DTH
Tata Sky’s ‘Everywhere TV’ to launch on Android
MUMBAI: This New Year will bring a huge smile on the faces of Tata Sky subscribers and especially if they have an Android smartphone. It was in November that Tata Sky launched its innovative ‘Everywhere TV’ concept on iOS that allowed Apple phone users to watch their favourite channels live on their Apple phones and iPads with an internet pack, anywhere in the country.
Now, the DTH operator with a subscriber base of nearly 11 million is all set to introduce the application on the largest mobile operating system- Android. Set to launch within the next fortnight, this move will bring ‘TV on mobile’ to a platform that is being used by nearly 85 per cent of the population using smart phones.
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The initial launch was for iOS users and not Android due to the large number of compatibility tests that need to be done for the various phones supporting Android. “We are very happy with the number we got in the first three weeks from Apple users. The response has exceeded our expectations,” says Tata Sky CEO Harit Nagpal. Sources say that nearly 1 lakh downloads of the app have happened so far. The number is expected to be much higher with the Android application coming soon.
Subscribers will have to pay Rs 60 per month to watch their favourite channels on their mobile phones and tablets, even when on-the-go. The application allows subscribers to watch Live TV, pause live TV, download movies, watch and record shows from their mobile phone.
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What led to this innovation, answers Nagpal, “People are spending a lot of time outside of homes but are still consuming videos using different screens. So why can’t your Tata Sky connection be given to you on your mobile screen? A decent broadband or 3G/4G connection is all one needs to get the experience of TV everywhere.”
The DTH industry has been adding nearly 3 million subscribers each year and TRAI says the national subscriber base is 54 million on a gross basis. Industry estimates, however, place the active subscriber base at around 40 million odd nationally. ‘TV Everywhere’ will allow customers to watch TV seamlessly on their TV sets or on their mobile phones or on their tablets or phablets.
The DTH player believes in providing services to cater to the needs of its customers. “The consumer has a need, we simply try to address that need,” says Nagpal who believes that it is the ability to tier which helps in increasing the average revenue per user (ARPUs). “One cannot increase ARPUs through increasing the package price, it is a myth. It is only through introducing tiers that one can increase ARPUs, which is what we are doing,” concludes Nagpal.
DTH
DD Free Dish e-auction revenue dips to Rs 642 crore as slot sales fall
Revenue dips as revised norms reshape bidding in 94th round
NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati’s DD Free Dish has closed its 8th annual, and 94th overall, e-auction for MPEG-2 slots with total collections of Rs 642 crore for the period April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
That is lower than last year’s Rs 780 crore haul, with 55 slots sold compared with 61 in FY25–26. The softer topline reflects both a slimmer inventory and a recalibrated auction framework.
This was the first auction conducted after amendments to the e-auction methodology, including tighter eligibility norms and a revised reserve price structure for MPEG-2 slots. The stated aim was greater transparency and more serious participation. The immediate outcome appears to be more measured bidding in certain categories.
Day one set the tone. Eight slots were sold, six in the premium Bucket A+ and two in Bucket A. The strong early action in A+, which typically houses Hindi GECs and movie channels, reaffirmed the enduring appeal of mass Hindi programming on the platform.
Among the broadcasters securing slots in the initial rounds were Zee Entertainment Enterprises, Sony Pictures Networks India, Viacom18’s Colors network, Sun Network and Shemaroo Entertainment. Their continued presence signals that, despite the pull of digital platforms, Free Dish remains a strategic must have for legacy networks chasing scale in price sensitive markets.
The final bouquet of 55 channels leans heavily towards Hindi news, movies, devotional fare, Bhojpuri and regional programming.
In Hindi news, familiar heavyweights such as Aaj Tak, ABP News, India TV, News18 India, Republic Bharat and Zee News made the cut. Entertainment and movie offerings include Colors Rishtey, Star Utsav, Dangal TV, Sony Pal, Shemaroo TV, Goldmines, B4U Movies and Zee Biskope. Devotional viewers will find Aastha, Sanskar and Sadhna Gold among the selected channels.
Regional representation includes Sun Marathi, Fakt Marathi, PTC Punjabi and GTC Punjabi.
Equally telling were the absences. Broadcasters such as Big Magic, Filamchi Bhojpuri, India News, Bharat Express, Movieplex Maithili, TV9 Marathi, Shemaroo Marathibana, Zee Chitra Mandir and Satsang did not participate. The pullback is particularly visible across Marathi, Bhojpuri, Maithili and spiritual programming. Industry observers point to the revised reserve prices, tighter eligibility norms and a reassessment of commercial viability as possible factors.
DD Free Dish continues to beam into over 40 million homes, largely in rural and semi urban India. For advertisers and broadcasters alike, it offers efficient access to Bharat markets where pay TV penetration remains uneven and OTT subscriptions are limited.
The moderation in revenue this year may be read as a pause rather than a retreat. Fewer slots, a reworked auction playbook and evolving broadcaster strategies have clearly shaped outcomes. Yet premium Hindi entertainment retains its pull, and the platform’s mass reach remains hard to ignore.
As the FY26–27 line-up settles in, the mix of winners and walkaways will define the private satellite channel landscape on DD Free Dish for the year ahead.
