As fans waited for the final episode of Habs to air on YouTube, the channel decided to not go the YouTube way and instead, request (force) people to download their app and watch the final.
Now this move had also been attempted last week with the final episode of Kaisi Teri Khudgharzi. And as audiences inquired of each other on twitter why the last episode of Habs hadn’t aired yet, some calmly downloaded the app, others watched on the channel when it aired and still others, who were dependent on YouTube, refrained from downloading the app like yours truly. And here’s why!
Habs first episode and all successive episodes had aired on YouTube, hence, it made, but sense, that the last episode would also be aired on the channel. Previously, producers have tried to go the cinema way and deprived online viewers from watching the final till the cinema seats returned substantial revenue. So, to sum it up, not only did the makers harvest the earnings from the YouTube views, but they decided to milk it further by promoting an app or, sell cinema tickets, or, stagger the airing of the last episode on YouTube so that all bases would be covered and profit maximized.
Point to note:
There is nothing wrong about airing a drama on one’s app, provided one does it from the first episode, or, announces that the final episode will be aired on the app (when the first and successive episodes are run). Audiences would be okay about this if the drama was aired on an app from the very first episode. We have examples amidst us eg Barwaan Khiladi aired on Tapmad and was brought to the TV channels later after its stint on the app. Audiences downloaded the app because they wanted to give the content a chance, and hence, although viewing might not have been as high as on YouTube (I’m not aware of the numbers), it was a brave step towards going OTT. And one that must be respected, because the producers were very clear about where and when they would be airing the show.
However this policy of holding back the last episode and then expecting viewers to download an app from sheer desperation to watch it didn’t quite cut it as fair play in my books. Hence, yours truly won’t be watching the final episode of Habs and that’s that. I feel this is important to safeguard the interests of the viewers, whom I represent, and my protest, however miniscule in a sea of viewers who must have downloaded the app, I felt, needed to be made, if only as a token.
Here’s what netizens had to say about the non availability of the final Habs episode on YouTube – from the seriously irate to the ‘couldn’t care less’ and those who went a step further and watched!
This viewer is not able to watch probably because he/she is not in Pakistan and the app cannot be downloaded abroad?
Yaar pata nahi lougo ne #habs ki last episode kaha dekh li hum toh abhi bhi yt pe pagalo ki tarah dhund rahe hai mil hi nahi rahi , hume bhi dekhana hai basit salman ko plz @arydigitalasia episode release kr do #FerozeKhan
And here’s one response. Watch it on the channel if you can!
YouTube mein full episode nahi daal rahe hain. Hum ne telecast ke time http://aryditigital.tv mein live dekha hai!
Aah, there are ways around it, and we are forever resourceful!
Ohh Pakistan main dekh sakate hai na india main nahi lekin koi baat nahi maine ek link se crome pe dekh liya
Aha, loyalty to YouTube is a THING! Let that rest!
Am I the only one who has not yet watched habs last episode? bcoz I am too lazy n have ego that why should I download that ARYZAP app? Great strategy @arydigitalasia but I will not download it, I will wait until it is uploaded on yt my Loyalty to yt>>>> #FerozeKhan #Habs
Twitter gives fast fixes, but we tried, naah, couldn’t find it on the website!
No need to download it, you can watch it on their website without downloading this app.
And here it is… not watching!
Decided I’m probably not going to watch the final episode of #Habs because I find it highly unethical that a drama that screened all episodes on #YouTube decides to switch the last episode to an app & force a sneaky strategy of making viewers download their app @arydigitalasia
In Support!
Agreed
Exactly!
#Habs kind of irritated. why are the last episodes of ARY dramas coming on ZAP. it is so unfair, the whole year we watched them on Youtube and now you have to download the app to see it. @arydigitalasia
To recap, this tweet rounds up the final episode in one go and that’s why, we might not need to watch now?
ary zap pe hai full epi… aur kya hona hai end happily ever after with family and junior aisha
Ummm, great minds think alike!
Thik h bas yehi Janna tha nhi dekhna
And that’s it folks! Tell us if you watched the final episode, will you be watching or have you, like us, called it a day with Habs. To watch or not to watch, that is question!
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