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OTT Viewership and Pandemic: A study on New Trends of online video content
and cinema hall footfalls

Conference Paper · February 2021

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 OTT Viewership and Pandemic:
A study on New Trends of online video content and cinema hall footfalls.

Dr. Gajendra Awasya Manoj Kumar Patel

Assistant Professor, Research Scholar,
Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University Jagran Lakecity University, Bhopal
Of Journalism & Communication, Bhopal
_____________________________________________________________________

ABSTRACT

Today the world is going through an epidemic situation. In such a situation, it is the biggest challenge
to make better use of your time at home. But the new trends in technology and the availability of audio-
video content made our problem much easier. One of them is OTT (Over The Top) video streaming
services platforms like Netflix, Hotstar, Amazon Prime and Zee5, etc. In the era of this technology and
the Internet, everyone likes to spend their free time in front of the digital screen, where they have many
options to see. The ever-increasing viewership of the OTT video streaming services and the big star's
inclination towards this platform justifies this. Today, the time we spent looking at our screens has
increased immensely. As the cinema halls shut and film release has been suspended nationwide, this
technological shift by the internet has created a new kind of viewing experience and that might end up
changing the collective movie-watching experience in cinema hall which result in a dent in the footfall
whenever the screens open again.

This change in viewing experience created by OTT has a greatest fear for cinema hall owners. This
paper tries to analyse the impact of these new trends, especially increasing OTT video streaming
platforms viewership in lockdown, to assess the future of collective watching experience in India. It
frames the attitude of Indian people towards cinema halls by assessing different vantage points that
mark shifts in the watching experience. In the end, it gives the conclusion and recommendation
contextualized the immensely increasing OTT viewership during lock down and its resultant effects on
the collective watching experience.

Keywords – OTT, Online Streaming, Viewership, Cinema Hall, Lockdown, Pandemic

1.1 INTRODUCTION –

In the rapidly growing video marketing space, it’s essential to stay ahead of emerging trends. As
technology is changing very fast, there was a time when the primary source of entertainment for Indian
households was the television. There would have been television in the entire locality and everyone
used to sit and watch it at the same time, whereas today it is the age of OTT where every person has a
smartphone in which he can watch any kind of content anytime.

Amidst all this, the dominance of watching movies in the cinema hall has always remained. But now
this domination is suspected. Most big-ticket movies in the USA have been pushed to later this year,
some even to next year. Similarly, in India, the theatrical release of all major films has been indefinitely
postponed. But OTT platforms are buzzing with activity. Especially after the lockdown in India, with
the OTT channel gaining such a large number of viewers, people have gained a new kind of viewing
experience, which can be said if it continues after this So there will be a lot of concern for cinema hall
owners. This change in viewing experience created by OTT has the greatest fear for cinema hall
owners.

According to the Global Web Index report, India's streaming market is one of the biggest and fastest-
growing in the world with biggies like Voot, AltBalaji, Zee5 and MX Player. The country's video
market is valued at over $700 million and is expected to grow to $2.4 billion by 2023, with the OTT
industry projected to have the highest growth.1 A trend of people viewing multiple content channels at
the same time, along with demand for newer and more exclusive content will force the big budgets
producers and directors to release movies directly on to the OTT channels rather than Cinema halls
like Vidya Balan-starrer Shakuntala Devi Biopic will premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime Video
and the first time that Amitabh Bachchan will witness the worldwide premiere of his film on a digital
platform. His new film ‘Gulabo Sitabo’, also starring Ayushmann Khurana, was supposed to release
in April but couldn't make it to the theatres because of the lockdown. In the lockdown period, quality
content on OTT platforms is in great demand which is smartly fulfilled by OTT channels. It provides
more variety in OTT channels and so in the future this dynamic watching experience will affect the
cinema hall footfalls after the lockdown period. Also, OTT services have created a parallel medium for
the same content. The same content might be censored in cinemas and Television but due to lack of
policy, there is no regulation on such content on paid OTT services. Due to which, lots of abusive and
murky content is being presented on OTT in the form of Web Series.
OTT viewership only due to lock down or is the change being felt much earlier? This study depends
on this research question. This study explores new trends that emerged as Online video content and it
also explores the effect in collective movie-watching habits in the cinema hall with friends and family,
which is a different fun, but this new trend of OTT may be a change our habits and also the influence
the future footfalls of a cinema hall in the post-pandemic the situation through survey method. The
next section presents a search for analysis and study based on the percentage of the survey given.
Finally, this research paper is then discussing the result of the finding and its conclusion.

