New Delhi: According to a Google-led survey released on Tuesday, two out of every three Hindi-speaking individuals now prioritize news in their preferred language as Indian digital news consumers seek more immersive and relevant news consumption experiences.
According to the Google-Kantar study, “news in the preferred language” is a highly appreciated content aspect in Hindi (67%), Bengali (75%) Tamil (63%) and Gujarati (79%) among other language groups.
Approximately 67% of the study’s current news subscribers stated that “reliable content” was the main reason they decided to subscribe.
“Overwhelmed by too many plans/prices” (reported by 39%), “limited budget” (indicated by 35%), and “lack of flexible payment/cancellation options” (cited by 33%) are the top three reasons given by those who have not subscribed.
According to the survey, this disparity highlights the necessity for publishers to express each product’s value proposition in detail while attending to issues with flexibility and price.
“The price-sensitive nature of the market necessitates a diversified revenue strategy. What also comes out strongly is that in order to expand the user base, a meaningfully different and well-communicated value proposition is essential,” said Biswapriya Bhattacharjee, Director – B2B & Technology, Kantar.
The survey indicates that although users acknowledge the importance of high-quality news, they are primarily motivated by convenience and discouraged by the expense and unclear benefits of premium memberships.
According to Durga Raghunath, Head of Google India News Partnerships, comprehending the intricate details of reader income models is essential to the long-term viability and expansion of digital journalism.
“As part of our ongoing efforts to support the news ecosystem, this research provides valuable insights into reader preferences and behaviours, empowering publishers to make informed decisions about their monetisation strategies and build stronger connections with their audiences,” she added.
The results show that local-language and English-language news consumers in India have similar readiness to pay for digital news material, whether through subscriptions or other methods.
The report added, “Both Kannada and Tamil speakers are relatively more receptive to subscriptions. They are also open to sharing first-party data and micro-transactions in the form of either pay-per-content or mini-access passes.”
–IANS
