OFFLINE MEDIA – DYING OR EVOLVING?

A comparison between online and offline marketing.

Over the last decade, the Indian digital landscape has seen an immense change in

the way Indians perceive and consume information across platforms. With the

increase in social media interactions, video consumptions and various Digital India

movements by the government and private companies, it is evident that the Indian

population has really got the hang of digital media, and to be precise – online media.

However, this rapid growth has overshadowed the fact that in a country that has an

estimated headcount of approximately 1.38 billion, only one third of the population

lives in the urban sector. And are we saying every urban individual has access to

online media and content?

There’s no denying that the online media is gripping fast but are we really losing

offline media to it? Here are some fun facts:

GROWTH IN TV PENETRATION:

There has been a 24% increase (+100 million) in TV viewership in the last 13 years

(as recorded in 2017).

INDIANS STILL PREFER TV FOR NEWS:

In 2017, 56% people preferred watching news programs on TV while 32% preferred

online platforms for UGC (User-Generated Content) and another 32% preferred

online media to consume comedy clips.

LOVE FOR PRINT WITNESSED GROWTH

The IRS data of 2019 reveals that the overall readership of newspapers has

increased 4.4% and reached 425 million readers. (As per a report by MRUC).

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND:

WE ARE 2nd IN INTERNET USERS

Internet users exceeded 566 million people in India, driven by rural internet growth

and usage. It is now estimated that there are 251 million internet users in rural India,

and this is expected to reach 290 million by the end of 2019.

MOBILE INTERNET WILL BE A HIT

Indian users are expected to spend an average of 79 minutes per day on mobile

internet by the year 2021.

ON-DEMAND CONTENT RISES

Thanks to digital media players such as Netflix, Amazon, and Hotstar, etc., the

traditionally maintained supremacy of the television as the main entertainment hub

has been challenged.

Now, the numbers can be a little confusing, but this is just a transition phase that will

help shape a better, brighter, connected future. While it’s difficult to say that

traditional mediums are dying, the challenges from the online media are bringing

them back on their toes. Besides, as the rural sector is trying its hand on latest

technologies, the not-so-tech-savvy urban population is also reaching out to digital

platforms.

All these changes are leading us to a new India where consumers continue to use

traditional media, even as they embrace new digital channels. The time spent with

digital and traditional channels will continue to increase in tandem - proving that

mediums like TV and print are still healthy contenders.

Sources:

BARC Report, The Changing Face of TV in India, FICCI Frames, 2018

IEBF Media and Entertainment Report, July 2018 & ULTRAXART, India

Media Ecosystems - The Walls Fall Down - KPMG in India's M&E Report 2018