By Sandeep Goyal

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

When Leisure, the poem, was written by Welsh poet W. H. Davies, in his Songs Of Joy and Others, way back in 1911, he bemoaned that life was so full of care that we have no time to stand and stare. Well, more than a 100+ years later, the situation, if any, is much worse. The paucity, the scarcity, of time is even more acute, in fact far more pronounced today than when poet Davies wrote Leisure. At its basic, leisure is nothing but freedom from the demands of work or duty, or what we colloquially call ‘free time’. Free time is time spent away from business, work, job hunting, domestic chores, and education, as well as necessary activities such as eating and sleeping. American economist and sociologist, Thorsten Veblen, a critic of capitalism, way back in 1899, took the definition of leisure to yet another orbit, defining it as “nonproductive consumption of time.”

The pandemic of the past few weeks has forced billions to stay home. Giving them, for the first time perhaps in their lives, something that had gone missing for many generations: the availability of ‘free time’. Time had suddenly been rendered spare from zero-commuting, more time was suddenly available from WFH, time was made free from not going out for frequent shopping, eating out, dropping the kids to school, and more. So mankind, courtesy the virus, has had time for seemingly ‘nonproductive consumption’.

The nonproductive consumption of time has two possible paths: to ‘fill’ time or to ‘kill’ time. And that is where entertainment steps in. Entertainment, at its simplest, is the ‘agreeable occupation’ of the mind … a diversion, an amusement … causing pleasure and delight … leading to fun and laughter … alleviating stress. Traditionally, entertainment came from simple pursuits like storytelling … which moved from oral narration to writing of books, which expanded into the creation of ‘literature’; its ‘live performance’ in turn led to the concept of theatre. So also music, which too found myriad expressions over time, including coalescing with literature and becoming part of the live performances, and theatre, besides building its own independent franchise as an entertainment form. And then there are sports and games. When running or swimming or other forms of sport became competitive, they became events, which are bigger platforms again for entertainment. Similarly dance. Or comedy. And of course magic, circus, street performances, parades, fireworks, fairs, expositions and even shopping … all vehicles of entertainment and fun.

Even animals have been a traditional source of entertainment. Monkeys doing gigs for street madaaris. Horse racing, camel racing, even greyhound racing. Cockfighting. Bullfighting. Bullock races in India. Fox hunting. Animals in the zoo are also a source of entertainment.

Add to the mix cinema and film, which surfaced about a hundred years ago. Technological developments in the 20th century actually meant that entertainment could be produced independently of the audience, it could be packaged and sold on a commercial basis – and that led to the birth of the entertainment industry.

Trend extrapolations tend to become more interesting if you look closely at how it all started, and how it has evolved over the years. The same is true for the entertainment business. In this Future Shock series, it has been my endeavour always to establish a context for every subject, every domain, so that the trends being discussed can fit into a larger picture. Let us, therefore, go back to the beginning of the last century and look at how entertainment has evolved. Even as a standalone, it makes for an interesting story.

1900s – Gramophones & Theatres

In the 1900s, music was listened to on a Gramophone. The most common method of playing your favourite music was through the 10 inch disc record, developed in 1901, which had a play-time of 3 minutes on each side. Meanwhile, more tangible entertainment came in the form of theatre, live orchestras and the opera.

1910s – The Birth of Hollywood

Fast forward ten years, and In Old California was the first film to be shot in Hollywood. Directed by D.W. Griffith, he discovered that the village of Hollywood had the perfect scenery for his film, unknowingly changing the future of this little village and the film industry. In 1911 David Horsley (a New Jersey film producer) officially opened Hollywood’s first motion picture studio, called the Christie Film Company. There are now approximately 600 movies made in Hollywood every year. Closer home, Hollywood’s cousin Bollywood (and its extended family of Tollywood & more) produces about 1500-2000 movies a year.

1920s – The Silent Era of Cinema

Welcome to the golden age of The Silent Era of Cinema! Movies became big business and by the end of the decade, there were more than 20 Hollywood studios. Silent films were becoming bigger, longer and better; Charlie Chaplin, the King of Comedy, made 12 films in the 1920s and was considered to be the most famous person on the planet.

1930s – The Television Era Begins

John Logie Baird created the first electric television in the 1920s, but it wasn’t until the 14th March 1930 that the first television broadcast, with both sound and vision, was aired. The BBC/Baird television service was now fully functional and from this moment on, the future of entertainment changed entirely. A regular broadcasting schedule was established and viewers could watch sports, cartoons, dramas and much more. (However, programmes were halted in 1939 after the outbreak of WW2).

