Mumbai: India’s television landscape is set for unprecedented growth, with audiences projected to reach 1 billion by 2029, according to the ‘Future of TV in India’ report by the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA). The study highlights rising disposable incomes, literacy rates, and internet penetration as key drivers shaping consumption across rural and urban regions.
The report, authored by Professors Viswanath Pingali (Economics Area) and Ankur Sinha (Operations & Decision Sciences Area), and supported by the Brij Disa Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (CDSA) at IIMA, indicates that TV audiences will grow steadily at 2-3% annually, with the most significant expansion expected from rural and lower-income states.
“The objective of our research was to examine and establish concrete data-led indicators around the growth trajectory of television as a mature consumption medium and its pertinent role in India’s socio-economic development. Systematic evaluation methodologies coupled with empirical analysis enabled us to map the evolving factors in television consumption and predict how television audiences within a state change in co-relation with several other demographic and economic factors. There is a clear indication of rising incomes and improving literacy rates, particularly in rural and lower-income regions, creating a multiplier effect that strengthens TV adoption and consumption,” said Prof. Viswanath Pingali, Economics Area, IIMA.
The study highlights that lower-income states, where per capita GDP is below the national average, are likely to achieve TV penetration levels comparable to current high-income states by 2029. Notably, an increase of Rs 1 lakh in state GDP per capita could result in an additional 25 million TV viewers in such regions.
Prof. Ankur Sinha, Operations & Decision Sciences Area, IIMA, added, “The report quantifies the drivers of television audience growth by using models that account for multiple variables simultaneously. The key pattern that emerged consistently was the role of internet penetration in boosting television audiences. It was interesting to note how internet access, demographic composition, and income growth interact in powerful ways, particularly in rural and low-income regions that are also traditionally considered under-penetrated television markets. The state-wise projections presented in the report underscore that the next phase of growth for television will be led by regions undergoing rapid socio-economic transition.”
The analysis further identifies literacy rates and dependency ratios as critical factors influencing TV adoption. The report emphasises television’s role as a catalyst for social development, citing examples such as same-language subtitling improving literacy and TV characters fostering awareness of personal autonomy, financial independence, and progressive gender attitudes.
Using a robust statistical framework, the study models television adoption as a function of population structure, economic growth, internet connectivity, and household infrastructure. Rising incomes, digital penetration, and urbanisation in traditionally low-penetration markets are expected to drive the next wave of viewership, consolidating TV’s position as a culturally embedded and socially influential medium.
The IIMA report provides a comprehensive, data-driven perspective on the future of television in India, offering stakeholders, media planners, and investors actionable insights on where and how the industry’s audience growth will evolve over the next decade.
