DTH
Q1-2016: Dish Network reports higher revenue despite subscriber decline on higher ARPU
BENGALURU: US Pay-TV player Dish Network Corporation (DNC) reported 1.7 percent higher year-on-year (YoY) total revenue for the quarter ended 31 March, 2016 (Q1-2016, current) at $3,787.24 million as compared to $3,724.23 million in the year ago quarter. Subscriber related revenue increased 2.2 per cent YoY to $3,775.48 million in the current quarter as compared to $3,693.53 million in Q1-2015. The company lost 139,000 Pay-TV subscribers. Its subscriber base in the current year declined 1 per cent to 13.874 million in the current year as compared to 14.013 million in Q1-2015.
The company reported 2.6 per cent growth in average revenue per user (ARPU) in Q1-2016 to $87.94 from $85.73 in the corresponding year ago quarter. DNC says that increase in Pay-TV ARPU was primarily attributable to the DISH branded Pay-TV programming package price increases in February 2016 and 2015. These increases were partially offset by a shift in DISH branded Pay-TV programming package mix, an increase in Sling TV subscribers and a decrease in premium and pay-per-view revenue. The company says that Sling TV subscribers generally have lower priced programming packages than DISH branded Pay-TV subscribers, and therefore, to the extent that Sling TV subscribers increase, it has a negative impact on Pay-TV ARPU.
DNC’s subscriber churn declined by a single basis point to 1.63 per cent in the current quarter as compared to 1.64 per cent in Q1-2015. DNC added 657,000 gross subscribers in Q1-2016 as compared to 723,000 subscribers in Q1-2015. The company says that its Pay-TV churn rate continued to be adversely affected by increased competitive pressures, including aggressive marketing, bundled discount offers combining broadband, video and/or wireless services and other discounted promotional offers, as well as cord cutting.
DNC reported lower subscriber acquisition costs in the current quarter at $648 per subscriber as compared to $667, or a drop of 2.9 per cent or $19 per subscriber. DNC says that this change was primarily attributable to a decrease in hardware costs per activation. The decrease in hardware costs per activation was driven by a higher percentage of remanufactured receivers being activated on new DISH branded pay-TV subscriber accounts and by a reduction in manufacturing costs related to certain receiver systems
DNC reported 628,000 broadband subscribers in Q1-2016 as compared to 591,000 subscribers in Q1-2015
Net income attributable to DNC increased 10.8 per cent to $389.29 million in the current quarter as compared to $351.49 million in Q1-2015.
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.