1940s – Car Radios

Originally introduced in the 1920s, car radios were not common-place until the mid-1940s. While this movement was more advanced in America, it was also popular in the UK, so much so, that the UK Treasury imposed a 33% purchase tax on car radios in 1947. This was the first example of sound and music on the move.

1950s – Reel to Reel & 3D

In the 1950s, the reel-to-reel recording device was developed and was the earliest format of what we would come to know as the 8-track and VHS tapes. But this wasn’t the only development during this decade. From 1952 onwards, cinema entered the “golden era” of 3D. Although 3D films had been around in some way or another since the 1910s, it was in the 50s where this phenomenon was introduced to the wider public.

1960s – Colour Television

In July 1967, the UK launched their first ever full colour TV service, overseen by the legendary David Attenborough. In 1969 the colour TV service was extended to BBC One and ITV, giving the UK three full colour television channels before the 1970s. Wimbledon was one of the first events ever to be aired in colour, whilst popular colour TV shows included Dad’s Army and Dr. Who. The television was now a part of every home, and consumed a large part of the ‘free time’ of young and old alike.

1970s – Walkman and Cassette Tapes

The Walkman and Cassette tapes brought portable music playing devices to the masses. While people began to listen to music on the go, taking movies home with you also became an option, with the VHS player being introduced in the 1970s.

1980s – Compact Disc (CD)

In 1982 the compact disc was invented, shrinking the size of the vinyl and simplifying the complex mechanics of the tape. The CD player was released by Sony in October, two months after the CD. This gave the ability to travel even lighter whilst listening to music, all 74 minutes of it.

1990s – MP3 file extension

The early 1990s saw the largest shift the industry had experienced – the ability to download music files from the comfort of your own home, limited only by the capacity of your computer. However, this also opened up the ability for music to be transferred easily over the internet, which led to a large increase in music piracy.

2000s – On-Demand Entertainment

In 2003, Apple envisioned a platform for paid music downloads to be available on a device that you could fit into your pocket. The first stage of this was iTunes and the iPod; a platform where high quality music could be downloaded instantly and stored as an MP3 file to your computer for 99 cents a song. But it wasn’t just music that became ‘on-demand’; channels like the BBC offered online services where users could catch up on any telly they’d missed.

2010s – The Birth of Streaming

In 2010, what began as a small start-up exploded when Spotify gave users the ability to stream music for free. Netflix’s online rental service became the largest television and film streaming service in all of North America. Netflix reportedly has 182.86 million subscribers worldwide (15.8 million in India), and other similar platforms like Amazon Prime, Hulu, Hotstar Disney+ and more are doing well too. These services, including BBC iPlayer, now offer the option to download, so we can keep consuming entertainment, no matter where we are.

So, technology has been the catalyst for entertainment through the decades. Every new leap forward in technology meant the opening up of new possibilities for users, giving them more wholesome, more immersive experiences. But yes, entertainment still, and always will remain a sub-set of ‘leisure’ – which does not necessarily require any pre-packaged or pre-programmed content – one can always go jogging or cycling or trekking or swimming on one’s own without the need of either friends or technology. In the ‘new’ normal, post the pandemic, where social distance will be a big inhibitor to a number of pleasurable pursuits that ranked high on enjoyment, going solo for leisure may become a pivotal change brought about by the virus. In the emerging trends listed below, the effort is not to be predictable, and just focus on entertainment, but to include all the choices on the leisure front which may see a more visible return to the choice set.

Some of the trends listed below could look surprising, but in the changed world of tomorrow, many past habits are likely to change somewhat, and perhaps some simple pleasures of yore are likely to re-enter the consideration set.

1. Sleep more. Sleep is critical to physical health and effective functioning of the immune system. It’s also a key promoter of emotional wellness and mental health, helping to beat back stress, depression, and anxiety. The stay-at-home lockdowns suddenly gave everyone a much needed respite from their frenzied daily routines where sleeping hours for many had receded to less than 6 hours a day. Research, over the past couple of months from the UK, shows that most respondents were reporting atleast an extra hour of sleep every night, with 13% sleeping even more than the usual 8 hours. Interestingly, the report also quoted a large number of respondents saying they found time for an afternoon nap! So, sleep as a pleasurable leisure activity, old fangled though it may sound, could well be on the agenda with WFH and lesser time outside home as new realities dawn in the world of tomorrow.

