Shiva Chinnasamy joined Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEE) as Chief Technology and Product Officer (CTPO) in September 2024, bringing with him over two decades of experience in technology, data science, analytics, and product innovation. Within a short span, his exceptional leadership and strategic vision earned him the additional role of Chief Business Officer (CBO) for ZEE5.
In his new role, Chinnasamy oversees ZEE5’s P&L, operations, and growth, ensuring the platform’s continued dominance in India’s highly competitive OTT landscape. He has been instrumental in integrating technology with business strategy, delivering innovative solutions that cater to ZEE5’s diverse user base. Chinnasamy’s expertise spans AdTech, eCommerce, omni-channel retail, B2C FinTech, B2B SaaS, and platform engineering, making him a key driver of ZEE5’s future.
Under his leadership, ZEE5 has made significant strides, including the live streaming of Tamil Nadu’s iconic Jallikattu events, celebrating cultural heritage while offering exclusive experiences to a global audience. Additionally, the introduction of initiatives like the ₹49 monthly subscription pack reflects his commitment to expanding ZEE5’s reach and accessibility.
MediaNews4U caught up with Shiva Chinnasamy, where he shares his insights on ZEE5’s growth strategy, the importance of culturally rooted content, and the evolving role of technology in reshaping OTT platforms.
Excerpts
Q: What trends do you predict will shape the future of OTT platforms in India and globally over the next five years?
A: The OTT landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, both in India and globally. A key trend is the shift from pure subscription models to hybrid models that incorporate advertising. Even platforms that initially resisted ads are now exploring ad-supported tiers to attract price-sensitive consumers and expand their user base. This shift highlights a growing openness to diversification in revenue streams.
Additionally, gaming and gamification are becoming integral to audience engagement. From interactive storytelling to live quizzes, platforms are experimenting with innovative formats. For instance, gamification could include unlocking bonus content, personalized challenges, or even interactive dramas, where users influence story outcomes. Such approaches cater to younger, tech-savvy audiences who expect more immersive experiences.
Lastly, advancements in technology, including AI-driven personalization, enhanced analytics, and localized user interfaces, are poised to redefine how content is discovered and consumed. The next five years will see platforms balancing innovation with market-specific needs to stay competitive.
Q: ZEE5 has been investing heavily in regional content. How important is this to your strategy, and what insights have driven this approach?
A: ZEE5’s content strategy is heavily focused on catering to the diverse and rich cultural fabric of India. Regional content, in particular, plays a crucial role in engaging audiences from smaller towns and non-Hindi-speaking regions. Regional content is not just a strategy for us; it’s the cornerstone of our growth. Our cultural and linguistic diversity offers immense potential, with regional states driving more than 50% of ZEE5’s content consumption. South India and Bengal, in particular, are key contributors, with viewers showing a deep affinity for stories in their native languages.
Our insights show that regional markets are growing faster than the overall OTT sector. Factors like increasing internet penetration, smartphone affordability, and higher disposable incomes in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities fuel this growth.
We see major momentum coming from non-Hindi audiences and regional content, with an increasing preference for content that resonates with local cultures. For example, we offer a mix of social-themed stories like Ayali, fully traditional-based narratives like Jallikattu, and hybrid fiction thrillers like Aindam Vedam. This variety in content reflects the diversity of our audience’s demands and helps us create a deeper connection with viewers.
By producing culturally nuanced and linguistically diverse stories, we connect not only with domestic audiences but also with global viewers seeking a taste of home.
Q: Can you shed light on the role of original content in building brand loyalty and customer retention for ZEE5?
A: Original content is critical for driving differentiation, building brand identity, and fostering customer loyalty. At ZEE5, we prioritize creating culturally rooted and authentic narratives tailored to regional preferences. For instance, the Tamil market appreciates stories that blend tradition with modernity, such as Aindam Vedam, which explores the dynamics of a village caught between these two worlds. Similarly, Ayali tackled a sensitive topic like menstruation with a relatable storyline, resonating with a broad audience.
Beyond Tamil, regional markets like Telugu thrive on crime thrillers, while Malayalam audiences prefer redemption and underdog stories. By catering to these distinct preferences, we ensure our content remains relevant and engaging. Original content also gives us the flexibility to experiment with innovative themes and formats, further solidifying customer trust and driving repeat viewership.
Q: You have invested in live streaming of the Jallikattu event in Madurai. Can you brief us on the strategy behind it? Will you be focusing on similar properties in the future?
A: Our investment in live-streaming Jallikattu reflects our commitment to celebrating and showcasing India’s cultural heritage. This event, deeply rooted in Tamil traditions, allowed us to connect meaningfully with local audiences while also appealing to the Tamil diaspora globally. It aligns with ZEE5’s broader vision of creating family-friendly content that celebrates Indian culture and traditions authentically.
While live-streaming isn’t feasible for every event, we plan to continue investing in properties that resonate with regional audiences. For instance, events like Kumbh Mela, cultural festivals, and significant regional celebrations may not always be suited for live-streaming but offer opportunities for creating related content. The goal is to remain a trusted partner in bringing culturally significant experiences to our viewers.
