The rise of the OTT viewing prospect grew beyond leaps and bounds after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The trend is still showing an upward spiral and the latest survey by a reputed agency in the USA has claimed that only 34% of the respondents(US citizens) said they wanted to watch a film in theaters while the rest preferred OTT. This means 2/3rd of the audience prefers the OTT experience to theaters.
The main reason cited by 53% of those who prefer OTT over theaters is the increasing cost of tickets and related expenses. Another 40% preferred watching films in the comfort of their houses as a reason behind their decision.
59% of the mentioned group of loyal theater-goers go to theaters for the experience of watching films on the big screens. 30% do so for advanced techs like IMAX and sound engineering.
It is estimated that hygienic reasons could be a factor behind the audience’s preference for streaming over the theatrical experience.
The alarming trend here is that the population of loyal theatergoers is considerably lower than those who prefer streaming services from the comfort of their homes. This could potentially lead to a severe downfall in the theatrical industry if it hasn’t started already.