2. More babies. As per UNICEF 20.1 million babies are projected to be born between March 11, 2020 and December 16, 2020 in India. The highest ever in a 40-weeks period. Other countries with the expected highest numbers of births during this period are China (13.5 million), Nigeria (6.4 million), Pakistan (5 million), Indonesia (4 million) and the US (3.6 million). Staying at home during the pandemic has obviously given a boost to sex. Going forward too, with more time at home, copulation as a leisure pleasure will see an uptick for sure.

3. The birth of the Frugal Introvert. Contrary to popular belief, being an introvert is in itself not a problem. It is not that introverts dislike people, it is just that they prefer (and need) ‘alone time’. They do spend time with their friends, but it’s the things they do by themselves that they really love. In the near future, given that social distancing will raise invisible walls even with friends, solo hobbies, are likely to see a significant boost.
Perhaps the greatest hobby introverts (many extroverts too!) enjoy is reading for countless hours, wherever and whenever they can. Taking up photography, getting artsy … drawing, painting, calligraphy, or pottery … learning to play an instrument, writing, cooking, baking, doing puzzles or crosswords, learning to knit or embroider, gardening, meditation, even learning a new language could be on the future agenda for a lot of people.

4. Solo athletic activities. In a more insular, socially distant world of tomorrow, many will find a workout routine that they love, or will engage in a sport that requires few or no people. They may want to bike, swim, play golf, run, jog, dance, box, play tennis, or just choose a workout class that doesn’t involve a ton of engagement with others. Solitude in many of these activities may have the benefit of reducing stress and anxiety which many may face due to loss of livelihood, or reduced incomes.

5. Urban orienteering, Anti-gravity cocooning, MovNat & Muay Thai. Many have, during lockdown and home confinement, figured that they want to pursue hobbies that will get them away from all day screengazing, and stimulate both body and mind. Urban orienteering is a half race, half mental challenge: reading a (real) map, while running outdoors. The perfect remedy for taming hardcore screenagers. It is already becoming a craze. Similarly, anti-gravity cocooning is the perfect hobby for getting in the zen-zone. It’s essentially a light yoga-style workout while cocooned in a hammock suspended from the ceiling, followed by a bit of a nap, designed to energise both body and mind. It works. Getting very popular too.

Movements that are Natural – MovNat – running, jumping, climbing, wrestling – all outdoors. All these develop the kind of physicality which humans evolved from, with a strong emphasis on natural environments to stave off immobility and the mental effects of being cooped up indoors all the time. Also gaining in popularity is Muay Thai, the hottest boxing style around. There’s never been a better time to take it up. It is one of the hardest of hardcore workouts – incredible cardio, strength, endurance, and coordination. Expect a big uptick in all these seemingly new hobbies as leisure outlets.

6. Middle-aged millennials picking up old fashioned hobbies and games! One big trend for the immediate future is about how people in their 20s and 30s are picking up old-fashioned hobbies to pass time now that they have been in a lockdown. Interestingly many would like to carry these hobbies through to the post lockdown times too, because they have started to enjoy these new leisure fillers. The UK has seen a surge in philatelists and coin collectors in the past 2 months. Even closer home, The Philatelic Bureau in Ernakulum, for example, has 9800 members. When the situation normalizes, the numbers may have grown by 20-25% as the next gen of many families got introduced to this very addictive, yet charming, hobby during the home stint and are now hooked.

Interestingly, board games, card games and even puzzles and jigsaws are seeing a big surge in interest. Backgammon is back with a vengeance in the West. So is the humble Ludo. In fact, its digital avatar, Ludo King, is ranked No. 1 in the Top Free Games Section on the Apple App Store. It was reported that while shooting for his film, Zero, Shahrukh Khan enjoyed playing Ludo King with director, Aanand L Rai, and co-star, Anushka Sharma. During the lockdown 2020, Anushka Sharma has admitted to playing Ludo King with husband Virat Kohli and family. Urvashi Rautela has also been seen playing the game. So old wine in new bottles will sell well, going forward.

