Media: Vernacular Platform Fields and the Struggle for Cultural Capital

Abstract

This chapter analyzes India’s Over-The-Top (OTT) media revolution through the lens of embeddedness and field theory, demonstrating how the growth of streaming platforms reflects a deep integration with social, cultural and institutional factors, rather than mere technological advancement. The analysis introduces vernacular platform fields as a framework for understanding India’s fragmented media landscape, where platforms must navigate linguistically defined markets with distinct cultural logics and taste hierarchies. Key growth drivers include smartphone penetration, affordable data, youth demographics and rising middle-class consumption, with COVID-19 accelerating the shift from traditional to on-demand viewing. Through illustrative case studies of a millennial consumer and a content creator, this chapter shows how social embeddedness influences consumption patterns and creative production amid evolving regulatory frameworks, such as the Intermediary Rules 2021. The analysis concludes that platform success requires operating as sophisticated multi-field actors capable of navigating India’s diverse linguistic landscape, offering implications for global platform studies where cultural diversity challenges universal market control strategies.