Coronavirus Drives 30% Surge in Video on Demand Viewing for March – Variety

The coronavirus pandemic has pushed a 30% year-to-year soar in video on demand viewing for March, information tracker Comscore has reported.

Comscore mentioned the soar got here as tens of millions of People sought leisure whereas complying with pandemic public well being security measures. “Additional driving the March 2020 VOD viewing surge is that in response to this unprecedented scenario, studios shifted a few of their massive display screen content material to on-demand platforms,” it added.

California was the primary state to challenge a “shelter in place” order on March 19. By March 30, 29 different states had issued related orders.

The info measured all set-top box-based VOD together with free on demand, subscription video on demand, transactional on demand and digital sell-through. Comscore mentioned the typical subscribing family accessed, bought or rented 16 titles of VOD content material over the course of the month — practically 4 extra transactions per VOD subscribing family than in March 2019.

SVOD had the best development in March, with a 53% improve in common transactions per subscribing family, adopted by free on demand with a 21% improve. Comscore’s analysis additionally confirmed VOD jumped 57% in the course of the ultimate week of March, led by a 116% surge in SVOD.

Health noticed the most important achieve in March transactions for genres, hovering 147%. The life and residential class was up 64%, adopted by the premium style, outlined as content material from HBO, Showtime and Starz. The musicclass slid 10% in the course of the month.