Live streaming has been around since the 1990s, a decade when the streaming of a basketball match, live concert and an interview with then-US president Bill Clinton showcased the possibilities streaming offered. In 2005, streaming experienced its big breakthrough when YouTube emerged, allowing people to stream videos, and later, in 2008, the platform hosted its first live stream event. In 2011, people began live streaming gaming on Twitch. Not long after, social media got in on the craze.
Like in many parts of the world, streaming is popular in India. According to data on the website of consumer and market data company Statista, streaming, especiallygaming, has become massive in India. The variety of entertainment available through it has made it a big hit. Below is a look at the explosion of this in India and at the different forms it takes within the country.
Streaming: exploding in popularity
India simply loves streaming in its many different varieties and has seen the growth of the creator economy in India. Talented content creators have seen an opportunity in live streaming to express themselves freely, reach a broad audience and earn money from their phones. Streaming is also empowering fans to chat with creators, connect with them, engage with them and build communities with them in their preferred language.
Netflix, of course, become synonymous with streaming, but another network, the TV giant Star Network has become massive in India. The platform sensed early the way the wind was blowing and launched a digital platform to offer its many different shows.
Game streaming
India has shown a special fondness for video games specifically in this realm, and has flocked to platforms such as Twitch and YouTube to follow gaming influencers. However, they’ve shifted more towards more localized platforms such as Jiogameswatch and RooterLoco, which are more personalised and provide better monetary incentives for creators on the platforms.
This has caused viewership and engagement to surge across platforms. By 2029, according to data on Statista’s website, the number of users within the live game streaming market is estimated to reach 124.6 million users.
One streaming-focused game that’s been a huge hit across the nation is Crazy Time. Crazy Time is a live game that combines elements of a TV game show with slot gaming. All players have to do is spin the wheel and place a bet on where they think it will stop. The game features several bonus rounds, including the pachinko wall and the cash hunt.
Sports streaming
Sports streaming is massively popular in India. The population especially loves cricket and research has found people in urban areas to be major subscribers to sports platforms, much of these driven by cricket, whichhas a keen, extensive following.
Even though media rights cost big money, streaming platforms feel the investment is worth it to capture the attention of cricket-loving fans and have been ploughing money into cricket coverage. The success of the IndianPremier League (IPL) is one example of successful streaming. In the battle for fans, some channels have been bucking the trend and offering free streaming of (some) cricket events.
Regional content streaming
Regional platforms are experiencing massive popularity for a variety of reasons. Growing internet penetration, affordable data plans and demand for content in local languages have triggered the spike in these platforms. India has high linguistic diversity and, since platforms such as Netflix have conquered English-speaking markets, demand has increased for content in Indian languages. India’s regional platforms are catering to a more diverse audience.
Music streaming
Music streaming has grown in popularity over the last few years. Bollywood soundtracks are a favourite, but Indian audiences are also into ‘non-film music.’ In this category, India loves pop music. Some experts have attributed the success of this to the focus of labels Sony and Universal, who have focused on boosting the growth of non-film music in recent years whileestablishing themselves in India.
Regional music is highly popular too, of course. Streaming apps connect listeners with music from their region, considering their location, and promote music they can discover.
Spotify is a go-to for Indian citizens who want to discover international acts, whereas despite the focus of Apple Music focuses on international acts it’s more the app for Indian independent artists. YouTube is the platform to beat, however, as many Indians turn to the video streaming channel before others even for music.
Streaming is extremely popular in India. Platforms such as Netflix don’t have it all their way in the marketbecause they face stiff competition from regional platforms that are meeting demands for content in local languages. Other types of streaming Indians have developed a strong affinity for include podcasts and viewer-friendly platforms such as ad-support video-on-demand (AVOD) and free ad-supported TV streaming (FAST).