7. Growth of digital edutainment. Edutainment in the brick-and-mortar world was dominated by brands like Kidzania, Legoland Discovery Center, Kindercity, Plabo, Pororo Parks, CurioCity, Totter’s Otterville, Mattel Play! Town, Little Explorers, Kidz Holding S.A.L globally. Kidzania, in fact, opened up in India too a few years back (I think in partnership with Shahrukh Khan). It was a market on the upswing. But now as parents take on the task of home-schooling children during the coronavirus pandemic, many other brands are showing their support with initiatives stepping in to fill the edutainment gap. From offering free access to resources, to creating brand-centric art and science tutorials. Amazon audiobook subsidiary Audible has granted free access to its children’s audiobooks for as long as schools remain closed. The Danish toy brand has stepped up its educational offering, hosted on its social media and YouTube channels. Repurposing existing content, its #ExplainedWithLego videos (launched in autumn 2019) are now squarely aimed at children being home-schooled during the crisis with subjects ranging from ‘How do volcanoes work?’ to ‘Why do we have seasons?’. Britain’s Tate institution has started offering material that ranges from themed quizzes to 45-minute tutorials on replicating artistic techniques – such as Make Pop Art Like Warhol. There are also kid-friendly articles on artists and art movements, such as New York-based feminist collective Guerrilla Girls. Expect interesting new developments in this space.

8. On demand books. Books to e-books, all will be read. Will books die? Well, two likely trends. First, On-Demand books. Books printed in minutes at the point-of-sale for immediate pick-up or delivery is a trend that is likely to take wings. Inventory carrying costs for bookstores, even e-tailers have been becoming an issue. On-Demand books may be the solution going forward. Second, will e-books kill the paperback? Yes, and no. The Association of American Publishers released data showing that the US adult e-book market declined 16.9% in the first nine months of 2016 over the same period in 2015, and Nielsen Book determined that the e-book market had an overall total decline of 16% in 2016 over 2015, including all age groups. Reason? Prices. If e-books don’t become cheaper, books will survive and continue to do well. There are lots of people of all ages who still like to read.

9. Decline in cinema going habit. With cinema halls and multiplexes shut, and film releases suspended amid the nation-wide lockdown, digital platforms might end up changing the collective movie watching experience, resulting in a dent in the footfalls whenever the screens open again. The Gulabo Sitabo premiere on Amazon Prime next week could fundamentally re-draw, and re-define, the contours of the entertainment business. Recently, China re-opened a limited number of theatres after announcing that the country had contained the coronavirus outbreak. The attendance, however, was sparse. Much the same could happen in India. Amazon Prime is also said to have acquired rights of Jyothika-starrer Tamil legal drama Ponmagal Vandhal, two Kannada titles – French Biryani and Law, Malayalam film Sufiyum Sujathayum, and Penguin (Tamil and Telugu). Add to that Anu Menon’s Vidya Balan starrer Shakuntala Devi: Human Computer in Hindi, which too most likely has been pocketed by Amazon Prime. Anurag Kashyap’s Nawazuddin Siddiqui starrer Ghoomketu has already aired on Zee5 without a theatrical release. Laxmmi Bomb is also likely to be streamed on Hotstar Disney+ bypassing theatres.
A combination of viewer fear of catching an infection in an enclosed theatre, combined with the aggression of digital streaming platforms can mean a bleak future for cinema for some time.

10. Sports will be a modified genre. The Tokyo 2020 Olympics have been moved to 2021, from July 23 to August 8. The Indian Premier League (IPL) is kind of indefinitely postponed for now. The ICC World Cup scheduled for later this year in Australia will also most likely not happen. Spectator sports are likely to be badly hit because of social distancing norms. Expect a serious setback on this front. Till then sports lovers will have to satisfy themselves with curated content … famous, old matches and talking heads.

11. Performing arts under stress. “The show must go on.” With theatres closed, from Broadway to the NCPA, most artists have turned to digital or virtual platforms to continue to engage with audiences. Almost all live performances have ceased globally. Visual art shows and exhibits might move toward ticketed and timed entry to limit the size of crowds. For now, things are not looking good for live theatrical shows.

12. Revival of Nostalgia. Revival of Old Blockbusters. We have seen the surge in viewership with the return of Ramayan and Mahabharat to Doordarshan. Pure nostalgia, really. And a sense of comfort, perhaps some longing for the ‘good ole days’. Sure the content is good too. But both shows have had previous re-runs. Never as wildly popular. So, the palpable fear gripping the populace will ensure they continue to seek old times, good times.
Taking a cue from the success of the re-run epics, there is potential for big titles returning from the dead in the months ahead. There has been a popular revival of the Gilmore Girls. In the months ahead for all one knows, there may be a revival of an even bigger show – Friends! Towards the end of 2019, Jennifer Aniston caused a stir online both by posting a selfie to Instagram alongside her old co-stars and by hinting that they were working on something new together in an interview with Ellen DeGeneres. Between 1 October and 11 November, 2019, there were nearly 300K public posts online about Aniston and/or the Friends reboot. You never know. But yes, Friends or not, look to ‘revivals’ in the days ahead. They provide nostalgia. Which in troubled times is a comforting potion.

