DTH
Q3-2015: Airtel Digital TV services segment posts 11.4% y-o-y subscriber growth
BENGALURU: Bharti Airtel Limited (Airtel) reported y-o-y growth of 5.8 per cent to Rs 23217.1 crore in Q3-2015 from the Rs 21938.5 crore in Q3-2014. The company says that consolidated mobile data revenues at Rs 2,872 crore grew by 61.9 per cent y-o-y, uplifted by higher data usage. Mobile data revenues now contribute more than 85 per cent of the incremental revenues of the company. India revenues registered a growth of 12.6 per cent y-o-y across segments, led by 13.0 per cent in mobile, 13.2 per cent in Telemedia and 15.8 per cent in Digital TV.
Overall, the company reported an 8.9 per cent growth in number of subscribers across 20 countries in the current quarter to 31,29,05,000 from 28,74,09,000 in Q3-2014 and a 3 per cent growth from 30,37,09,000 in the immediate trailing quarter. Airtel’s Digital TV services subscribers grew 11.4 per cent in Q3-2015 to 98,10,000 from 88,07,000 in Q3-2014 and 2.8 per cent from 95,40,000 in Q2-2015.
Note: 100,00,000 = 100 lakh = 10 million = 1 crore
Revenue from Digital TV services segment grew 15.8 per cent to Rs 623.4 crore in Q3-2015 from Rs 538.4 crore in Q3-2014. During 9M-2015, digital TV services revenue grew EBIDTA for the segment grew 76 per cent to Rs 170.7 crore from Rs 97.2 crore in the year ago quarter. The company reported Rs 7.7 crore positive operating cash in Q3-2015 versus a negative Rs 13.7 crore cash flow in Q3-2014.
Capex for this segment increased by 47 per cent to Rs 163 crore in Q3-2015 as compared to the Rs 110.9 crore in Q3-2014. 9M-2015 capex increased 48 per cent to Rs 651.2 crore in the current quarter from Rs 439.1 crore in 9M-2014. Airtel’s cumulative investments in the segment increased 18 per cent to Rs 5298.4 crore in Q3-2015 from Rs 4471.2 crore in Q3-2014.
Airtel MD and CEO, India & South Asia Gopal Vittal said, “Airtel’s revenue growth in India has continued to accelerate. Revenue growth of 12.6 per cent in Q3-2015 is the highest in 9 quarters. We remain focused on driving topline through stepped up customer acquisitions with continued focus on churn, ensuring pricing stability, and path-breaking innovations in mobile data. Our mobile data growth is at 74.3 per cent in Q3-2015. On the regulatory front, the industry has welcomed the announcement of the timetable for the spectrum auctions in March 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.
