'Social media Over The Top videos might affect market of other OTT platforms'

MUMBAI: With youth subscribing more digital content over television, the newly-launched Facebook and Twitter Over The Top (OTT) videos may affect the market of other OTT platforms since most people spend a huge time on social media, an sector stakeholder said on Saturday.

"... Considering the fact that more and more people spend a huge time on Facebook and Twitter... I think Facebook and Twitter videos are going to be game changer in coming two years," said Spandan Mishra, creative communication head of OTT platform Hotstar at a panel discussion during the India Film Project - Season 7.

"They have no dearth of money, a huge audience is already there, so all they need is content. So yes, it will create a different to other OTT platform," he added.

Asked about if TV and internet TV can co-exist, TV producer J.D. Majethia, founder of Hats Off Production LTD who had brought back one of his earlier productions "Sarabhai VS Sarabhai" from television to Hotstar, said the major shift is yet to happen. 

Noting that it is "true that people have started subscribing a lot to a digital platform", he noted that "we must not forget that did not majorly happen from TV to digital. In urban India, people have various avenues of recreations including shopping malls, live gigs, online entertainment etc. but the major Indian population, especially women who are housewives, prefer to watch TV".

"However the choice of content has changed, and I agree that the choice of medium is also changing. But the complete shift is yet to happen."

India Film Project Season 7 is a two-day extravaganza that conducts film screening, workshop panel discussion on cinema and digital content encouraging youngsters to create new content. It ends on Sunday.