YouTube the most popular news source for Indians

In a report released recently a whopping 93 percent of Indian language digital news consumers use YouTube to access news.

This report explores the distinct preferences and behaviors of Indian language online news consumers in the country based on the content they consume and how they consume it. On average, Indian language consumers access news online via 5.05 digital platforms.

YouTube ranked highest for accessing news, followed by social media (88%) and chat apps (82%). A further 45 percent of Indian language online news users access news via news publishers' websites or apps. For different languages, the report aims to help newsrooms prioritize better and inform their content strategies.

It revealed that the country's digital news users are a richly diverse group, in contrast to oft-held perceptions of a monolithic, homogeneous "regional" audience. Consumers with different language preferences also show different content preferences according to the report, which highlights that one in two Indian language internet users consume news in the country.

While entertainment, crime, and national, state, and city headlines are top core news genres preferred by readers, Malayalam readers prefer international news and education, while Bengali readers prefer sports news.

"The Indian language news consumer has traditionally been considered less affluent and as having less of an appetite for complex content, as compared to the English language news consumer. The study shatters that myth -- the language news consumer is evolved, urban, diverse and demonstrates a willingness to pay digitally. This can unlock enormous opportunities for publishers and advertisers," Biswapriya Bhattacharjee, Director, B2B & Technology, Kantar, said in a statement.A

Additionally, the report found that digital news readers are more sophisticated and affluent than overall language internet users. Also, they are more likely to conduct online transactions (UPI, shopping, and OTT).

In addition, one in seven (15%) users is willing to pay for news online, and it is 1.5 times (22%) higher for those who use publisher websites and apps.

"Content businesses, including digital news publishers, have the potential to unlock new growth avenues by better engaging with an evolved and affluent cohort of Indian language digital news consumers," Sanjay Gupta, Country Head and Vice President, Google India, said in the statement.

"As a growing digital economy, we need to come together and build new propositions and brands across mediums to engage with consumers who are seeking authentic, reliable and high-quality content," he added.

From November 2022 to March 2023, Kantar conducted more than 64 in-depth qualitative discussions across 16 cities as well as more than 4,600 in-depth interviews across 43 urban cities in 14 states.

The study covered eight languages -- Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil and Telugu -- and both males and females aged 15 and over were surveyed.

YouTube has become an incredibly popular platform in India, with over 448 million active users as of July 2021. Additionally, YouTube has invested heavily in India, launching localized versions of the platform in various Indian languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, and more.

Moreover, India has a vast and diverse population with different languages and dialects. YouTube provides a platform where individuals can access news and information in their preferred language. This has made YouTube an attractive destination for news consumption in India, particularly in regional languages.

Google's report indicates that YouTube is now the preferred platform for digital news consumption in India, surpassing traditional sources such as television, newspapers, and radio. The report also highlights that YouTube's popularity is not limited to younger audiences, with users across all age groups relying on the platform for news and information.

Overall, YouTube's success in India is a testament to the platform's ability to provide localized and diverse content that caters to the needs and preferences of a large and diverse population.