CTV viewership surges, 23% of Indians are now digital-only : Kantar Report

Kantar has launched its Media Compass 2025 report, revealing significant shifts in India's media consumption habits. The inaugural Q1 2025 report highlights a surge in connected TV (CTV) viewership and a growing segment of Indians who rely solely on digital platforms for content.

Kantar's Media Compass aims to bridge a critical data gap in India's rapidly evolving media ecosystem. With no comprehensive consumer data reports available for over five years, marketers and advertisers have been relying on fragmented information. The Media Compass report, based on a rolling annual sample of 87,000 consumers with quarterly updates, offers a 360-degree view of media consumption across TV, digital, and print. It provides insights into media reach, cross-media interactions, and engagement metrics to aid data-driven media strategies.

Key Highlights from Media Compass Q1 2025:

CTV Gains Traction: While 58% of Indians still watch linear TV monthly, CTV has emerged as a significant growth area, adding 35 million new viewers. This positions CTV as a premium channel for advertisers.

Rise of digital-only consumers: A substantial 23% of Indians are now "digital-only" users, meaning they access the internet but do not watch linear TV. This trend is particularly pronounced among younger and rural audiences, marking a pivotal shift in content consumption.

Gender and generational divides: Linear TV maintains a balanced gender viewership. However, both digital-only and CTV audiences skew 57% male, indicating a need for inclusive content strategies in these areas.

Younger audiences (15-34 years old) show a strong preference for Digital (55%), OTT (55%), and social media (57%).

Audiences aged 45+ continue to predominantly use linear TV (44%) compared to internet usage, underscoring the importance of age-responsive media planning.

Rural India's digital adoption: Rural areas are proving to be significant media consumers, with 74% of digital-only users and 75% of linear TV viewers residing there. CTV also shows equal reach in both urban and rural audiences, dispelling assumptions about its metropolitan focus.

Socio-Economic Trends:

Digital-only users are over-indexed in lower NCCS (New Consumer Classification System) groups, highlighting digital's role in democratizing access.

Conversely, incremental CTV viewers are highly concentrated in NCCS A, reinforcing its premium positioning.

Puneet Avasthi, director, specialist businesses, insights division- South Asia, Kantar, emphasised the report's significance. "In today’s fragmented and fast-evolving media landscape, brands are under pressure to make every media rupee count. Media Compass 2025 aims to correct this and equip advertisers with timely, in-depth insights across platforms—enabling smarter media planning, stronger audience engagement, and sharper targeting for maximum impact."

The Media Compass 2025 report aims to provide marketers with the current and comprehensive data needed to develop effective, audience-responsive media strategies in India's dynamic landscape.