DTH
Tata Sky coughs up Rs 561 crore as licence fee for FY 2017-18
MUMBAI: Direct-to-home operator Tata Sky has paid Rs 561 crore as licence fee to the government for 2017-18 financial year, according to a statement released by the company.
The company paid a total of Rs 2,200 crore in the last fiscal year ended on 31 March 2018. This amount includes GST, state entertainment taxes and some other taxes.
Commenting on the development, TataSky MD & CEO Harit Nagpal said: “With the payment made today, we have paid licence fee, past and current as per specified rates, regardless of pending litigations between the government and the platforms.”
The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B) rules mandate DTH operators to pay 10 per cent of their gross revenue as their annual fee to the government. DTH operators, however, contend that the MIB should charge licence fee based on adjusted gross revenue left after paying several taxes and others.
In 2014, the DTH operator had paid Rs 383 crore to the government as licence fee for the previous fiscal and arrears.
In the same year, the MIB had sent notices asking them to pay licence fee totalling Rs 2,066 crore within 15 days. DTH operators had challenged the licence fee demand in the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) in 2014.
Tata Sky, a joint venture between Tata Sons and 21st Century Fox, has presence across 1.5 lakh towns with over 18 million connections.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has in its recommendations to the MIB said that the DTH licence period should be increased to 20 years while the licence fee should be charged as 8 per cent of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) where AGR is calculated taxes paid to the government.
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DTH
Dish TV launches ‘Kuch chhota sa’ campaign for TV flexibilit
New campaign highlights 190+ channels, Always-On service, Rs 99 Freedom Pack.
MUMBAI- Sometimes, the smallest remote click can fix the biggest daily friction and Dish TV is betting on exactly that insight. The company has rolled out a new campaign built around the thought ‘Kuch chhota sa karne par, life hogi behtar’, turning everyday viewing annoyances into a case for simpler, more reliable television access.
The campaign taps into a familiar household reality: millions of viewers continue to rely on free-to-air channels but increasingly want the flexibility of premium content, often ending up with a patchy and inconsistent viewing experience. Dish TV positions itself as the middle path—a structured yet flexible alternative that promises continuity without complexity. At its core is the pitch of an “Always-On” service, designed to keep content accessible even when recharge timelines slip, effectively reducing one of the most common friction points in DTH consumption.
To strengthen this proposition, the platform is offering access to over 190 channels, alongside a flexible pricing hook through its Freedom Pack, starting at Rs 99. The pack is positioned as a seasonal companion particularly relevant during high-engagement periods such as cricket tournaments, school holidays and festive windows, when content consumption spikes but users may not want long-term commitments.
Conceptualised by Enormous, the campaign unfolds through two master films and three short edits rooted in slice-of-life storytelling. From a husband quietly navigating around his sleeping wife to siblings striking a compromise over a coveted window seat, the narratives lean into humour and relatability rather than heavy messaging. The underlying idea remains consistent: small adjustments can meaningfully improve everyday experiences.
The rollout spans a full 360-degree media mix, including television, digital platforms, on-ground activations, point-of-sale visibility, Google Display Network placements and influencer-led content, signalling a push for both scale and contextual engagement.
As viewing habits continue to evolve in a hybrid ecosystem of free and paid content, Dish TV’s latest play reflects a broader industry shift where reliability and flexibility are increasingly positioned as differentiators, not just add-ons. In a market crowded with choice, the brand’s wager is simple: sometimes, it’s the smallest tweak that keeps audiences tuned in.