13. The rise of the documentary. The pandemic has whetted appetite for realism, true to life portrayals. Despite analysts constantly saying that viewers exhibit dwindling attention spans and there is need for short-form content, the pain of the pandemic may trigger lengthy, detailed explorations of serious (and sometimes passionate) subjects. Such is the current climate. Look to more documentaries … engaging, poignant, real, immersive and touching. They are coming.

14. Cord cutting – the surge in streaming services. Netflix was looking at a potential subscriber base of 7 million in India this year. The surge in viewership has taken the base to 15.8 million during the pandemic. Streaming services are soaring, like never before. More consumers are increasing the number of streaming services they have access to, looking for ways to entertain themselves at home as the nation deals with the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus. Recent research shows that the average Mumbaikar is streaming eight hours of content each day, double the number of hours from before the pandemic rapidly spread. Three in four people are using more streaming services since the arrival of the coronavirus. The average person has log-ins to four streaming services, with 38% having access to five or more services. It is boom time for streaming!

15. Gaming will jump significantly. One of the industries to have benefitted from all the social distancing and self-isolation is the online gaming industry, which has seen a massive surge in the number of hours spent by Indian users in the world of online gaming. India was expected to have more than 628 million gamers by end 2020. Experts say that number has been substantially exceeded during the lockdown itself. A KPMG report indicates that India is already the largest emerging market in the world when it comes to gaming app downloads (nearly three billion annually). If uncertainty continues, and social distance remains prevalent, gaming in its myriad digital avatars will thrive and prosper.

16. Linear TV headed to tough times. Time magazine had perhaps the best view to offer on the future of linear TV, “After years of audience attrition, linear television was thrust into chaos when social-distancing measures halted production on most shows. Suddenly, not only scripted series but also the sports, talk shows and reality programming that have kept broadcast and cable channels in business amid the streaming revolution were cancelled. While streaming services have profited from a nation stuck at home, many traditional networks are absorbing yet another ratings blow. The future of real-time TV has looked bleak for quite some time. But, for a long list of reasons, coronavirus appears to be accelerating the decline.” Need we say more?

17. Skinny bundles (scaled-down selections of pay TV channels). TRAI has increased the limit of free channels under Network Capacity Fee (NCF) of Rs 130 to 200. What this means is that consumers can now choose 200 free-to-air or paid channels, and the NCF will remain at Rs 130. Major broadcasters were last year offering packs with some of their most expensive channels, which were priced at Rs 19 bundled in these packs. TRAI said this meant users were not getting a-la-carte options – users were having to subscribe to channels they did not really wish to watch. So TRAI restricted the maximum price of a channel in a bouquet to Rs 12, down from Rs 19. Broadcasters can, therefore, no longer include channels which have Rs 19 as price in the bouquet packs – especially sports channels & GECs if costed at Rs 19. With sports sans spectators, and top GECs without new content, consumers are likely to opt for ‘skinny bundles’ on cable & DTH.

18. E-sports will see more action. The suspension of sporting events as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic has led to greater interest and a boost in viewership of e-sports. Around the world, e-sports have seen a dramatic spike in viewers over the last three months. Amazon’s Twitch streaming platform in the US, for example, saw a 60 percent jump in viewership in March compared to the previous year, jumping to even higher levels in April. Additionally, as a result of suspensions many professional athletes and teams have taken their competitions online. In March, Formula 1 announced an ‘Esports Virtual Grand Prix’ featuring a number of current F1 drivers. Top flight football leagues have followed suit. The trend was starkly isolated on April 10 when rivals Inter Milan and AC Milan held an “e-Milan Derby” on the game Pro Evolution Soccer 2020. The match was broadcast globally on Youtube and on AC Milan’s subscription TV channel. The British Premier League also began a weeklong digital tournament on FIFA, with the ‘matches’ streamed on NBCsports.com and Sky Sports Twitch and Youtube channels. E-Sports are hotting up.