1.1.1. TECHNOLOGY DETERMINISM –

Technology Determinism is the term coined by American sociologist, Thorstin welben, which
states that the transformation in society is brought by the change in technology. As technology
develops and new media appear, society needs to adapt itself to such technology. The adaption, in this
case, might mean changing the way regulation. Technology determinism functions in varying degrees
depending upon the strength of the casual link between the change in technology and change in society.
Soft technology determinism accepts the technology as a major driver for change but also recognize
the role of other factors.2 There is third wave of technology determinism which emerged in 21st century
with coming of internet which has changed the pace of life.3

The critiques of technology determinism theory state that technology cannot be the only force that can
drive change in society. Technology itself emerged from environment that is determined by politics
and economics. From the theory of technology, determinism flows the theory of media determinism.
Marshall McLuhan established the theory of media determinism from his famous theory of “Media is
the message”.4 It means that the way that we send and receive information is more important than the
information itself. He considers media as the extension of human sense and personal energies and a
force that alters our perception of social realities. It was McLuhan who first spoke about technology
and communication has the ability to create a “global village.” The term global village describes the
phenomenon of the entire world becoming more interconnected as the result of the propagation
of media technologies throughout the world. In order to study a particular form of media, the history
where that medium did not exist can be explored in order to understand the consequences of the change
in medium.5 Hence a medium can be understood as the driving force for the policy changes but at the
same time, it is also important to explore the political, cultural and economic tipping points in the
context of change in the medium. It is important to establish the effects of change not just determined
by the medium but also by the other factors that affect human behaviour. Hence, in order to study
media in any context, it is important to look at the medium in the context of socio-cultural realities.6
1.1.2. OVER THE TOP AS A NEW TRENDS –

New technology is the new trend. Whenever a new technology comes into the market, it becomes a
new trend, and it stays in the trend till another new technology comes. One such technology is (OTT)
Over The Top, which has made traditional technology outdated. It includes video streaming services
platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hotstar, and many more. There are always OTT (Over The Top)
is the term which is used worldwide for the video streaming content services which are accessible
through high-speed internet on your smart gadgets and also bypass the traditional distribution like
cable, DTH and Cinema. OTT or “Over-the-top”
refers to video content streamed through the internet
and not through broadcast or cable television. It
includes subscription-based services, free, ad-
supported services and pay-to-watch streams offered
by services including iTunes and Video on demand.7
Though it is very easy to access anywhere at any time.
Also, the OTT provides all the content on the single
platform which involves the theory on which this study
relying is the use and gratification theory.8 It explains
how people use the media for their own needs and get
satisfied when their needs are fulfilled. People tend to
get interact, receive knowledge, relax, be aware, and
entertain themselves through the media which they find
convenient to use for interpersonal communication as
well. In other words, it can be said that the theory argues
what people do with media rather than what the media
does to people. Now, with very limited releases of
movies because of the pandemic situation what
everyone is finding solace in are the OTT platforms. In
fact, web shows have become the best tool for people to
ward off boredom, and the platforms, too, are ensuring
that the audience is spoilt for choice. It just not increased
the OTT viewership but also changing the viewer’s
watching habits. According to a recent survey by mobile
marketing platform InMobi, the viewership for movies especially has gone up across the platforms.
Cinema streaming service MUBI has seen a 28% rise in viewership on its platform in March 2020, as
compared to February 2020.9 Where some of the media reports like cinema Dosti claims to have seen
a 25% increase in video downloads and a 67% increase in revenue from subscriptions during this
lockdown period.
 When we talk about OTT, It doesn’t have any official definition but in 2011, the Canadian
Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), Canada's telecom regulator, stated
that “it considers that Internet access to programming independent of a facility or network dedicated
to its delivery (via, for example, cable or satellite) is the defining feature of what have been termed
'over-the-top' services". First independent OTT platform introduces by Reliance named “BigFix” in
India in 2008.10 Then Ditto TV (ZEE) and Sony Liv were introduced in 2013. The rise of OTT in India
begins with the arrival of the Global OTTs like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hotstar in 2016-17. The
big bang launch of Hotstar, supported by multi-million-dollar marketing and promotion blitzkrieg,
ensured a top-of-the-mind recall of the product. The international and national players followed soon
with Netflix switching on its service in India in January last year, followed by Voot from Viacom18
and Amazon’s Prime Video finally launching in December last year. The chain reaction was set in
motion with the launch of Reliance Jio in October 2016, which got into the mainstream over 70 million
mobile internet users with free hi-speed 4G internet.11 That opened the floodgates for OTT players and
helped the companies add new subscribers and increase time spent on the platforms. And while there
is bandwidth available now, the key factors remain compelling content and seamless user experience.

