Mumbai: ZEE5 Global, the world's largest streaming platform for South Asian content, has revealed significant growth in both engagement and viewership in the United States on connected TVs. The business has reported over a 150 per cent increase in its connected TV user base and a 75 per cent jump in viewership for this segment over the year driven significantly by 4K content launches and an increasingly personalised and improved user interface.
The platform has recently shared a first-ever look into viewership trends of South Asian and South Asian content in the US, pointing to a 35 per cent y-o-y increase in content consumption over 2022 and a 46 per cent growth in watch time of original content.
Driving the Connected TV growth are Smart TVs, Google TVs, and Amazon Fire TV, among which the Amazon Fire TV registered the highest growth in consumption in the last year, closely followed by Smart TVs
ZEE5 Originals like Maya Bazar - For Sale, Vyavastha, and Abar Proloy, as well as blockbuster movies like Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai, Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, and Tarla are the most-watched titles in their respective categories. More than 83 per cent of the viewership of movies, in fact, is seen on connected devices,
TV shows have also continued to keep viewers hooked constituting a significant share of content watched on connected TVs, with the category witnessing a three times y-o-y increase in viewership. Hindi, Telugu, Bangla, and Marathi TV shows were the most watched with viewership peaking on weekdays, particularly on Thursdays and Wednesdays. Legacy titles, such as "Kundali Bhagya," "Bhagya Lakshmi," and "Kumkum Bhagya," account for a significant portion of the content watched.
Leading these trends was the city of San Jose. Data reveals the city to be the highest consumer of content on connected devices in the US, with close to a two-times increase in users.
ZEE5 Global chief business officer Archana Anand said, “We are thrilled to see the rapid growth in viewership in the US and how well our content has resonated with a diverse South Asian audience. Connected TVs have seen the highest increase in viewership in the last year especially on the back of our 4K content launches, becoming the preferred choice for viewers who seek a larger-than-life content experience while watching our rich library and blockbuster movies. We are committed to meeting the evolving preferences of our viewers by bringing them a seamless and enriching entertainment experience on the devices of their choice.”
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