ZEE5 Marks Hyderabad as 4K Streaming Hub

November 2024: ZEE5, India’s leading video streaming platform, has reported significant milestones in viewership trends for the period July 2023–July 2024. Hyderabad has emerged as the top hub for 4K streaming in India, with South India witnessing a 278% growth and North India experiencing a 310% surge in premium content consumption. States like Uttar Pradesh and Delhi have led this increase, reflecting a growing preference for high-quality streaming.

The platform also recorded a 25% annual growth in time spent per user, driven by increased engagement from tier 2 and tier 3 cities, which now contribute 40% of the total viewership. Regional languages such as Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada accounted for 50% of content consumption, highlighting the rising demand for non-Hindi content. Drama and romance genres dominated with 105 million watch-time hours, followed by action and thrillers with 32 million hours. Regional audiences, particularly in Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada, contributed significantly to the popularity of dramas.

ZEE5 also observed a surge in streaming through connected devices, with 65% of users in metro cities opting for this mode of viewing. Titles like Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai and Taj emerged as chart-toppers, with the former achieving the highest watch time among direct-to-digital movies and the latter becoming the most-watched original series of the year. Other popular titles included Mrs. Undercover, Gadar 2, The Kerala Story, and Duranga.

Manish Kalra, Chief Business Officer at ZEE5, noted the platform’s success, stating, “With a focus on quality storytelling and diverse content, we’ve seen 85 billion minutes of viewership this year. Our commitment remains to deliver the best entertainment experiences, catering to diverse audiences across geographies and languages.” The platform’s emphasis on regional storytelling and high-quality streaming continues to resonate with audiences both in India and abroad, signaling further growth in the coming year.