1.3 OBJECTIVIES OF THE STUDY

The objective of this paper is to propose a conceptual framework which attempts to analyse the factors
of viewership during the lockdown in India. Also, it identifies factors such as watching the experience
of viewers will affect the future footfalls of the cinema halls. Furthermore, it studies the various reasons
for OTT content This study will help OTT players and cinema hall owner’s in designing strategies to
overcome the OTT threat and also in identifying changing consumer needs, thereby helping them
design offerings to suit their needs. In order to formulate the framework, we formulate the following
research questions -

• To study the New trends that emerged as Online Video Content.

• To study the impact of OTT viewership on cinema hall footfalls in post pandemic situation
also the change in collective movie watching experience and habits?

LITERATURE REVIEW –

In every social media are an integral part of the superstructure. It plays a major role in information
dissemination. Particularly in the rapidly changing world media in the last five years, technology was
undoubtedly the driving force behind people's live diversity. The nationwide Lockdown situation
resulted in a sudden growth in online viewing percentage. In a survey conducted by InMobi a
Marketing Platform for Smartphones there was a 46% hike in online content viewing. There was also
an alteration in consumption primetime of OTT which changed to 7 pm from 10 pm to 12 am.12
According to a Google Trends report, OTT leading platforms like Netflix and Hot star were the most-
searched OTT platforms since March 1, 2020. Similarly, Daily average users for Amazon Prime had a
hike of whooping 83 percent, which meant there was an ever-growing appetite for Content
Consumption since the lockdown.13

Similarly, in a report “Reboot to a New Normal” which detailed factors like consumption pattern and
media usage by Publicis Groupe stated that in the first month of Lockdown OTT registered a 34 %
increase in time spent by the users.

The internet is reaching a common man today, and social media played an incredible role in the
media. 14 Media consumption behaviour of the Users that higher percentage of Audience watched
content in night and at a two-hour daily basis.15 The latest hike was a subject to research that did the
media habits and watch time drastically altered during Lockdown as more time was being spent with
the family. Also, as Singh’s research said that Movie watching habits were second preferred content
after web series and the audience was already widening in the year 2019 as reported by Research Firm
Kantar.

According to the same research in the year 2019 that older age groups averaging 35 to 44 years, and
45 to 54 years, showed growth increase in OTT viewership consumption at 18%, and 63% respectively.
And the wider audience already showed interest in subscription-based platforms.

