2.37% annual growth predicted | Poor states to propel India’s TV audience to 100-crore mark by 2029: IIMA report 

Currently, India has a TV viewership of 890 million, the authors said.

Currently, India has a TV viewership of 890 million, the authors said.

For instance, as a relatively low-income state such as Bihar moves towards the per-capita income levels of a relatively affluent state such as Andhra Pradesh, TV penetration is likely to increase significantly in Bihar, the report states.
The report, supported by the Brij Disa Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (CDSA) at IIMA, also said the rising number of internet subscribers is a key driver of TV audience growth across the country.

“Rising internet penetration is associated with a significant increase in the television audience base, indicating the complementary effect of digital connectivity to television consumption. As internet access expands, consumption of both TV and online video content is expected to coexist and thrive,” the report states.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Prof Viswanath Pingali, a faculty member in the Economics Area, IIMA, said the rising incomes and improving literacy rates create a multiplier effect on the TV audience in India.
“The objective of our research was to examine and establish concrete data-led indicators around the growth trajectory of television as a mature consumption medium and its pertinent role in India’s socio-economic development. Systematic evaluation methodologies coupled with empirical analysis enabled us to map the evolving factors in television consumption and predict how television audiences within a state change in correlation with several other demographic and economic factors. There is a clear indication of rising incomes and improving literacy rates, particularly in rural and lower-income regions, creating a multiplier effect that strengthens TV adoption and consumption,” Pingali said.

The team analysed variations in TV audiences across markets over multiple years. The model evaluated key co-variates including the number of internet subscribers, Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) per capita, literacy rates, dependency ratio, income levels, and access to micro-credit, among others. “As states continue to urbanise and household infrastructure improves, television penetration is expected to rise meaningfully, particularly in rural and low-income regions,” the report said.

As affordability and incomes improve, television ownership and consumption are expected to rise disproportionately in emerging markets where per capita income is lower than the national average, it adds.

Co-author Prof Ankur Sinha, a faculty member in the Operations and Decision Sciences Area, IIMA, spoke about the role of internet penetration in boosting television audience. “… The key pattern that emerged consistently was the role of internet penetration in boosting television audiences. It was interesting to note how internet access, demographic composition, and income growth interact in powerful ways, particularly in rural and low-income regions that are also traditionally considered under-penetrated television markets. The state-wise projections presented in the report underscore that the next phase of growth for television will be led by regions undergoing rapid socio-economic transition,” Sinha explained.

Link to literacy

The report also indicates a strong correlation between literacy rates and dependency ratios with television adoption. Findings highlight the role of television as a catalyst of social development with same-language subtitling, enabling improved literacy levels, especially in rural India. Television characters strongly resonate with audiences across households and often serve as role models, the report said.

Additionally, exposure to television content leads to greater awareness of personal autonomy, higher financial independence, and progressive attitudes towards gender norms, it said.