Online video websites: Strategy behind Hulu.com and the feasibility of a similar online tv/video content venture in India

Abstract

The study was undertaken with the objective of studying the potential of the online video market in India and evaluating the feasibility of a central video repository online for Indian TV content along the lines of Hulu.com which is available in the United States of America. Through the course of the study we analysed literature pertaining to the strategy of Hulu.com and we also studied the business model of other internet video providers most notably that of YouTube as YouTube is synonymous with online videos. We also undertook expert interviews with leading practitioners of the online space in India and with leading TV companies in India most notably that of Mr. Ajay Vidyasagar, COO, Sun TV. Post the research we concluded that, provided a fair and equitable revenue sharing agreement is reached upon, there is interest among the leading TV companies to form a central location along the lines of Hulu.com. We also reached the conclusion that at present YouTube and websites similar to YouTube would be the major video content delivery locations in India and it is vital to maximise the potential of TV content on YouTube and drive users from YouTube to the central location in order to generate more number of unique impressions and unique visits. We would like to take this study forward by engaging with Internet research companies like comScore and IMRB and also YouTube India, in order to obtain information on the kind of content that would work online and to obtain projections on the online video consumption patterns in India and how they vary across geographies and demographic variations.