Home / Themes / Global Broadcasting '24: South Asian Broadcasters
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Theme thesis · 2/5 sections · Tickers 0 with notes · 19 pending
Bull / Bear Details has the investment thesis and bull/bear points. Overview is monitoring guidance (hiring, forums, second-order trends, search keywords, Google Trends, datasets).
South Asian broadcasters are navigating a critical transition as digital platforms and OTT services rapidly gain audience and advertising share. Investment hing
South Asian broadcasters are navigating a critical transition as digital platforms and OTT services rapidly gain audience and advertising share. Investment hinges on their ability to successfully pivot to multi-platform content delivery, monetize digital engagement, and leverage strong regional content demand amidst contracting linear TV revenues.
Broadcasters are actively investing in digital-first roles and multi-platform content delivery, capitalizing on the rapid growth of premium VOD and streaming services across South and Southeast Asia. Digital advertising in India surged 44% in Jan-Jul 2026, now dominating 60% of total ad spend, offering significant new revenue streams.
Strong consumer demand for regional entertainment, news, and mobile video content drives opportunities for local broadcasters. The Asia-Pacific region is set to dominate the global OTT content market in 2026 with a 45.3% share, fueled by high internet/smartphone penetration and affordable streaming, making localized content a key differentiator.
Young, digitally-savvy populations and sustained economic growth in key South Asian economies, particularly India (projected 7.0% GDP growth in FY2026), support increasing advertising expenditure. Furthermore, AI integration into broadcasting operations and content creation is enhancing efficiency and viewer experience.
The accelerated digital migration and dominance of OTT platforms continue to drive a structural decline in traditional linear TV viewership and a significant reallocation of advertising budgets. Television's share of India's content investment declined to 42% in 2025, and it holds only 26% of India's total AdEx in 2026.
The fragmented media landscape and proliferation of global and regional streaming services intensify competition for audience attention and premium content. This leads to rising content acquisition and production costs for broadcasters, as seen with streaming overtaking TV in India's content investment.
Evolving regulatory frameworks, including media copyright laws and data protection legislation, pose ongoing compliance burdens. Notably, Indonesia's new regulation (MR 9/2026) restricting social media access for children under 16, effective March 2026, highlights potential government intervention impacting digital audience engagement and monetization strategies.
Discussions on press freedom, regional media cooperation, and challenges faced by journalists in South Asia.
Advocacy for press freedom and freedom of expression in Southeast Asia, monitoring regulatory changes and journalist safety.
Research and academic discussions on media industries, practices, and cultures in Southeast Asia.
Public sentiment, discussions on local media content, news consumption habits, and emerging media trends.
Consumer adoption of digital TV, local channel discussions, and impact of analog switch-off.
Not in registry
Metric/field India, GDP growth (annual %)
Cadence quarterly
Why it matters Reflects overall economic health, directly impacting corporate advertising budgets and consumer disposable income for subscriptions in a major market for theme members.
Signal to watch Accelerating growth is positive.
Confidence: high
Not in registry
Metric/field Indonesia, Retail Sales Growth, YoY %
Cadence monthly
Why it matters Strong indicator of consumer spending, which drives advertising demand from consumer goods companies, relevant for Indonesian broadcasters.
Signal to watch Increasing growth is positive.
Confidence: high
Not in registry
Metric/field Malaysia, Consumer Price Index, YoY % Change
Cadence monthly
Why it matters Inflation impacts operating costs for broadcasters and consumer purchasing power for subscriptions and advertised goods in Malaysia.
Signal to watch Stable or declining inflation is positive.
Confidence: medium
Matched (medium)guideline_advertising_spend · access=file · map_only
Metric/field Thailand, Total Advertising Spend, YoY % Change (across all media, with focus on TV)
Cadence irregular
Why it matters Direct measure of the health of the advertising market, which is the primary revenue source for many Thai theme members.
Signal to watch Increasing spend is positive.
Confidence: high
Not in registry
Metric/field Philippines, Household Final Consumption Expenditure, YoY % Change
Cadence quarterly
Why it matters Represents overall consumer spending, which underpins advertising demand and potential for subscription growth in the Philippines.
Signal to watch Accelerating growth is positive.
