Television, it seems, remains the top screen choice when it comes to kids’ genre despite the growing popularity of digital platforms like YouTube and OTTs.

Speaking to exchange4media about the way kids consume content, especially during summer vacations, and how it impacts viewership and advertisers, experts from the television industry said children nowadays look for stories and conversations that are both relatable and engaging.

Uttam Pal Singh, South Asia – Head of Kids Cluster, Warner Bros Discovery, opined, “Currently, there is a notable trend in India, where OTT and TV co-exist. Despite the increasing popularity of digital platforms, TV remains significant, as 98% of Indian households have single TV.”

He said this makes co-viewing an essential aspect of viewership, particularly when it comes to kids' programming.

Quoting the KPMG's 2022 Analysis, Singh said TV penetration in India is estimated to reach 76% in 2026 compared to 70% in 2020, with TV-viewing individuals reaching 900 million.

“For kids, animated content rules both on television and on digital. However, TV has mass appeal and remains top choice for kids' entertainment, surpassing other options. Indian kids TV broadcasters are investing more on locally developed and produced content which reigns in popularity,” Singh said.

Expressing a similar viewpoint, Ronojoy Chakraborty, Head-Programming, Sony YAY!, shared, TV remains the top choice for kids, and as per a 2022 survey, about 57% of kids preferred watching TV while 33% watched both and only 10% watched content on just OTT.

“We released Searchlight 2022, a survey that we conducted in association with Kantar Research to understand the habits and preferences of kids better. As part of the research, we found that about 57 per cent of the kids surveyed preferred watching TV. Only 10 per cent watched content on OTT and 33 per cent watched both.

“The way kids consume content has changed over the last several years owing to multiple reasons. However, when it comes to the kids’ genre, TV continues to be their screen of choice. As category leaders, we are consistently curating new concepts in content for kids to keep them entertained,” Chakraborty said.

He, however, said that Sony YAY! is adapting to the changing landscape by embracing digital strategies to take the experience beyond television.

Talking about the change in the way kids consume content and impact on viewership, Singh said, “These are fascinating times we live in. Children nowadays are confident in expressing themselves and have clear preferences for the content they enjoy and want to see. They look for stories and conversations that are both relatable and engaging.

“We constantly strive to understand our audience's preferences to ensure we deliver the best possible content. For example, we recognised the increasing popularity of Japanese Anime among young adults and children due to the increased exposure to global and local content in the last few years,” he said.

Singh also said that offering content in various Indian local languages has contributed immensely to the success in kids genre and increased viewership in recent times.

“Another important factor contributing to our shows' success, whether original or acquired, is providing content in local languages. To that effect, we have made a strategic effort to expand our offerings in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Marathi. It is a prime driver that has led to increased viewership for this genre in recent years,” he told e4m.

In a recent interaction with e4m, Nina Elavia Jaipuria, Head, Hindi Mass Entertainment and Kids TV Network, Viacom18, spoke about how their channel Nickelodeon keeps kids interested in its content despite there being so many options available with them to watch content on multiple platforms.

She had said that “despite the fragmentation and choices that children have today, they realise that the content given on the kids genre or on Nickelodeon is tailored for them.”

As summer vacations are going on, channels like Cartoon Network, POGO, Discovery Kids, Sony YAY! and Nickelodeon have come up with new content line-ups for kids.

Sharing the line-up and formats across Warner Bros Discovery’s network channels – Cartoon Network, POGO and Discovery Kids, Uttam Pal Singh said, “We ringed the summer season with new offerings, giving our fans (kids, young adults and families) relatable storylines and engaging formats to enjoy.”

“We kickstarted the summer on POGO with the celebrations for 15 golden years of the beloved 'Chhota Bheem' birthday with #HBDBheem campaign and the premier of globally popular 'Mighty Little Bheem' for the first time on Indian Television.

“Moreover, we have 'Chhota Bheem' Big Pictures, a new format of presenting stories for the flagship IPs. For Mother’s Day celebration, we had 'Little Singham YudhKaal’ adventure between Little Singham and his mother and 'Tittoo' movie premier on POGO,” he told e4m.

For Cartoon Network, Singh said, “We announced the 'CN Superhero Summer' campaign and kicked off the excitement with the launch of 'Dragon Ball Z Kai' show which will continue to engage and excite the Otaku community and fans along with new episodes of the superhero action-comedy 'Teen Titans Go!'.

“Lastly, 'Kris, Roll no 21' and 'Mr Bean: The Animated Series' on Discovery Kids with 'Non-Stop Masti Summer' will continue entertaining audiences throughout the summer,” he said.

Sharing the lineup for Sony Yay! Chakraborty said, “Our new lineup of shows this summer include brand new episodes of the popular show Oggy and the Cockroaches, featuring the beloved character Oggy and his mischievous arch-nemesis, the cockroaches. Oggy and the cockroaches Next gen which showcased the fun banter of Oggy and his friend Piya the baby elephant.”

Experts also said that due to the increased co-viewership in kids’ genre, brands across categories like food and beverages, stationary, personal care and home care have been advertising with the channels.

“TV has strengthened its position as a family-viewing platform in India, with the kids’ genre as the key contributor. Thanks to the immense popularity of Cartoon Network, POGO, and Discovery Kids characters and the loyal viewer base, brands across categories such as snacks/food & beverages, student stationary, personal care/hygiene, home care, and consumer durables have contributed to our channels.

“For the summer campaigns, brands that have traditionally advertised on television continue their commitment with new shows and IPs for their campaigns and new brand launches. We also have brands who are advertising on Kids TV for the first time purely due to the immense popularity of our iconic characters Chhota Bheem and Little Singham,” Singh said.

According to Chakraborty, Sony YAY! has onboarded advertisers who are dedicated to providing an incredible experience for kids and their families.

“Our advertisers primarily belong to categories that revolve around products specifically designed for kids and mothers. These categories include Food and Beverages, Personal Care/Hygiene, Laundry, and Household Products.

“In addition to the brands on the channel Sony YAY! also has an exhaustive portfolio in its Licensing and Merchandising business. The L&M portfolio includes over 100+ homegrown toons and the brand is also the Master licensee for popular characters like Oggy and the cockroaches and Naruto in India,” he said.

Viacom 18’s Jaipuria had earlier told e4m that, "On the channel, advertisers normally come as a whole for summer. So it's not like they come for just a specific show unlike GEC where advertisers want to spend on one specific show. Hence, the channel is sold as a channel and not as a slot."

Speaking on the ad rates she had said, "I would love to get far more because we have a reach higher than a lot of other genres but we don't get paid what we deserve. But like I said, over the years, and because I've seen the space grow, of course, we've moved into a trajectory where advertisers are now willing to pay us good money, but not the best.”