September 6 2019: KPMG in India and  leading  video content  provider, Eros Now, have joined to  launch a  report, ‘Unravelling the digital video consumer: Looking through the viewer lens’, that  examines consumption habits of the Indian Over-The-Counter (OTT )viewers and their content preferences, across 16 Indian cities.
Here are some key insights from the Indian online video consumer-survey:
- The Indian OTT viewer spends more approximately 70 mins/day on online video platforms, with a consumption frequency of 12.5 times a week i.e. more than once a day. Viewers are also accessing ~2.5 platforms at a given time. While the customer sets are fairly heterogeneous, there is a trend of homogeneity that was observed in terms of consumption frequency and duration across age groups, income levels and genders.
- Indians continue to love their movies and movie related content; 30% of the respondents prefer watching movies on OTT platforms. 
- Original content is fast emerging as an important category, with close to 10% respondents alluding to preference for the same. This is significant given the limited supply on original content on platforms at present, as compared to library content.
- Long form content is gaining traction, while short form content continues to remain relevant, especially to cater to the millennial audience.
- 30% of the respondents prefer watching content in languages other than Hindi and English. The preference for content consumption is significant in the native languages across large parts of the country, with south India observed to be the most loyal to their native tongue.
- 87% of the respondents consumed content on their mobile phones, with nearly 28% of the respondents consuming content during the traditional office hours of 10 AM- 6 PM. Online video in India is truly an ‘Anywhere Anytime’ phenomenon.
- 3 out of 10 users are watching online video on telco platforms, outlining the importance of the medium in terms of distribution. Integrated telco billing is one of the factors that is likely to help drive VOD subscriptions in the future
- Freshness and uniqueness of content the key determining factors for installation and uninstallation of apps, as well as respondents subscribing to platforms; 87% of the respondents install an app considering the quality of content
- OTT video could usher in cord cutting sooner than expected; 38% Of the respondents could consider cord cutting in the future as they responded to their entertainment needs being fully met online
Says Girish Menon, Partner & Head Media & Entertainment, KPMG in India: “The online video consumer in India has evolved in a significant way in the last couple of years. With consumption now going mass and viewers spending close to 8.5 hours a week on online video, we see a homogenous pattern of consumption emerging cutting across age groups, income levels and professions. Our report also touches upon the future of this consumption evolution, and how online video could potentially disrupt traditional distribution in the coming years. This represents a large opportunity for platforms to tap into the ever expanding universe of digitally connected Indians”
Adds Rishika Lulla Singh, Chief Executive Officer, Eros Digital:  “India is one of the fastest growing entertainment and media market globally and is expected to keep that momentum. As data and digital infrastructure has become exceedingly accessible even in small cities of India, the market for OTT has widened enormously. At Eros Now, we strive to constantly engage the existing consumers and expand our reach by offering new and innovative services.”
The Indian online video consumer- survey was commissioned across 1,458 OTT users in 16 cities of India, to ascertain the usage of OTT platforms by consumers. The cities chosen were across different tiers:Metros:  Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata .  Tier 1: Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad, Jaipur.  Tier 2: Ludhiana, Panipat, Nagpur, Madurai, Coimbatore, Bhubaneshwar, Jamshedpur, &Patna.