How are TV Shows Becoming the Source of Entertainment During this Lockdown?

This is probably the first time in the decade that people have glued themselves to the television. Where there is an unprecedented lockdown to contain the new coronavirus, people are left with almost nothing to be by themselves. All the outdoor activities have been stopped, and even the earning members of the family are sitting idle. While such a situation has impacted the global economy, it has drastically increased the viewership of televisions and smartphones. 

What the Data have to Say?

According to a study done by BARC-Nielsen, the average viewership has increased by 32 million. In India alone, it has crossed over 70 million minutes for television. The average time a person watches their television has risen to 3 hours and 51 minutes. On other hand, same goes for smartphones where the number has gone up to 1 and a half hours. 

The news channel is particular has seen a growth of 62%. Considering regional channels, the numbers are much higher. Even the trend suggests that the urban region is contributing a large portion of the viewership in this too. 

Taking the Road of Nostalgia

With no new shows to air, TV channels have taken the road towards nostalgia. Such a growing number of viewers at a time like these, states the fact that people are enjoying watching the shows they grew up. Some of such examples include the air of Ramayana and Shaktimaan, which was one of the biggest hits of Indian television shows. The same marketing tactic is also being done by Disney, where they asked their viewers to share the first movie or show they have ever watched in the platform. That being said, this is something that’s paying off. 

Looking at the Business Side

Not so long ago, digital markets were the ones to mock traditional marketing. The print media has seen a downfall during the time of lockdown, but not for TV. Telemarketing has started to gain momentum, just like its glorious days. Advertising on TV has just gone skyrocketing. The free commercial time for advertising has gone up by 13%. It certainly seems like someone’s loss has indeed become another’s gain. 

Looking at the broader spectrum, the sectors investing in advertisements include banking and finance, which is followed by food and beverages. As the lockdown is coming towards its end stage, it is not going to change for some time. After all, it takes a lot of time to break a habit, especially when it comes to watching TV. 

Final Thoughts

There is no point in arguing that something like this was inevitable. With people having leisure time in their hands, they are bound to occupy themselves with TV. That being said, if you are a marketer, now is just the right time to look for TV advertisements. This might turn out to be a worthy investment, after all.