Q: How does ZEE5 leverage technology like AI and ML to enhance user experience and personalization?
A: Technology plays a pivotal role in creating an intuitive and personalized user experience on ZEE5. Over the past six months, we’ve significantly improved the quality of search results and are focusing on enhancing our recommendation engine. By leveraging AI and ML, we analyze user behavior to deliver hyper-personalized content suggestions tailored to individual tastes.
Beyond recommendations, we are exploring innovations like dynamic thumbnails, predictive analytics for trending content, and real-time user engagement metrics. For example, if a user prefers Tamil family dramas, our AI engine ensures that relevant content is highlighted on their homepage. These enhancements not only improve content discovery but also increase user retention and satisfaction, ensuring ZEE5 remains a preferred platform.
Q: What is ZEE5’s approach to balancing subscription-based models (SVOD) with ad-supported models (AVOD)?
A: Our approach is to provide a flexible range of plans that cater to different user segments. For instance, ad-supported models (AVOD) allow budget-conscious viewers to access quality content for free or at a nominal cost, while subscription-based models (SVOD) cater to premium users who prefer ad-free viewing with access to exclusive content.
Additionally, hybrid models are gaining traction, offering ad-supported subscriptions at reduced prices. This middle ground is ideal for users who want access to premium content but are willing to tolerate minimal ads. By addressing varied use cases—from students and homemakers to families with shared devices—we ensure inclusivity and adaptability in our offerings.
Q: ZEE5 has partnered with telcos and other platforms in the past. How integral are these collaborations to your growth strategy?
A: Partnerships with telcos, DTH providers, and other platforms are integral to expanding ZEE5’s reach. They provide access to a vast audience base through bundled offerings, making our content more accessible. For instance, collaborations with Airtel, Tata Sky, and Dish TV allow us to tap into rural and semi-urban markets, where such partnerships are often the first point of digital content consumption.
However, these partnerships come with pricing pressures, as bundled offerings typically require lower price points. Balancing direct-to-consumer (B2C) subscriptions with bundled packages is an evolving strategy, ensuring both growth and profitability.
Q: What challenges do you foresee in scaling further in India, especially in rural and Tier 3/4 markets
A: Scaling in rural and Tier 3/4 markets is both a challenge and an opportunity. Challenges include limited digital literacy, lower awareness of OTT platforms, and intermittent internet connectivity in some areas. However, with increasing smartphone penetration and government initiatives to improve broadband access, these barriers are gradually diminishing.
Opportunities lie in the aspirational nature of these markets. Viewers in smaller towns are keen to access diverse content conveniently. By offering affordable subscription plans and localized content that reflects their cultural identity, ZEE5 can capture this burgeoning audience. Additionally, as connected TV (CTV) adoption grows in these regions, we anticipate a shift toward family-based viewing, further broadening our reach.
Q: ZEE5 has made inroads into international markets. What has been your strategy for appealing to global audiences, especially the diaspora?
A: Our strategy for global markets revolves around catering to the Indian diaspora, which seeks authentic Indian content to stay connected to their roots. By offering diverse regional content in languages like Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali, we ensure our offerings resonate with a broad spectrum of diaspora audiences. The Indian diaspora consumes significant regional content, especially in regions like the Middle East, North America, and Southeast Asia, where South Indian communities have a notable presence.
We’ve also made our international packages more affordable, allowing greater accessibility. Our marketing efforts focus on community engagement through diaspora events and targeted campaigns. By aligning our content with the cultural and emotional needs of the diaspora, we strengthen our presence in international markets, positioning ZEE5 as the go-to platform for Indian entertainment.
Q: How has the audience landscape evolved for ZEE5, Can you take us through some interesting trends aligning with the evolving consumptions habits?
A: The audience landscape in Tier 2, Tier 3, and Tier 4 markets has seen a significant shift in recent years. Initially, around 70-75% of viewership came from top-tier cities. However, with increased internet penetration and greater acceptance of OTT, we are now witnessing more viewers from smaller towns embracing the platform. This trend is expected to accelerate further with the rise of connected TV (CTV), which is fostering family-oriented viewership, unlike mobile OTT that primarily catered to individual consumption.
Binge-watching has become a particularly interesting phenomenon in India. We are seeing that binge-watching peaks between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m., a time when users consume multiple episodes or entire seasons of shows. This shift to long-form, on-demand content consumption indicates that OTT platforms like ZEE5 are becoming a central part of the evening entertainment routine, especially in Tier 2 and rural areas. The demand for a mix of romance and drama in these regions also highlights the evolving content preferences as these markets grow.
One notable trend is that about 40% of ZEE5 viewers consume content in two languages regularly. This bilingual viewing habit is quite significant because it indicates the broader appetite for a variety of content. Unlike traditional broadcast TV, where viewers are mostly confined to a single language or regional channel package, ZEE5’s platform allows for a broader selection, making it more adaptable to the linguistic preferences of our audience. This flexibility in language and content offerings is key to driving engagement across regions and maintaining ZEE5’s position as a family-oriented OTT platform.
