Subscription-based OTT platforms such as Netflix are buying the streaming rights of popular shows that were earlier available for free, and moving them behind the paywall to convert loyal viewers into paid users. For instance, Lock Upp, which earlier streamed on MX Player, and comedian Bhuvan Bam’s series Dhindora from YouTube will now be available on Netflix.
Streaming platforms are increasingly adopting this strategy to expand their base of paying viewers by tapping into the existing fan base of popular shows and encouraging those audiences to subscribe, at a time when growth in paid users is slowing.
“When platforms acquire successful IPs (intellectual properties), the intention is to leverage the existing fan base that the IP already holds. This is similar to casting an influencer as an actor in a film—the idea is to tap into that influencer’s fan base and drive viewership on the platform. In such cases, platforms are often willing to pay a higher premium,” said Nitin Burman, group chief revenue officer, Balaji Telefilms. If a franchise is already well-established, it comes with its own loyal audience and there is a strong likelihood that its fan base will subscribe to that platform if they are not already subscribers, Burman added.
When a paid platform acquires such rights, the show often gets a larger budget and bigger scale, and producers may earn higher commissions. The streaming platform also takes charge of marketing and promotion, hoping the popularity of these shows will help convert their fans into paying subscribers.
Moving a show from free to a paid platform happens for multiple reasons, according to Saurabh Srivastava—chief operating officer— digital business at Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd. “The paid platform may value it because it augments catalogue and enables it to provide a wider choice to consumers, keeping them within the ecosystem even for content that would otherwise be available on AVoD (advertising video-on-demand). Sometimes, the product-market fitment is better due to the audience profile on certain platforms. Content moving from a free to paid platform won’t help much in driving new consumer acquisitions, but it can still positively impact engagement rates and retention,” Srivastava said.
According to media consulting firm Ormax, India’s OTT audience grew by 9.9% in 2025, which is slower than the 13%-plus rise seen in 2023 and 2024. Active paid subscriptions, pegged at 148 million, have also slowed down.
To be sure, budgets typically rise after a subscription-based streaming platform acquires a show, as producers scale up production to meet the higher technical and creative standards expected by paying audiences. A paid platform also brings stronger marketing amplification, international reach, and better data insights into viewer behaviour. Producers and creators can expect much more detailed metrics on how people are watching their content.
Srivastava said that paid OTT platforms tend to look at content as part of a long-term library, rather than short-term traffic generation. This allows producers to create longer narratives, instead of focusing only on content designed for short-term popularity and traffic spikes. There is also a branding advantage: content associated with premium platforms often travels better across markets and partnerships, opening up additional opportunities such as adaptations, licensing, or format expansion.
Industry experts point out that when producers making shows for their YouTube channels, move that series to an OTT platform, they receive a commissioned fee that covers the entire production cost. In contrast, when they were creating content for YouTube, it was an investment into the IP, and the earnings depended on the views generated on YouTube. As a result, the recovery was slower. However, when a show moves to an OTT platform such as Amazon, Netflix, or JioHotstar, the deals are structured in a way that the producer is paid upfront for the IP. Additionally, if the IP is highly successful, the producer can also charge an IP fee.
Streaming platforms continue to be driven by exclusive original content, as it plays an important role in building subscriber loyalty. Platforms have transitioned from being merely a source of an endless list of licensed titles to becoming destinations that build loyalty through their own unique programming. Acquiring popular content with strong recall reduces acquisition risk.
For platforms, this is a relatively efficient way to acquire proven intellectual property. Instead of relying entirely on new originals, they pick up shows that already have an audience and demonstrated engagement. That lowers risk and improves subscriber acquisition or retention, said Charu Malhotra, co-founder and managing director, Primus Partners, a management consultancy firm.
She added that consumers may notice two changes. First, some content that was previously available for free may move into a subscription environment, which could feel like a paywall. Viewers who earlier followed a show on platforms such as YouTube or other free apps may now need to subscribe to continue watching it. However, this does not necessarily mean that subscription prices will rise immediately. Platforms are more likely to justify their existing pricing by strengthening the catalogue rather than raising rates immediately. Second, over time, viewers may end up subscribing to multiple platforms or rely more on bundled plans offered by telecom operators as more recognizable content shifts to paid services.
“In simple words, producers gain stability, platforms gain retention and consumers gain better production quality, but possibly at the cost of fewer completely free viewing options,” Malhotra said.