Why more viewers in Asia will turn to SVoD services

Driven by high penetration in both fixed and mobile broadband, as well as low subscription prices, more viewers in Asia are consuming content from subscription video-on-demand (SVoD) services.

Of the 698 million SVoD subscriptions that will be recorded in the region by 2026, 354 million subscriptions will come from China, with India providing 157 million subscribers, predicts Digital TV Research.

Simon Murray, Principal Analyst at Digital TV Research, told APB+, “In China, SVoD platforms can screen more liberal content than their state-owned linear channel counterparts, although the government is beginning to clamp down on this.

“SVoD also allows content owners to monetise their vast libraries online, and this is especially true in India.”

The rise in SVoD subscriptions, however, may not necessarily have a detrimental effect on traditional linear TV services in the region. Digital TV Research does not foresee a high degree of cord-cutting in Asia, except in China, where the government is pushing for IPTV and fibre broadband over cable TV. 

“Cord-nevers”, on the other hand, will continue to bypass all alternatives and go straight to over-the-top (OTT) or SVoD services.

Murray added, “To ensure success, each platform needs to provide something that its competitors do not offer, such as live sports, exclusive rights to a reality show, or original programming.

“These platforms must also refresh their content regularly.”