India Emerges as a Hybrid Video Entertainment Economy, Driven by Shifting Audience Preferences
- IBEF
- June 24, 2026
India’s video entertainment sector is increasingly evolving into a hybrid market, where audiences are shaping not just what they watch, but also how content is produced, distributed and monetised. Industry executives cited in the report noted that entertainment companies are moving beyond the traditional subscription-versus-advertising model and are increasingly combining subscriptions, advertising, commerce and transactional revenues to cater to diverse consumer preferences across multiple screens. The shift is driving the emergence of a multi-format ecosystem that includes premium long-form content, creator-led videos and micro-dramas distributed across television, connected TVs and mobile devices. The report noted that changing consumer behaviour is democratising the media and entertainment sector, with audiences increasingly determining the format, platform and timing of content consumption.
The report also highlighted that this transformation is reshaping strategies across major platforms such as JioStar, Prime Video and YouTube, where content, commerce and technology are becoming more closely integrated. YouTube is positioning itself as a prime-time destination that combines creator-led content with premium entertainment, while Prime Video is expanding its India offering to include Advertising Video on Demand (AVOD) alongside its existing Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD), Transactional Video on Demand (TVOD) and add-on subscription models. Mobile devices continue to remain the dominant screen for content consumption, even as connected TVs, Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and broadband services gain traction. As consumer attention becomes increasingly fragmented, entertainment companies are adopting more flexible business models and diversified distribution strategies to remain competitive in India's rapidly evolving digital entertainment landscape.
Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.
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