the financial year 2026 reveal a business scaling new heights, propelled by an unprecedented appetite for premium sports and digital-first storytelling.
Gross revenue for the quarter soared by 22.15 per cent to Rs 9,784 crore, up from Rs 8,010 crore in the third quarter. Operationally, the momentum was equally strong; revenue from operations climbed 21 per cent to Rs 8,372 crore. These figures underscore the firm’s successful integration following the Reliance and Disney merger, creating a dominant force in the Indian market.
The annual performance has been nothing short of a spectacle. Full-year gross revenue reached a massive Rs 36,248 crore, while annual profit after tax hit Rs 3,210 crore. This rapid expansion reflects JioStar’s ability to capture and monetise the massive growth in India’s media consumption.
Cricket proved to be the ultimate growth engine. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and TATA IPL 2026 delivered “record-breaking viewership” across both television and digital screens. The World Cup final alone drew a global peak concurrency of 72.5 million on JioHotstar, cementing its status as the nation’s premier streaming destination. On television, JioStar maintained a commanding 34.2 per cent viewership share, reaching a staggering 810 million viewers nationwide.
The digital numbers were just as impressive. JioHotstar averaged 500 million monthly active users, driven by consistent subscriber growth and innovative AI-led content discovery tools. These advancements are ensuring that JioStar remains at the cutting edge of the global “Race for Attention.”
With a firm grip on the country’s most valuable sporting rights and a rapidly growing digital footprint, JioStar is perfectly positioned for the future. It has built the ultimate content powerhouse—one that is ready to dominate the Indian living room for years to come.
