OTT Platforms are streaming media platforms which reach the viewers through data usage via the Internet. OTT boycotts all conventional platforms like cable, broadcast and satellite platforms [1]. Presently, there are around 40 OTT platforms in India. OTT market in India worth Rs 21.5 billion in the financial year 2018 and its value is growing day by day. OTT platforms offer personalised viewing at one’s convenience through mobile phones and other digital devices. Since the Internet service providers are offering data at high speed and low cost, it has attracted nearly 40 crore smart phone users which led to speedy growth in the Entertainment sector especially of OTT platforms [2]. OTT platforms has high reach and popularity among the people of India, as mentioned on a report by KPMG EROS which state that everyday Indians spend 70 minutes on video streaming [3].

Webseries

Webseries are series of video episodes released on OTT streaming platforms to attract as many viewers as possible.   Webseries   is   more   popular  than  films  on OTT  platforms  in  the  times  of  social  distancing  and self-quarantine. According to a report in The Hindu, around 61% of viewers prefer webseries as against 21% opting for movies between March 19^th to 25^th 2020-a study conducted by a Media Consulting firm, Ormax Media [4]. The Kota factory, Scared Games, Panchayat, Mirzapur, The Family Man,  Paatal  Lok ,  Special  OPS  are  some  of the famous web series steaming on various OTT platforms during the COVID-19 lockdown  in  India. Generally, the youth of India is quite attracted towards webseries due to convenience, personalised viewing, cost efficiency and Foreign content and has favourable perception towards it.

On the other hand, many feels that these webseries have negative impact in youth and society at large. Some webseries streaming in India like Paatal Lok, Mirzapur, Abhay portray high level of violence. Bihar CM Mr. Nitish Kumar mentioned that criminal activities are increasing due to indecent and violent portrayals in Webseries. Nitish Kumar said that these programs have a ‘negative impact’ on the public and should be censored [5]. He complained that people were being exposed to "vulgar and objectionable content" and that this had a "serious effect on the minds of those who see" such content [6]. 

Research Objectives

• To determine the perception of youth on specific web series like Paatal Lok and Mirzapur

• To find the time spend by youth on watching the Web series during COVID-19 lockdown

• To identify the general perception of youth on all Webseries streaming on OTT platforms

Research Hypothesis

• Majority of youth has a negative perception of the specific Web series like Paatal Lok and Mirzapur on them

• Youth spends nearly 2 to 3 hours every day in webseries

• The general perception of the youth is favourable towards all webseries streaming on OTT platforms

Sample Design

• This study is conducted on a sample of 20 respondents

• Simple Random Sampling

• Age: 18-25

• Gender: Male and Female

• Primary Data Collection- (Survey)

• Unstructured Interview method 

Data Analysis

The Preference of Youth for OTT Platforms: Netflix is the most preferred OTT platform among youth. As 65% youth chose Netflix over other platforms seconded by Amazon Prime. They feel that overall choices of the content in Netflix is much more than others, Subscribers get multiple benefits like early releases. Better exposure level as International content are more. There are many value-added positive web series on Netflix. Amazon Prime Video is also liked by Indian youth as the presentation is quite attractive and generally the language used is HINDI. It gives them different content to watch unlike TV soaps (Table 1, Figure 1).

Table 1: The preference of youth for OTT platforms 

Figure 1: The Preference of Youth for OTT Platforms 

Average Time Spent by Youth on Webseries During COVID-19 Lockdown

About 25% of the youth spend on an average 2.5 hours on webseries on OTT platforms. 20% of youth spends 1.5 hours and 10% of them spends 5.5 hours. However, it is alarming to note that around 5% of the population spends 8.9 hours daily during the lockdown. However, 5% of the youth has been observed merely spends 0.5 hours on OTT platform because either they are working from home or have enrolled in some professional courses like Engineering or Medical. With Most of the examinations cancelled, youth are almost free at home viewing some OTT platforms. The average time spend by the youth has doubled during Covod-19 lockdown. This proves our second hypothesis (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Average Hours Spent Daily on OTT Platforms

