India’s connected TV audience has crossed an important threshold. At FICCI Frames 2026 in Mumbai, JioStar CEO – Entertainment Kevin Vaz said the CTV universe is now estimated at more than 200 million viewers, giving advertisers a large-screen channel that finally combines reach with digital accountability.
But the headline is not the number; it is the shift behind it. Vaz argued that distribution was once the industry’s biggest obstacle. Now, the scarce resource is attention.
“Attention is the new currency,” he said. The task, he added, is to create something that “makes the talk stop” in an era of endless content.
The TV set becomes a connected hub
Vaz said India has not seen one ecosystem replace another. Linear television, streaming, mobile and connected TV have converged. The large screen, in particular, now brings together linear channels, streaming, live sport and on-demand entertainment in one place.
Unlike a smartphone, that screen remains a shared one. Industry estimates suggest more than 80% of connected TV viewing happens with family or friends, which changes how marketers should think about creative and targeting.
Where attention is becoming action
Several fast-moving formats illustrate the opportunity. Vaz described micro-drama as a category worth Rs 650 crore in 2025, with 50% expected annual growth. JioStar’s Tarka has already engaged more than 50 production houses, widening the creator ecosystem.
Shoppable TV is another example. During high-reach content, viewers could discover and buy products without leaving the app, collapsing the distance between discovery, engagement and action. Vaz said content commerce is becoming a third value pool alongside advertising and subscription.
- CTV in India is now estimated at more than 200 million viewers.
- More than 80% of CTV viewing is shared with family or friends.
- Micro-drama was a Rs 650 crore category in 2025 and is growing at 50% annually.
- Content commerce is emerging as a third revenue pool next to advertising and subscriptions.
The measurement caveat
Vaz also cautioned that the industry cannot plan efficiently without reliable data. He urged the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to restore credible, verifiable audience measurement, saying its absence creates uncertainty for brands, advertisers and agencies, especially during the festive season.
For marketing teams, the practical risk is clear: CTV’s audience is scaling fast, but if measurement lags, campaign planning becomes less efficient at the exact moment budgets peak.
What marketers should do
The takeaway is not to abandon linear TV or chase every new format. It is to plan around attention, not just reach. That means co-viewed creative, sound-on storytelling and tighter integration between content and commerce.
Vaz offered a useful closing test: success should not be measured only by how much content is produced or how many screens are reached, but by the value and impact created.
Source: MediaNews4U
