MUMBAI: Despite the advent of interesting live action and feature films for kids, data suggests that animated content still rules the roost. According to Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) data, consumption of non-animated content has decreased considerably in 2017 from 2012.

During 2012, although the animation genre garnered a majority of the viewership, the eyeballs that were grabbed by feature films and live action programmes for kids was not insignificant. The animation genre garnered 71 per cent of traction, whereas feature films gained 18 per cent of viewers and 11 per cent of viewership was observed in the live action programmes genre.

For analysis, 2012 and 2017’s viewership for animation, live action programmes and feature films in the urban markets in India were compared by BARC. The viewership data was analysed for the 4-14 years of age group in the year 2012, whereas kids in the age group of 2-14 years were analysed during the year 2017.

”I believe ‘building a connect’ is the key when it comes to our audience. While doing extensive research for our channel, Sony Yay, we discovered kids have a larger-than-life imagination and relate to characters basis affinity for them,” says Sony Pictures Network kids genre business head Leena Lele Dutta. “We feel continuous innovations in TV content and offering audiences with endearing characters and compelling stories, which also appeal to their imagination, help in creating a win-win scenario for both.”

In 2017, the viewership of animation increased to 89 per cent. Feature films dipped from 18 per cent in 2012 to 8 per cent in 2017. Talking about the live action programmes, the viewership in 2017 drastically decreased in the last five years. Live action was left with just 2 per cent.

The trend observed clearly shows that kids’ channels are betting more on animation driven by international content dubbed in local languages and even locally produced content. Doraemon, Chhota Bheem and Motu Patlu are among the most watched shows.

Although 60 per cent of the total kids’ viewership on TV in 2012 was by the 9-14 years age bracket, it contributes only 48 per cent viewership of kids’ channels in this year.

Talking about the kids’ viewership prime time slots, kids viewership starts rising from early morning hours and peaks in the early afternoon. Viewership does not witness any substantial increase post 6 pm, as kids lose control of remote to parents. This potentially reflects co-viewing.