60% Indians watch video on phone than TV, ads led 41% to drop subscription

In India, 60 per cent viewers prefer streaming content on mobile phones than Smart TV or laptops, while 41 per cent say they have cancelled a subscription because of the ads experience. These and many more interesting facts related to consumption of home entertainment in the country have come to light in a new survey by Moloco, a machine learning company focused on performance-advertising, in association with the research firm YouGov.

Titled Perceptions of Ads on Streamers Survey 2024, the study reveals a significant change in audience behaviour by highlighting a gradual shift from the traditional television to streaming platforms, especially on mobile devices. While 34 per cent of Indian consumers say they are cutting the cord with television services, 27 per cent state they are considering the idea.

While 60 per cent of Indians watch content on mobile phones, 26 per cent prefer Smart TVs, 11 per cent opt for laptops or PCs and 3 per cent choose tablets.

The survey throws light on audience preferences over advertisements, too. While 41 per cent Indians have cancelled a subscription at some point because of the ads experience, 66 per cent would prefer watching ads if it lets them pay a lower subscription fee.

Relevant ads can enhance the overall viewing experience, said 41 per cent Indian viewers. While 78 per cent prefer personalised ads, 48 per cent of these respondents wanted personalised ads to be based on viewing habits and the other 30 per cent said such ads should be based on viewing habits as well as personal data, the survey claims.

Most respondents said they preferred ads at the start or end of a programme rather than in the middle of a show they are watching. Banner and display advertisements that partially cover the screen are ones that were widely mentioned as being the most intrusive. As many as 83 per cent respondents said that they were influenced by ads while buying a product.

The 10-minute survey was conducted online in India on 1,005 respondents who watch video content at least once a month, from January 19 to February 5 this year.