Preference of the Youth which Time of the Day they Watch Webseries

About 70% of them prefer to watch at night, 20% at evening and 10% at day time. Majority of them watch after 10 pm at night which extends to 12 midnight to 4 am in the morning. As every individual require 8 hours of sleep every night but most of them have sleep debt of 2 or 3 hours which indirectly effect their mental and physical health. Some of them admit that extensive viewing at night has led to sleep loss, poor quality sleep and daytime tiredness (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Preferred Time to Watch Web Series 

Responses on Abusive Language and Intimate Scenes in Web Series Like (Paatal Lok and Mirzapur)

About 75% of the youth considers use of abusive language and intimate scene in webseries like Paatal Lok and Mirzapur are quite high. Some said that during Lockdown they have watched content with family members which made them quite uncomfortable to watch with them. Moreover, some have learnt the offensive language used in the webseries and try to use on others. Some mentioned that they casually use such language among friends. Many advocates some kind of censorship to be imposed on such webseries. This proves the first hypothesis (Figure 4). 

Figure 4: Rating of Abusuive Language and Intimate Scene

Responses on Violence Shown in Web Series Like Paatal Lok and Mirzapur

About 70% of them feels high level of violence shown on webseries like PaatalLok and Mirzapur. Some had such an impact that they do not have sound sleep if watched at night. Some also mentioned that these webseries tend to glorify violence and abusive language. It gives them a feel that such behaviour are socially acceptable. Many felt that this is making youth intolerant and aggressive. This increases the anxiety and stress among them in this uncertain time of COVID-19 Pandemic. This also proves the first hypothesis (Figure 5).

Figure 5: Violence Shown in Web Series

General Perception of Youth on all Web Series Streaming on OTT Platform

Youth have mixed perception (neither favourable nor unfavourable) regarding all web series showcased on OTT platforms .55% of youth has neutral feeling about webseries. Some consider web series as good and some as bad (based on the impact of webseries on them and their families).The third hypothesis is not proved as youth did not think favourable about webseries. They have neutral feeling regarding web series since they consider some as informative and entertaining and some too violent and vulgar (Figure 6).

Figure 6: General Perception on Web Series

Overall Conclusions

The findings reveal that most of the youth are attracted towards web series because of the presentation, content and personalised viewing at their own convenience. The script and content provide more innovation, newness as compare to TV soaps which build up their interest to great extent for webseries. However, majority of youth objected against web series like Paatal Lok and Mirzapur for showcasing vulgarity and violence extensively. They objected against glorifying violence and abusive language. They feel that such actions are slowly becoming socially acceptable, if not censored on time. They admit that these content increases their physical and verbal aggressive thought, action and behaviour. Some suffer from sleep disorder after watching such shows. Already in this time of uncertainty, anxiety and stress levels are quite high due to Coronavirus pandemic on the top such web series add fuel to fire which make the youth more stressed and insecure. It is observed that the time span spend by the youth on OTT platforms have doubled during the lockdown since the youth is free at home doing nothing as most of the examinations are cancelled by the boards and universities due to COVID-19. Here, OTT platforms act like time filler during their stay at home. Many say that when they watch a show on OTT platforms, they get addicted to it and stay up late at night to watch it. Generally, the viewing time of Web series is at night starting from 10pm to 4am which is quite indicative of the effect it has on sleep cycle of the youth. Daytime tiredness, poor quality sleep and sleep loss is observed because of extensive viewing at night hours. Lastly, the overall impact of webseries on the youth is neutral (neither positive nor negative) as they have mixed feeling about webseries. They regard some webseries convey strong message on the contrary some are waste of time with lot of objectionable content

1. “Cartoons: Effect in changing children’s mental response.” PDF file, file:///C:/Users/Harpreet/Downloads/Cartoons_ Effect_in_Changing_Children_Mental_Respo.pdf.

2. “Do OTT platforms provide more space for sociopolitical content?” The Hindu, April 2020, https://www.thehindu. com/opinion/op-ed/do-ott-platforms-provide-more-space-for-sociopolitical-content/article31240686.ece.

3. “Over-the-top media service.” Wikipedia, https://en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Over-the-top_media_service.

4. “Stuck at home, more people are streaming web series than movies.” The Hindu, March 2020, https://www.thehindu. com/news/cities/mumbai/stuck-at-home-more-people-are-streaming-web-series-than-movies/article31177361.ece.

5. “What is a web series?” Lifewire, https://www.lifewire. com/what-is-a-web-series-3486070.