The Russian DTH operator NTV-Plus ended Q1 with over 186,000 subscribers to its OTT service NTV-Plus TV.
This, according to NTV-Plus’s parent company Gazprom-Media, was 88% more than a year earlier. It adds that the share of viewers of NTV-Plus TV, who are at the same time satellite subscribers of the operator amounted to 26%. NTV-Plus offers its subscribers the online TV (Multiscreen) service, which allows them to watch TV channels included in the satellite subscription on any digital device on favorable terms. The number of users of the Multiscreen service in Q1 was double that of a year earlier.
The number of SVOD subscribers) increased by 96% compared to Q1 2020. Furthermore, audience loyalty level remained high – according to the AppStore, 86% of subscribers renewed their subscription for the next period. At the same time, the number of views on the PPV model decreased by 25% compared to Q1 2020, which is explained by the relatively high level of prices for the service and the still not fully resumed sporting events against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic.
NTV-Plus TV added a further nine TV channels to its offer in the first quarter of this year.
Commenting on the service’s performance, Konstantin Smirnov, director of digital products department, NTV-Plus, said: “Despite the difficulties, the market is recovering from the pandemic. This is evidenced by the expansion of the content offer and the high demand for a subscription model. OTT services remain the main growth drivers for pay-TV operators. Therefore, it is especially pleasant to note the significant steady growth in the subscriber base of the NTV-Plus online platform. I think this is a completely natural result of the work of our professional team”.
