www.setindia.com
The overall
canvas is
changing on
multiple
fronts
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CONTENT
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THE CHANNEL
THE CHANNEL
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ISSUE 2 2014
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53
maximise everything that the new
media and digital distribution have
to offer.
Have new platforms like VoD and
multiscreen become a bigger part
of what you do?
The name itself, MSM, stands for
“Multi Screen Media”. I think that
tells you what we are all about. Our
aim is to be available on every
screen that offers content for
entertainment, starting from the big
screen on the wall, all the way to
tablets and multimedia devices
available to the younger and newer
audience. The idea is to move on
from the traditional linear channel
distribution to be available on every
possible screen, big or small.
We have various initiatives in
terms of some OTT products we
have developed. Plus we’ve learned
that some of the long form content
is better served if you make it into a
short form for the smaller devices.
So we have plans for a high level of
customisation to make sure we
have something to offer for every
possible medium.
Recognising this is a huge
opportunity, we have developed
our own OTT product as well as
tying up with distribution
platforms around the world to be
part of their OTT offerings.
What are the main challenges?
Some of the challenges we are
facing are the changes in the
distribution dynamic and the
business models in the digital
world.
Going forward, linear channel
distribution is not something that
suits the habits of the younger or
the newer generation. They prefer
to consume their entertainment
very differently. The challenge is
how we maximise on that. It’s the
same content, but now you’re
offering it in a different
environment across different
models. The problem is how to
retain the market share you have on
the linear channels, then still
optimise on the newer
opportunities offered by the digital
distribution systems.
Do Indian or Indian diaspora
audiences consume content
differently?
It varies across different generations.
As far as the older generations are
concerned, the amount of time they
spend watching TV is a lot more
than their counterparts in the non-
Indian audience. But the younger
and the newer generation are pretty
much the same, because they’ve
grown up in this environment.
Their parents, or the previous
generations, are different in their
need to stay connected to their
roots and with what’s happening
back home. Their affinity for that
content is much greater and hence
they spend more time consuming
that content.
Research has suggested that the
older generation who subscribe to
these premium channels for a
premium price spend the majority
of their time on their own channels
from the South Asian market, as
compared to the mainstream
channels. That is distinctly different
from the younger audience who are
selecting equally from South Asian
and mainstream content. The newer
generation are closer to how the over-
all mainstream audience behaves in
terms of consumption of content.
Are you having to work harder to
keep that younger audience?
I think it’s just like any other thing
in life where the younger
generations are a lot more aware
and a lot more demanding and a lot
more intelligent. The same applies
to our business as well. Younger
audiences are more aware of what
is available to them, and they are a
lot more savvy about how to get the
best of what is on offer.
So you have to be more savvy in
delivering content.
Absolutely. And the way we’re
trying to bridge that is to try and
understand their consumption
behaviour better. We maintain our
core which is being an
entertainment channel. But it’s
important to try to understand how
the consumption behaviour is
changing – by doing more research,
by developing feedback
mechanisms, by staying in touch
with our audience, by doing a lot of
ground activity. This is where
social media comes in very handy.
Whereas in the past you went
with a belief and understanding as
broadcasters or content providers
that you knew what your audiences
wanted, we take a slightly different
approach to say: “Ok, fine. We
think we know. We are doing our
best”. But at the same time stay in
touch with them and work closely
with them to see if the content
resonates or if it needs changing
and then adapt accordingly.
What are the biggest changes
underway for global broadcasters?
The overall canvas is changing. I
see it offering bigger and better
opportunities for us. But we have to
be very savvy and clever as to how
we seize these opportunities, and
it’s not going to be easy. The canvas
is changing on multiple fronts. In
terms of technology and
distribution things are very
different from when we started 20
years ago. It’s completely changed.
In terms of entertainment and
consumption habits, the younger
audience consumes content very
differently from the previous
generations. And in terms of
competition it has become easier for
the newer players to catch up
quickly with the older, established
players, which brings in another
layer of challenge. So I think
staying close to your audience and
understanding what they want and
how they want to consume is going
to play a bigger role in making sure
we retain and grow our market
share.
We at MSM are geared up to
deal with the challenges and to
optimise on the opportunity. OTT
initiatives, strategic alignment with
distribution platforms, continuous
effort on innovative programming
and launching new channels will
ensure future success and help us
maintain our healthy market share
and viewership.
Neeraj Arora, thank you.
