THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON CONSUMER PREFERENCES FOR OTT PLATFORMS

Abstract

1. Film Industry Struggles: COVID-19 slammed the brakes on the film industry, hurting not just moviemaking but related creative fields too. Lockdowns and restrictions stifled growth and profits. 2. Entertainment Goes Online: India's online entertainment scene has boomed in recent years. Faster, cheaper internet and widespread broadband access fueled this rise, along with changing lifestyles. 3. OTT Platforms Take Center Stage: Netflix, Amazon Prime, ALT Balaji, MX Player, TVF - these are just some of the popular OTT platforms redefining Indian entertainment. They offer a vast library of high-quality content like web series, movies, TV shows, sports, and news, all in multiple languages. 4. Binge-Watching and Web Series Craze: Viewers are ditching traditional TV schedules and diving into the world of binge-watching, devouring entire seasons of web series in one go. These serialized shows, released episodically, perfectly fit the on-demand viewing habits of young audiences. 5. OTT: Shaking Up Entertainment: OTT platforms, or over-the-top services, deliver digital media directly to viewers via the internet, bypassing traditional gatekeepers like cable companies. This has disrupted the TV landscape by offering live channels and specialized content streamed directly over the public internet. 6. Watch Anywhere, Anytime: The beauty of OTT is its accessibility. You can catch your favorite shows on almost any device - Android or iOS phones, smart TVs, tablets, laptops, desktops, even gaming consoles. Benefits of OTT: User-friendly interfaces, affordable subscriptions, the convenience of watching on your own schedule, and a massive library of content - these are just some of the reasons why OTT platforms are here to stay.