~ The ‘Future of TV in India’ report by IIMA estimates TV audiences will continue to grow at a steady rate of 2-3% annually
~ The study reveals that as incomes rise in rural and low-income states, the TV audience increases sharply
~ By 2029, lower-income states (states whose per capita GDP is less than the national per capita income) are projected to reach TV penetration levels comparable to current levels in higher-income states (whose per capita income is significantly higher than the national per capital income)
~ In states with lower than the national per capita income, an increase in the state GDP per capita by Rs 1 lakh is likely to result in an increase of 25 million in TV audience
~ Demographic factors like literacy rate and dependency ratio significantly influence TV viewership in all-India and rural regression models
January 23, 2026: India’s surging economic development, including rising disposable income and literacy rate, is having a cascading effect on content consumption and the television landscape across the country, suggests the ‘Future of TV in India’ Report authored by the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) Professors Viswanath Pingali, Economics Area, and Ankur Sinha, Operations & Decision Sciences Area.
The report, supported by the Brij Disa Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (CDSA) at IIMA, has projected a sustained phase of growth that will propel India’s television audience to 1 billion by 2029, on the back of improving socio-economic indicators and rising internet penetration.
It deep dives into the television landscape in India and various demographic patterns that are shaping its consumption. It examines a broad set of potential influences on television viewership, including population structure, economic conditions, and the digital ecosystem surrounding households.
The findings reveal that India’s television audience will continue to grow at a steady pace of approximately 2.37% annually, expanding to nearly 1.03 billion viewers by 2029. Significant growth and expansion are expected from rural and lower-income states by 2029 as their income levels move closer to the current levels of higher income states.
Notably, the report mentions that the number of internet subscribers is a key driver of TV audience growth across the country. Rising internet penetration is associated with a significant increase in the television audience base, indicating the complementary effect of digital connectivity to television consumption. As internet access expands, consumption of both TV and online video content is expected to coexist and thrive.
Using a robust statistical regression framework, the professors analysed variations in TV audiences across markets over multiple years. The model evaluated key co-variates including the number of internet subscribers, Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) per capita, literacy rates, dependency ratio, income levels, and access to micro-credit, etc. The results displayed that as states continue to urbanise and household infrastructure improves, television penetration is expected to rise meaningfully, particularly in rural and low-income regions.
As affordability and incomes improve, television ownership and consumption are expected to rise disproportionately in emerging markets where per capita income is lower than the national average.
Commenting on the research conducted, Prof. Viswanath Pingali, a faculty member in the Economics Area, IIMA, said, “The objective of our research was to examine and establish concrete data-led indicators around the growth trajectory of television as a mature consumption medium and its pertinent role in India’s socio-economic development. Systematic evaluation methodologies coupled with empirical analysis enabled us to map the evolving factors in television consumption and predict how television audiences within a state change in co-relation with several other demographic and economic factors. There is a clear indication of rising incomes and improving literacy rates, particularly in rural and lower-income regions, creating a multiplier effect that strengthens TV adoption and consumption.”
Prof. Ankur Sinha, a faculty member in the Operations & Decision Sciences Area, IIMA, added, “The report quantifies the drivers of television audience growth by using models that account for multiple variables simultaneously. The key pattern that emerged consistently was the role of internet penetration in boosting television audiences. It was interesting to note how internet access, demographic composition, and income growth interact in powerful ways, particularly in rural and low-income regions that are also traditionally considered under- penetrated television markets. The state-wise projections presented in the report underscore that the next phase of growth for television will be led by regions undergoing rapid socio-economic transition.”
The report also indicates a strong co-relation between literacy rates and dependency ratios with television adoption. Findings highlight the role of television as a catalyst of social development with same-language subtitling, enabling improved literacy levels, especially in rural India. Television characters strongly resonate with audiences across households and often serve as role models. Additionally, exposure to television content leads to greater awareness of personal autonomy, higher financial independence, and progressive attitudes towards gender norms. The analysis conducted by IIMA professors reflects and quantifies how deeply television has penetrated India’s social fabric and identifies the demographic characteristics that influence TV adoption and growth.
This breakthrough thought paper features a futuristic audience-estimation model that blends factors like internet subscribers, state GDP per capita, literacy rate, dependency ratio, etc. to project the evolving scale of TV viewership. The findings are not just promising; they offer a strong, independent academic validation of TV’s enduring strength.
Read the full report here: https://www.iima.ac.in/sites/default/files/2026-01/Future%20of%20TV%20in%20India%20Report%20-%20compressed_0.pdf
Profiles of the Professors:
Professor Viswanath Pingali
Prof. Viswanath (Vishy) Pingali is a faculty member in the economics area at IIM Ahmedabad, Ahmedabad, India. His research interests include the healthcare sector and digital markets. His research has appeared in several leading domestic and international journals. Vishy also consults for several leading corporations, especially on antitrust matters, economic impact evaluation, policy evaluation, organisational restructuring etc. He is also a passionate teacher and teaches courses on microeconomics and game theory. He was also the winner of the SRK Distinguished Faculty Award in 2017. Vishy is also very active in executive education, where he trains executives from several corporate houses across India and abroad.
Professor Ankur Sinha
Ankur Sinha is a professor at IIM Ahmedabad, the Chairperson of the 2-year MBA programme (PGP), and the Brij Disa Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. He completed his PhD from the Helsinki School of Economics (Now: Aalto University School of Business) in the area of Business Technology, where his PhD thesis was adjudged as the best dissertation of the year 2011. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur. After completing his PhD, he has held visiting professor positions at Michigan State University and Aalto University. His research interests include Artificial Intelligence, Business Technology, Decision Making, and Optimisation. He has published his research in some of the leading Business, Computer Science, and Statistics journals. Along with teaching and research, he is actively involved in mentoring startups and consulting private and government organisations. He was the Chairperson of the Centre for Innovation Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE, now known as IIMA Ventures) from 2018-2021 and currently continues as a board member.
About IIM Ahmedabad:
The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) is a premier global management Institute that is at the forefront of promoting excellence in the field of management education. In more than six decades of its existence, the Institute has been acknowledged for its exemplary contributions to scholarship, practice, and policy through its distinctive teaching, high-quality research, nurturing future leaders, supporting industry, government, social enterprise, and creating a progressive impact on society. IIMA was founded as an innovative initiative by the Government, industry, and international academia in 1961. Since then, it has been consolidating its global footprint and today it has a network with over 80 top international institutions and a presence in Dubai. Its eminent faculty members and around 46,000 alumni, who are at the helm of influential positions in all walks of life also contribute to its global recognition. Over the years, IIMA’s academically superior, market-driven, and socially impactful programmes, have earned a high reputation and acclaim globally. It became the first Indian institution to receive international accreditation from EQUIS. The Institute is also placed first in the Government of India’s National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), India Rankings 2025. The Institute has been ranked 35th globally in the Financial Times (FT) Executive Education (Open) Rankings 2025. The renowned flagship two-year Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP) is ranked 39th in the FT Masters in Management Ranking 2024 and the Full-Time One- Year Post Graduate Programme in Management (MBA-PGPX) has been ranked 31st in the FT Global MBA rankings 2025.
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