Media Consumption Timing had an interesting result is that the OTT viewership was divided into a
variety based on Age group and content.16 The morning slot was dominated by the Elderly viewers,
whereas the afternoon observed more viewership by the Middle-Aged people in comparison to Elderly
or Young ones which were the maximum consumers during Night time. With the internet and mobile
penetration increasing by the day, the future of OTT looks bright. Although people have started
investing a lot of time and money on OTT platforms, it is difficult to say that it will ever replace
television as a primary video consumption platform.17
The most important report which led us to this research was that doomsday films like Contagion
which was based on a similar fictional virus pandemic along with Zombieland: Double Tap were the
most watched films. 18 Report further added that the documentary Pandemic: How to Prevent an
Outbreak now was another top viewed Content on respective streaming platform. Netflix a major
player of OTT streaming had a similar trend again, because another pandemic apocalyptic film such as
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, a sci-fi movie in which humanity is wiped out because of a T-Virus
outbreak was on top in consumer viewership.

So, it was interesting to learn out further about the viewership Media habits consumption that did the
segregated distribution changed into a collective movie watching habit as this was the most prominent
gap in all of the research sourced.
Methodology and Research Design

The research done for this study will be a mixed method approach as this study is based on
Report/Document analysis and survey method. Through reports and documents analysis we try to find
the reasons behind the increasing number of viewership of OTT video streaming services in India.
There is not much study on this so far, so we will have to take recourse to media reports and documents.
Through Survey method we used to find the collective movie watching habits and cinema hall footfalls
by using simple random sampling selection technique.
The study is framed in quantitative paradigm. We use online Questionnaire for data collection. Online
Survey through google forms was conducted. Respondents are selected from Bhopal Region (between
age group of 18-40 years) People who have been watching movies in the cinema hall at least 2 to 3
times before the lockdown and who also watch and aware of the major OTT channels like Netflix,
Amazon Prime, Disney Hot star, ZEE5. The data from the respondents was collected with the help of
structured questionnaire consisting of close ended questions. “A questionnaire is a research instrument
consisting of a series of questions for the purpose of gathering information from respondents.”

Data Interpretation and Analysis

New age audiences are increasingly looking for fresh, relatable, and engaging content and are willing
to shed an extra penny to seek a completely transformative experience. This is one of the main reasons
behind the increasing numbers of viewers and subscribers of OTT video streaming services. Also, due
to the closure of the cinema hall and repeat content telecast on Television has also one of the reasons
for its increasing viewership. OTT (Over-the -Top) is an evolution in media broadcasting which affects
the audience of every country including India.19 OTT is the change which explored the audience to the
bigger world providing easy access to it. It is a platform where consumption of audio or video content
is done using Internet directly. OTT is the game of subscriptions, the platform with highest subscription
leads the way. According to the “GlobalWebIndex report, India's streaming market is one of the biggest
and fastest-growing in the world with biggies like Voot, AltBalaji, Zee5 and MX Player. The country's
video market is valued at over $700 million and is expected to grow to $2.4 billion by 2023, with the
OTT industry projected to have the highest growth.” This story is not there yet, it has been since once
the tyranny of data ends that is when users move away from snacking on content to spending time on
high quality, curated content. In fact, with falling data prices and free service from Jio, between the
months of June 2016 and January 2017, total time spent on social media witnessed a 40% jump, while
on video apps it was up by 135%. Hotstar, meanwhile, saw a 400% jump in its time spent during the
same period.20

Faster broadband, cheaper smart TV sets and proliferation of video streaming services will have an
impact on the film industry in general and multiplexes in particular and lockdown has added fuel to
such situation. Opting for a digital release may seem like a smart choice for filmmakers in this time of
a lockdown. However, film theatre owners, their integral business partners for long, are not too pleased
with this change in tack. The film exhibition sector is dealing with zero revenue and the biggest loss
ever to their business.

Interestingly, apart from recent films such as Chhapaak, Tanhaji (both on Hotstar), and Street Dancer
3D (on Amazon Prime), doomsday films such as Contagion (based on a fictional virus pandemic),
Zombieland: Double Tap and the documentary “Pandemic: How To Prevent An Outbreak” now figure
among the top watched films on their respective streaming platforms. On Netflix again, films such as
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, a sci-fi movie in which humanity is wiped out because of a T-Virus
outbreak is on top besides filmmaker Imtiaz Ali’s SHE, a web show, is trending at Number 1.

