Limelight Research Shows Surge in Streaming in India During COVID-19 as People Turn to Online Video for Communication, News, Entertainment, Exercise and More

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Bharat Chauhan New Delhi, The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting lives across the globe, forcing people to change how they work, learn, access information, connect with one another and their entertainment options. Streaming is at the forefront of this new normal with Indian consumers now engaging with online video for an average of five hours and sixteen minutes every day – which is the highest amongst the surveyed countries. That is according to a new global “How Video is Changing the World” report from Limelight Networks Inc., (Nasdaq: LLNW), which exposes the new ways online video supports our daily activities during and after the pandemic.

As people quarantine in their homes, online video is enabling new forms of interactive entertainment to pass the time. A whopping two-thirds (64.3 percent) of Indian consumers had their first esports experience during the pandemic. With other live events cancelled as well, more than two-thirds (68.8 percent) of Indian respondents also attended their first virtual concert. Exercising is also going virtual as athletic facilities remain closed. Yoga has also been popular in India as it helped people to maintain physical fitness during the lockdown. In line with this trend, 55.6% percent Indians said that they had participated in an online fitness class and another 26.8 percent plan to so in the next six months.

Additional insights from the report include:

● Online video fills the void of in-person social interactions. In India, 97.8% people now use video chat to feel more connected and 65.4 percent use it multiple times a day.

● Consumers are using online video to access critical information. Most people (91.7 percent) have used online video to stay informed by watching live stream speeches and press conferences during the pandemic – 70.3 percent live streamed on news sites, 21.4 percent live streamed on social media. Even Baby Boomers (63 percent) tune into live streamed news and information online.

● Remote work and professional development rely on online video. As the pandemic has forced consumers to work remotely, 93.8 percent of people agree that online video equips them to maintain daily activities. One third (30.8 percent) of Indian consumers have been offered the ability to work from home for the first time and say online video helps them stay connected to colleagues (23.3 percent) and work more efficiently (50 percent). More than half (67.3 percent) have or plan to use online video for professional development or to learn a new skill. Most (86.2 percent) people believe video-based learning will continue in the post-COVID world.

● The pandemic has sparked a rapid increase in telehealth in India. About half (45.8 percent) of Indians have recently met with their doctor virtually. This trend is expected to last beyond the pandemic with one-third (34.6 percent) of global respondents planning to hold telehealth appointments in the next six months.

Speaking on the report, Ashwin Rao, Sales Director, Limelight Networks, said, “In the past several months there have been dramatic changes and new behaviors in online video consumption of all types. The “How Video is Changing the World 2020” research report is a new consumer survey taking a close look at the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on online video consumption habits and opinions. COVID-19 has proven that Indians are always ready to adapt to the new technology,”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed streaming beyond entertainment and news. People are increasingly using online video to connect with others and get important information. India has, perhaps, entered a new phase of its digital journey with large-scale adoption of innovative services. The report highlights people in India watch by far the most online video at an average of five hours and 16 minutes per day, and comprise the largest percentage (7.1%) of the population that watches more than 12 hours of videos per day. The lowest average viewing hours are in South Korea, closely followed by France and the UK,” he added.

The “How Video is Changing the World”report is based on responses from 5,000 consumers ages 18 and older in France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Scandinavia, Singapore, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States who watch one hour or more of online video each day. The full report is available https://www.limelight.com/resources/market-research/how-video-is-changing-the-world-2020

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