MUMBAI: The recent past has seen a large number of video on demand (VOD) mushrooming in the country, with each of them trying to differentiate itself from the other with unique content. Youth entertainment network The Viral Fever (TVF), which is one of these platforms, scored a recent milestone. The platform has gained one million subscribers on its online network.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, The Viral Fever founder and CEO Arunabh Kumar says that it is a very special achievement for the online network because India is globally known as the least subscriber savvy country. “No matter how much content you produce, audiences and viewers generally do not have the tendency to subscribe,” he says.
When quizzed about the reason for success, Kumar says, “Besides great content, we were also able to evolve with our content and stay relevant. Our attitude is to stay new.”
Kumar says the number holds significance as usually it is established names such as Sony, T-Series and Yash Raj Films who have 5,000 to 10,000 videos that gain million plus subscribers, but TVF as a small network has just 126 videos for now.
Close to 30 videos of the network have gone viral so far. Sharing an interesting insight, Kumar says, “One of TVF’s shows titled Rowdies, (which is a spoof on the popular MTV Roadies show) received more than a million views sometime back, but it took 36 months before the network saw one million subscribers latching onto the online network.”
The network currently has close to two to three million unique visitors lapping up its content every month. “Additionally three to five million also come on board who visit our site regularly and are not subscribers,” he adds.
Going forward, the company is looking at strengthening their non-fiction property, Recycle Bin. “I wish that TVF’s Live Shows reach the magic figure of one million too. I would also want one million to register on TVF InBox, which showcases films,” Kumar says.
The company’s next target is to get at least five to 10 million viewers every month.
The Viral Fever’s subsidiary network TVF 1 is looking at breaking even and making a profit this year. Currently the company operates out of the profits from its parent company The Viral Fever Media Labs.
