The Changing Face of Regional Channels Content in India

If you got to win over the people’s hearts and rule over their minds, talk to them in their native language. There can’t be a better proof of this than Google and Facebook choosing to offer their app content in many regional languages. Not just that connects audiences to the service provider but also keeps them hooked and becomes a subject of preference because the content is consumed in a language that is spoken far and wide.

Year 2018 saw the rise of regional channels in television domain as broadcasters witnessed immense growth and revenue proposition there. This seismic shift was long due and came at just the right time when there was, and there still is, a huge surge in the number of OTT platforms like Watcho. Watcho, a popular OTT initiative by Dish TV, rides high with the viewership numbers and a wide audience base as far as the number of regional channels it broadcasts are concerned.

Watcho’s live TV feature is yet another crowd puller as it relies heavily on the increasing number of regional channels in Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, and more. Apart from live TV broadcast of regional channels, there is a whole boutique offer of enviable Kannada web series and Telugu or Tamil short films that are sure to keep the audiences hooked and booked. 

Regional broadcasters, getting inspired from the mainstream ones, are getting into the game with touching upon the space with reality shows, fiction TV shows, quiz programmes, and singing and dancing shows. It’s no longer the scenario when regional channels were considered the poor, neglected cousins of Hindi TV channels and weren’t really much wanted. Today, they’re all abuzz with new TV shows and varied content that satisfies the creative urge of regional channels content consumers.

The scenario has widened now and has come to a point where the domination of Hindi TV channels doesn’t exist anymore and neither that is challenged by the presence of regional channels as both have come to terms to coexist. That not just benefits the key broadcasters in the regional channels game but also viewers are who are immensely benefitted with the changing regional content, the increased number of regional channels and OTT platforms focusing on multilingual content.