Confidence: high
Not in registry
Metric/field Search interest for major TV channels/broadcasters (e.g., 'RCTI', 'SCTV', 'Zee TV', 'GMA Network', 'Channel 3', 'TV3', 'HUM TV') - indexed value by country
Cadence weekly
Why it matters Indicates general public interest and engagement with major broadcasting brands, reflecting audience mindshare and content relevance.
Signal to watch Increasing or stable search interest is positive.
Confidence: medium
Not in registry
Metric/field Daily count of mentions and sentiment score for official broadcaster handles and popular show hashtags (e.g., @ZEEL_Official, @mnctvofficial, #GMANews)
Cadence daily
Why it matters Real-time gauge of public perception, buzz around content, and audience reaction to news/shows, influencing viewership.
Signal to watch Increasing positive sentiment and mentions are positive.
Confidence: medium
Not in registry
Metric/field Monthly subscriber growth and average daily views for official YouTube channels of major broadcasters (e.g., 'Zee TV', 'RCTI - LAYAR DRAMA INDONESIA', 'GMA Network')
Cadence monthly
Why it matters Reflects digital content consumption and the broadcaster's success in extending reach beyond linear TV, indicating digital engagement.
Signal to watch Increasing subscribers and views are positive.
Confidence: high
Matched (medium)similarweb_app_mobile_digital_behavior · access=file · map_only
Metric/field Global and country rank for major broadcaster domains (e.g., mncn.tv, sctv.co.id, zeetv.com, gmanetwork.com, tv3.com.my, ch3thailand.com, hum.tv)
Cadence irregular
Why it matters Indicates digital engagement with the broadcaster's online presence, important for news, supplementary content, and brand visibility.
Signal to watch Improving (lower) rank is positive.
Confidence: medium
Not in registry
Metric/field Daily ranking of key broadcaster streaming apps (e.g., 'RCTI+', 'Vidio', 'Zee5', 'GMA Network App', 'Astro GO', 'Ch3Plus') in Entertainment category (by country)
Cadence daily
Why it matters Direct measure of adoption and popularity of broadcaster's digital streaming/content apps, reflecting their digital strategy success.
Signal to watch Higher (lower number) ranking is positive.
Confidence: high
Matched (medium)kantar_media_audience_measurement · access=file · map_only
Metric/field Weekly average TVR (Television Rating) / GRP (Gross Rating Point) for key channels and overall market share by broadcaster group in target demographics (e.g., 15-49 urban)
Cadence irregular
Why it matters The most direct and critical measure of linear TV audience engagement, directly impacting advertising rates and revenue for broadcasters.
Signal to watch Increasing ratings and market share are positive.
Confidence: high
Matched (medium)kantar_media_advertising_spend · access=file · map_only
Metric/field Monthly TV advertising spend by category/brand on specific broadcaster channels and estimated average ad spot pricing (e.g., 30-second spot cost)
Cadence irregular
Why it matters Provides granular insight into advertising revenue trends, competitive landscape, and pricing power within the broadcasting sector.
Signal to watch Increasing ad volume and pricing are positive.
Confidence: high
Matchedsensor_tower_mobile_advertising_intelligence · access=file · map_only
Metric/field Daily Active Users (DAU), Monthly Active Users (MAU), and average session duration for key broadcaster streaming apps (e.g., RCTI+, Vidio, Zee5, Astro GO, Ch3Plus) by country
Cadence irregular
Why it matters Measures the success and engagement of digital streaming platforms, a growing revenue stream and strategic focus for many broadcasters.
Signal to watch Increasing DAU/MAU and session duration are positive.
Confidence: high
Matched (medium)similarweb_website_traffic_engagement · access=file · map_only
Metric/field Monthly unique visitors, total page views, and average time on site for key broadcaster websites (e.g., mncn.tv, sctv.co.id, zeetv.com, gmanetwork.com)
Cadence irregular
Why it matters Offers deeper insights into digital audience reach and engagement beyond linear TV, especially for news and supplementary content.
Signal to watch Increasing unique visitors and page views are positive.
Confidence: medium
Not in registry
Metric/field Quarterly survey data on consumer intent to subscribe to specific streaming services/pay-TV platforms, preferred content genres, and media consumption habits in target South Asian markets
Cadence quarterly
Why it matters Offers forward-looking insights into consumer behavior, potential for subscription growth, and content strategy effectiveness for broadcasters.
Signal to watch Increasing subscription intent and preference for broadcaster's content are positive.
Confidence: medium