19. Music streaming & Podcasts. Globally, number of paid subscribers of Spotify rose by 31percent year-on-year to reach 130 million last quarter, helped in no mean measure by enhanced listening during the pandemic, with more and more users now streaming music from home. Interestingly, Spotify stated, “Every day now looks like the weekend.” While usage in cars, wearables and web platforms kind of plateaued, Spotify’s TV and game console audience grew in excess of 50 percent over the same period globally. Data also showed increase in users listening to music to help manage stress, with a rise in searches for ‘chill’ and ‘instrumental’ content. There was also an uptick in consumption of podcasts related to wellness and meditation. Well, here’s wishing more music to everyone’s ears.

20. OTT will take a new turn. Platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Hotstar Disney+, and Apple TV+ have propelled the Indian OTT to unprecedented boom. Both film and television content is now being provided to users on-the-go, offering convenience, and intriguing audiences to consume content of their choice. Consumers can pick and choose ‘video on demand.’ As per a report released by PwC, OTT is expected to grow at 22%, Y-o-Y to reach a market value of Rs 12,000 crore in less than four years. But going forward, the OTT focus will turn to vernacular. That opportunity in local languages is perhaps worth doubly more. Expect intense action there.

21. Personalisation of content. Smarter. Sharper. Content personalization (or content customization) relies on visitor data to deliver relevant content based on audience interests and motivations. It could range from a highly targeted call-to-action to a revolving landing page based on geographic or industry-specific segments. Personalization is really a user experience shortcut that connects the audience with the information it needs more quickly. Technology, data, analysis and matching on the fly, are making platforms smarter and sharper. We will witness more of this in the times ahead.

22. Voice assistants will be summoned more often. The voice communications revolution is in the midst of a new quantum leap, as new classes of smart devices make it possible for artificial intelligence (AI) to extract meaning from sound and give people new ways to interact with their world in a more intuitive way. Computers, smartphones, and smart speakers now feature built-in voice assistants that use cloud-based deep learning systems to let you ask questions and program actions. The same capability will soon be integrated into other devices we use every day. It is estimated that by 2020, as many as 1.8 billion people will have a voice assistant on the devices they carry, and many of the commands shall be used to summon music and entertainment. India itself has over 100 million Google Assistants active on Reliance Jio alone. Expect very much more action in this space.

23. Augmented Reality and more. In the aftermath of the pandemic, the benefits of being able to maximize close, day-to-day, people-to-people interactions, is sure to drive the growth of Deep Tech like Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR) and Extended Reality (XR) and its deployment in entertainment. Apps like Snapchat have AR as a central feature to communication and narration; many OTTs too are looking at such highly immersive content. We will see more Deep Tech driven realities in reality in times ahead.

24. Arrival of 5G. 5G has been many years in the making, but the high-speed lights are finally beginning to come on worldwide. A key component of the 5G technology package is the ability for the network to support up to over a million devices per square kilometer. This mMTC (massive Machine Type Communication) has enormous implications for the Internet of Things, which may well see explosive growth as 5G rolls out, and low-cost devices in their millions can be easily networked. 5G, with capabilities far far better than our current offerings, will revolutionize possibilities in entertainment. Stay tuned.

25. The rise of the amateur content creator. Younger users are flocking to channels run by amateur content creators, such as Swedish star PewDiePie, who has amassed over 10 billion views on his YouTube channel, and has 105 million subscribers. These content creators have developed a new kind of relationship with their audience, building up a dialog with fans, and name-checking them in videos. Bhuvan Bam in India has around 17,21,080 subscribers on his YouTube channel. This influencer enhanced entertainment is set to zoom.

We started this piece with Leisure by W.H. Davies. It would only be appropriate to end it with a William Wordsworth sonnet The World Is Too Much With Us written way back in 1802.

The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending we lay waste our powers;
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon,
The winds that will be howling at all hours,
And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers,
For this, for everything, we are out of tune;
It moves us not. — Great God! I’d rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathèd horn.

The world really is still too much with us, more than 200 years after this beautiful piece of verse was written! Leisure and entertainment will thrive in newer formats as mankind seeks to fill time, or to kill time. One just hopes, as technology evolves and entertainment becomes more instant and immersive, it is not as Wordsworth says, for everything, we are out of tune!

The author was Group CEO of Zee Telefilms. In his 36 years in the business he has worked across ad agencies JWT, Grey, DDB Mudra, Rediffusion and Dentsu. He is currently Chairman, Mogae Media.