To know the viewers changing behaviour or habit of collective watching experience during lockdown
period, we use survey method. Data was collected online through google forms. Some questions were
close ended and some open ended. Basically, questions were asked to know the factors of watching
habits of Indian viewers and their perception towards the future of cinema industry due to over the top
applications in India.

1. Analysis of R.Q. 1 - Respondents of different age group

Research involves the viewers from the age group
AGE
of 18 to 40 years respondents which are further
18-30 31-40
divided into two groups 18-30 years and 30-40
years. 68.5 percent from age group of 18-30 years
32% are involved in the research. They are also
considered the youth viewers which are major stake
68%
holders of online content viewership data. Whereas
28 respondents are from age group of 30-45 years
old which is 31.5 percentage of total population. They are also important in the research as these people
are rich in every way to see online content and also fond to watching movies in cinema hall.

2. Analysis of R.Q. 2 - Education Status

There are also the respondents involved
with different educational background
like 82% which are almost 73
respondents, are the post graduates, 26.9%
almost 15 respondents are the graduates
and remaining are from school. This study
shows that the respondents who done their
postgraduate degree are very much like to watch the over the top video content. Whereas the
respondents from graduation level are not much interested in the content shown by different video
content served by OTT platforms. This is may be due to pressure of online study during lockdown from
different level or due to the parents monitoring.

3. Analysis of R.Q. 3 - Marital Status

One of the major factors which effect of OTT
viewership is marital status of viewer for
obvious reasons. As both viewers have major
stake in increasing the viewership of any
medium because of different factors like
time, money, resources, status etc. In this
research also 56 respondents which is 62.9%
are the unmarried viewers and remaining 37.1% are the married viewers. Unmarried viewers have one
of the benefits is the time. More time you have more you glued with the mobile screen. During
lockdown, OTT was the only way of entertainment and the source of new and fresh content. These
viewers have no choice to entertain ourselves except OTT. Watching OTT content is become the
compulsion and also a necessity. On other hand married viewers have other responsibilities rather than
watching video content, due to which they are able to devote less time on these things.

4. Analysis of R.Q. 4 - Gender

Study analysis that female gender has lesser

interest than male viewers to watching
online video content even in the lockdown
period. 71.9 percent male viewers watching
online video content though OTT platforms
whereas only 28.1 percent female viewers
are preferers to respond. One of the reasons
may the uncensored content like abusive and sexual content served in the OTT platforms which are
mostly liked by younger male audience.

5. Analysis of R.Q. 5 - Watch OTT Content?

Out of 89 respondents 96.6% people are
responded to be yes, they are watching
OTT content but remaining 3.4%, which
is equivalent to 3 respondents, were
accepted that they are not watching OTT
content. It also analyses that there some
respondents who still don’t watch OTT
 content in this pandemic and lockdown situation and preferred to watch traditional medium. In
the favour of study, we are not considering that 3.4% respondents in the further study which are
almost equivalent to 3 respondents. It means 86 respondents will be considered for further
questions.

6. Analysis of R.Q. 6 – If Yes, How much time do you spend to watch OTT video content
daily?
In responding to this question 66.3%
viewers respond that they spend 0-2 hours
to watching the OTT applications.
Approximately 24.7% viewer’s use these
applications for 2 to 4 hours and nearly 9%
respondents says they spending more than
4 hours to watch OTT applications in a
day. Our study analysis that maximum viewers like to watch OTT video content about 0-2 hours in a
day which is good enough to spent a time on entertainment. But the people who spend 2-4 hours in a
day or more than 4 hours to watch online video content in a day is considered to be caught in it. These
viewers probably will not able to return to our traditional medium even after the pandemic as they
changed their watching habits.

