BackBroadcasters spin-off TV shows for streaming services
With the huge shift of viewers from TV to OTT, it is clear that the latter is becoming the primary platform of content consumption for the masses, especially in metros
PremiumNEW DELHI: To hook new customers and engage their loyal fans, broadcasters are increasingly taking spin-offs or some versions of their popular TV shows to OTT platforms.
Disney+ Hotstar, that will premiere Star network’s celebrity talk show Koffee With Karan in a few weeks, is already streaming a spin-off of its popular soap Anupamaa titled Namaste America which takes the protagonist 20 years back in time. Netflix too had planned a spin-off on the Baahubali franchise based on a back story of one of the characters though the show is on hold for now.
The success of shows like Qubool Hai 2.0 on ZEE5 (a sequel to Zee’s 2012 serial) and Bigg Boss OTT on Voot last year, has encouraged TV channels to leverage their hot shows online. Media analysts said more and more women turning to watching content online is also responsible for such innovations. However, given the demand for high quality on the web, content costs can double in many cases.
“These are extremely popular franchises built on television, and with the growth in consumption on streaming, there is an opportunity to build them on that front too," said Ferzad Palia, head, Voot Select, Voot Kids and international business, Viacom18. “On television, shows are limited by duration of episodes whereas on digital there is scope for heightened experiences through exclusive shoulder content", Palia added. Shoulder content refers to highlights or shorter clips of the show.
Popular shows and films have their existing loyal viewer base and extending them into digital franchises allows OTT platforms to keep these viewers engaged or involved, said Keerat Grewal, partner at media consulting firm Ormax. Namaste America, a spin-off of Star Plus’s widely watched Anupamaa garnered an estimated opening of 10.5 million views, making it one of the highest openings for an SVoD (subscription video-on-demand) film or show launched this year, she said.
With the huge shift of viewers from TV to OTT, it is clear that the latter is becoming the primary platform of content consumption for the masses, especially in metros, said Prashant Deorah, CEO, Puretech Digital, a Mumbai-based digital agency. “Creating a digital version of the show not only helps retain the audience but also opens doors to new ones. Like Marvel that has its own universe with spin-offs and they have an audience right from kids to the elderly, globally. Maybe this is what show-makers are trying to create -- a universe of their own touching all the mediums they can," Deorah said.
TV channels spend crores in building big shows, and spin-offs bring a new avatar to help milk and sustain the franchise, said Harikrishnan Pillai, co-founder and CEO, TheSmallBigIdea, a digital and social media marketing agency.
“The idea is two-fold: One, to reach out to the audience which has permanently switched to OTT and does not have a cable connection anymore. Two, to re-target and catch hold of the audience which goes to OTT platforms to overcome the fatigue from poor quality content (on TV)," said Sidharth Singh, co-founder of marketing agency CupShup. Moreover, the following that writers, directors and cast have on social media helps in generating views as the content is easily accessible unlike a TV show which is based on appointment viewing, he added.
The difference between the traditional television audience and the new OTT audience isn’t as stark anymore, said Shruti Deora, head, partnerships at digital agency White Rivers Media adding that a core of the television audience is looking at OTT as the convenient option with the rise of connected TVs. “OTTs audiences have evolved over the years and gone beyond the metro cities. Women aged 35 and above, who were the prime consumers of television content seem to have taken to this promise of flexibility and convenience," Deora added. According to Ormax, about 23 million people, or 8% of the urban television watching population above 15 years, switched to original content on streaming platforms for the first time during the lockdown with 57% of them being women, the primary target for general entertainment channels.
But given that digital audiences demand high quality content, broadcasters and platforms will need to invest in revamping older shows to appeal to them, making for even 100% increase in investments, said Karan Taurani, senior vice-president, Elara Capital Ltd. “They will definitely be spending more," he said.
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