The spread of the coronavirus pandemic all over the world has bought the whole world to a standstill. There have been lockdowns in many countries, and even after the lockdown has eased many businesses have shut down or partially reopened. In such a situation, the future of entertainment, just like all the other businesses remains bleak. In order to survive these tough times, the entertainment industry has no other option left other than to change itself.

The coronavirus has made it impossible for people to leave their homes and visit places like concerts, movie theatres, etc. Due to the stringent laws on social distancing and people avoiding places where they can come in contact with other people and thus the virus, people have now switched to online entertainment. This includes smartphones, laptops, TVs, etc.

The pandemic has forced Hollywood as well as the whole movie industry to change. The year has seen many delayed movie releases, suspended filming schedules, and cancelled concert tours. As a result, the entertainment industry is changing itself to cater to the needs of its audience.

With no signs of the pandemic coming into control anytime soon, the box office is showing signs of distress, making it difficult to imagine the long-term significance and feasibility of movie-theatre chains. Even when theatres will open, there will be reluctance in the moviegoers to visit the theatres till the virus is completely gone. With so many restrictions and directors, actors, and other people in the industry concerned about their safety, it is getting more and more difficult to make new content. The present times have resulted in industry mergers and succession plans being put into a frenzy at the media corporations, where financial stress is being put on old dependable business units, which are being helped to fund their expansion into streaming. 

As people are avoiding leaving their homes in search of entertainment, the use of services like Netflix is on the rise. Moreover, the lockdown and many people getting the option of work from home is also a huge reason behind the gain in popularity of in-house entertainment channels. Also, as things all over the world have been depressing, people, in order to escape reality, have started using more and more social media as a means of entertainment. 

Moreover, as many sports matches have been delayed or cancelled, people cannot watch live sports on their TV screens, the cable-TV packages have become even more dispensable.

For people whose livelihood was based on the entertainment industry, life has abruptly changed since the spread of coronavirus, as every aspect of the business has been shut down. Thus, the pandemic has brought the multibillion-dollar business to a standstill. Entertainment usually requires huge crowds. Even when it comes to television and film production, due to social distancing 50-60 people cannot come together on a set, thus making it difficult to shoot new movies.

Despite all the limitations, entertainment businesses are slowly trying to change their strategy during these times of crisis. For instance, in late night television, in place of production sets, hosts have started working from their living rooms. In many cases, people have been accepting of these changes because it makes hosts seem like real people with whom the audience can connect. Similarly, when it comes to singers, they have replaced live concerts in a room full of the audience with performing online. Indeed, the effect for the audience is not the same for the audience but the pandemic has left no other option for the people. Moreover, as everything is online, the prices for such are less, which can be seen as an advantage of such shows. Also, some people like the fact that to attend such shows they don’t have to dress up and leave their homes and they can have full entertainment from the comforts of their homes. Similarly, comedy shows, plays on Broadway, etc. are all performed on Zoom, which is a safe destination for all the parties involved.

This pandemic has many people out of jobs, which has worked as a boon for some as they have started using this time to hone some skills. There has been a rise in the number of influencers, and people are experimenting with the different fields in the entertainment industry. There is a hope that when this coronavirus is over, we will witness a lot of young talent and artists.

The pandemic has indeed bought the entertainment industry to a halt, but the good news is that many businesses have found a way to cope with the present circumstances. Things are not as good as they would have been with a live audience, but for the time being whatever is required to make the things work should be done. Once things are back to normal, people will start making a beeline for theatres and concert halls. Until then, we all need to stay strong and adjust business according to the circumstances.