DTH
Airtel DTH biz Q4-2015 revenue up 17%, segment reports Rs 8 crore operating profit
BENGALURU: Bharati Airtel’s Digital TV services – Airtel DTH – reported 17.2 per cent increase in y-o-y revenue to Rs 634.7 crore in Q4-2015 from Rs 541.5 crore and 1.8 per cent growth as compared to the Rs 623.4 crore in the immediate trailing quarter.
The segment reported an operating profit of Rs 8.1 crore for the current quarter as compared to an operating loss of Rs 110.7 crore in Q4-2014 and an operating loss of Rs 36 crore in Q3-2015.
Note: 100,00,000 = 100 lakh = 10 million = 1 crore
Airtel DTH revenue in FY-2015 grew 19.2 per cent to Rs 2475.9 crore as compared to the Rs 2077.1 crore in FY-2014. Operating loss was lower at Rs 158.1 crore in the current year as compared to the Rs 427.1 crore in FTY-2014.
The company reported 2.7 per cent q-o-q growth in Airtel DTH customer base for Q4-2015 to 100.73 lakh from 98.1 lakh in Q3-2015. For the year, the segment reported 11.8 per cent growth in customer base from 90.12 lakh in FY-2014.
Airtel MD and CEO, India & South Asia Gopal Vittal said, “The year has ended on a healthy note, with revenue growth accelerating to 12.1 per cent in FY 2014-15, from 9.9 per cent and 9.5 per cent respectively in the previous two years. Once again, the 20,000 – strong Airtel family has stood together to deliver these results. Airtel is spearheading the country’s digital agenda with substantial investments in the Internet space. The cumulative investment of Rs 68,000 crore in spectrum is a reflection of our commitment to the cause of a Digital India, and our belief in the potential of the exciting opportunity.”
Overall, Airtel’s consolidated revenues for Q4-2015 at Rs 23,016 crore grew by 3.6 per cent over the corresponding quarter last year. Improved operational efficiency has resulted in consolidated net income growing by 30.5 per cent y-o-y to Rs 1,255 crore says the company.
Annual consolidated revenues at Rs 92,039 crore grew by 7.3 per cent over the previous year, led by robust top line growth in India. Airtel informs that net income for the year grew by 86.9 per cent to Rs 5,183 crore despite higher forex losses of Rs 2,153 crore (FY-2014 forex loss – Rs 1,242 crore).
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.