7. Analysis of R.Q. 7 - How many OTT channels have you currently subscribed to?

Subscription of an OTT application is

another important factor as subscription is
proportional to viewership of any OTT
application. Therefore, the second question
we asked that how many OTT channels you
currently subscribed to. 65.2% viewers are
satisfied with to 0 to 2 OTT channels
subscription whereas 20.2 % viewers subscribed to 2 to 4 channels and remaining 14.6% viewers
subscribed to more than 4 OTT channels who spent most of their time to watching it. The maximum
viewers want to see variety of content but with minimum subscription of OTT channels. Those who
are able to watch more content, they like to subscribe 2-4 OTT channels and the respondents who
subscribed more than 4 OTT channel have got must be used to it and don’t want to miss the content.
 8. Analysis of R.Q. 8 - How much time spend to watch OTT before Pandemic?
We moved to the next question that how
frequently you are going to watch cinema
in a month before the lockdown. 82%
viewers are stated that they are usually
went to 0 to 2 times in a month to watch
cinema in cinema hall. 13.5% viewers are
used to watch 2 to 4 times in a month go
to watch movie in cinema hall. Remaining 4.5% viewers went more than 4 times in month to cinema
hall to watch movies. Maximum respondent like to watch movie at least 0-2 times per month in cinema
hall. This is due to; it is considered a quality outing. The luxury and the charm of the big screen is
another factor to watch a movie in the cinema hall.

9. Analysis of R.Q. 9 - Watching content on OTT is cheaper than traditional medium?

Cost and comfort are an important factor

behind using and watching any video content
and the graphics indicating that viewers found
that OTT applications is cheaper and
convenient also than other traditional medium
like DTH and Cinema Hall. Specially in
Lockdown period many OTT distributers
provide different lucrative offers which is definitely looks very good at the moment and also you can
watch this content on smart phone which is very comfortable to watch at any time anywhere. That’s
why 79.8% viewers say Yes, they found OTT based video content cheaper and also convenient than
other traditional medium and 12.4% says they are not able to answer this question. Also 7.8% viewers
do not consider the OTT video content cheaper and convenient as compare to other traditional medium.

10. Analysis of R.Q. 10 - Prefer watching movie in OTT instead of Cinema Hall?

When we talk about movies, there is one more

factor that need to be talked about and that is the
release time of movie. Many people want to see
movie on big screens and on as soon as possible
from release date which was one of the drawbacks
of OTT but not anymore. Study states that 46.1%
viewers prefer to watch movies on OTT platforms
rather than cinema hall as they get the same quality with maximum comfort and minimum cost.
Furthermore, it is indicative of the changing viewing habits of viewers. 41.6% viewers prefer to go the
cinema hall to watch movies and 12.4% are not sure about the answer.

11. Analysis of R.Q. 11 - Watching content on OTT is increased during Lockdown?

Next graphics chart clearly shows that viewers

habit of watching OTT based video content has
increased during the lockdown period as 88.8%
viewers accepting this truth. Remaining 11.2%
either do not believe this or they have not answer
of this question. During the lockdown period
viewers have only two choices of watching video
content either television with repeat telecast of
content or digital content. Quality content is always on demand by viewers and OTT channels grab this
opportunity. Big starrer movies and web series are available on OTT during the lock down period for
the viewers. That’s why 88.8 percent viewers agree with the statement.

12. Analysis of R.Q. 12 - OTT platform might change collective watching habits?

Sitting together and watching movies or any

other video content or spending time on the
pretext is the foundation of our family. After the
arrival of Mobile and internet and then OTT
platforms, the biggest impact is going to be on
this foundation. We asked this question to
viewers that OTT platform might end up
changing the collective movie watching habit. 50.6% viewers agree with the statement. Whereas,
28.1% viewers did not agree and 21.3% viewers are not sure about it.

