Satellite TV outsmarts terrestrial TV
By Alok Agarwal | 03 Oct 2001
Mumbai: Indians are increasingly and energetically considering converting their sweet homes into television homes.
National Readership Survey data, for the period between April 1999 and March 2001, say that domestic televisions grew 3.59 per cent to 18.76 crore from 18.11 crore. Consumers have also shown a clear penchant for satellite TV in comparison to terrestrial TV and colour TV sets in comparison to B&W TV sets, as reflected in the same survey.
Both satellite TV homes and colour TV sets, have decisively outgrown terrestrial TV homes and B&W TV sets during the period under reference. Lets first look at the figures of growth for cable and satellite homes.
Cable and satellite homes increased 29 per cent between April 1999 and March 2001 from 2.94 crore to 3.79 crore households. In contrast, terrestrial TV households have declined 1 per cent from 15.11 crore to 14.97 crore households in the said period. While the trend, in general, has been the same all over the country, few states like Assam, Gujarat, Rajasthan and West Bengal have displayed a reverse trend - terrestrial TV outgrowing satellite TV.
The pace of growth in satellite TV in urban India is double that in rural India. Moreover, in rural India itself the pace of growth in satellite homes is double that of terrestrial homes. The phenomenon is so distinct that not only did all new TV homes in urban India have opted for satellite TVs, but many existing terrestrial TV homes have also converted themselves into satellite homes. The phenomenon is particularly evident in states like Bihar, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Gujarat.
As far as colour TV sets are concerned, the growth is estimated almost three times that of B&W TV sets. Ownership of colour TV grew 37 per cent from 1.94 crore to 2.65 crore between 1999 and 2001. In contrast, the ownership of B&W TV sets grew only 12 per cent from 4.83 crore to 5.40 crore.
The demand is clearly for remote-controlled TV sets, which displayed a growth of 45 per cent during the period under reference. The trend is particularly evident in states like Maharashtra, Goa, Punjab, Kerala, Chandigarh, Gujarat and Delhi.
There have been a few exceptions as well. In states like Rajasthan, Orissa and West Bengal, B&W TV sets have displayed a robust 20 per cent growth.