Vijay Effect? Tamil Nadu Assembly Livestream Sparks Massive Surge In TV, YouTube Viewership

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Assembly's decision to broadcast proceedings live on television and YouTube has led to a significant surge in viewership. The initiative, which began on August 5, has been particularly successful, with millions tuning in to watch the proceedings. Senior editors of Tamil news channels attribute the surge to the popularity of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, a well-known figure in Tamil cinema, or to the growing interest in politics among younger voters.

Interestingly, the trend is not limited to the younger demographic; many middle-aged and older women are also tuning in at 10 am to watch the proceedings live. In an effort to appeal to younger audiences, traditional TV channels are creating vertical-format clips that are shareable on Instagram. The success of the livestream is evident in the impressive YouTube numbers; the Budget presentation on August 5 garnered 1.2 million views on Polimer News' YouTube channel, while Puthiya Thalaimurai and Thanthi TV recorded around two lakh and 2.5 lakh views, respectively.

In contrast, the previous session in February 2017 drew only around 10,000-15,000 views on these channels. The impact of the livestream extends beyond Tamil Nadu, with clips of Vijay's speech garnering a million views within a few hours on Instagram. News channels and YouTubers are adopting "Vijay vs Udhayanidhi" thumbnails to attract viewers, which has resulted in an increase in oratory skills among experienced MLAs as they prepare for more rigorous debates.