13. Analysis of R.Q. 13 - Go to cinema hall as before to watch movie in post pandemic
situation?
Things are not as they were before the
lockdown and the same can happen in the case
of cinema halls. When we asked the viewers
that they go to cinema hall to watch films with
their friends and family as frequently as
before. Surprisingly, 57.3% viewers say yes,
they still want to go to watch movies to the cinema hall as before. One of the reasons can also
be the spending quality time with friends and family. 29.2% rejected the earlier method and
13.5% viewers are still under dilemma.
 14. Analysis of R.Q. 14 - Cinema hall footfalls decrease due to OTT platforms?

As OTT channels has increased their viewership

during this lockdown period, the very important
question arises as to whether the habit of watching
OTT video streaming services and its convenient
factors can reduce cinema hall footfalls in future.
Here we got the very interesting data in which
38.2% viewers except the threat for cinema hall owners whereas same number of viewers deny this.
23.6% of the viewers are not able to answer this question. In this situation the respondents who are not
able to answer this question right now may be the reason and responsible for further researches.
Watching the movie cinema hall is considered an outing and work as a freshener for every member of
the family. Also, collective movie-watching experience work in this phenomenon.

FINDING AND CONCLUSION

The way, the new and wide variety content is being catered on the Over The Top video streaming
services and the way, the OTT viewership increased in this pandemic situation will definitely there is
bright future of OTT video streaming services in India and forced the traditional medium like
Television and cinema hall to think about how they can produce better content and comfortable
infrastructure to get more viewers.
1. Our finding shows that the strong attachment of OTT to the audience in the lock-down period
has confirmed that this is the most convenient and accessible technology and also the medium
of future. Smartphone penetration, International collaborations between media moguls and
digital quality of the medium. Cost effectiveness and access liberty (anywhere at any time) is
also one of the reasons behind growth of streaming media in India.
2. All the reports and articles that we have read and go through, we find that in India, the OTT
video streaming service will continue to spread its feet and it is going to have a huge impact in
terms of viewership, on our traditional medium like television and Cinema Hall. As the factors
involved with OTT like cost and comfort and especially uncensored content, it is very difficult
for traditional medium to compete with it.
3. Our findings also show that the viewers collective movie watching habits may change with the
choice of watching content at anywhere and at any time as most of the respondents are agree
with the statement. As this is the most convenient way to watch movie and other content. It also
provides the liberty to watch the content of our choice.
4. In other finding rise in Ott's audience during Pandemic has made one thing clear that the way
OTT allow its viewers to watch content, people are tied to this technology. Now it will be very
 difficult for them to go back to the cinema hall and watch movies. Although some respondents
who like to watch movies in the cinema hall will still like to go there, this number is sure to
come down. OTT video streaming services will surely affect the future footfalls of the cinema
hall.

To summarize, OTT video streaming services become one of the preferred ways for viewing video
content. Variety of content at one place, big starrer production, HD quality, no time bound, uncensored
content and availability of internet are the major factors for its reach and viewership. During lockdown
period as all the cinema halls are closed and TV content are also repeated, the only way of entertainment
is OTT. This is also one of the strong reasons for viewers to get subscribed with more OTT channels.
Also, the releasing of big starrer movie directly on OTT platforms and bypassing all the traditional
medium like TV and cinema hall was another factor for its increasing viewership. It will make great
dent on traditional medium in future in terms of viewership.

Study also conclude that the experience of collective movie watching habits are demolished after the
rise of OTT video streaming services. It was started only after the introduction of mobile and cheap
internet service, but Ott has started the process of ending it completely. Our study conclude that may
be viewers have equal way of thinking about the future footfalls of cinema hall but those who not
preferred to watch movies in cinema hall will affect the future footfalls cinema hall. Major role played
in this by those viewers who are still in dilemma to take decision and also the future services offered
by the cinema halls. But definitely the future footfalls of cinema hall will decrease as the way
viewership of OTT services has increased.

In a nutshell it will be considered that “Over The Top” video streaming services is the technology of
the future and make huge impact on the our collective watching habits and as well as the future footfalls
of cinema hall.

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