DTH
DD Direct Plus to expand channel offering to 50
NEW DELHI: Country’s first free DTH service – DD Direct Plus- operated by pubcaster Doordarshan has claimed that 150,000 boxes have been sold till now, even as it gets ready to expand the channel offerings to 50.
In queue, according to DD sources, there are several foreign and domestic channels, including Hindi general entertainment channel Sahara One.
Though religious channels like Aastha, Jagran, Maharshi Veda Vision and God TV too have shown interest to be on the DD Direct Plus platform, no decision have been taken yet by the pubcaster whether to accommodate such channels or not.
The foreign channels that evinced interest include Channel News Asia, German pubcaster DW, French TV5 and Canada’s SS TV.
The sources said that a committee would be set up soon to shortlist the additional 17 channels that would be finally allowed on board the DTH service for which subscribers don’t have to pay any monthly feel.
The Indian channels who have shown an eagerness to be part of DD Direct Plus include some Enandu family of channels, Sahara Samay Rashtriya, Splash TV, Win TV, Zee News, Delhi-specific Total TV, Jaya TV, interactive music channel Speed Music, CMM Music, ETC Music, SS Music and Sur Sangeet.
“DD can accommodate another 17 channels in the next phase of upgradation and that’s why the competition is hot amongst those wanting to be pat of DD Direct Plus,” a source in DD’s DTH division said.
15 LAKH BOXES SOLD, AND STILL GOING STRONG
Though critics were skeptical about DD Direct Plus, considering the pubcaster is not known to be too market savvy, the service has proved some points. Foremost that despite proliferation of cable TV, there are large parts of the country where people still don’t have access to good quality transmission and variety. Second, if local options are given at cheaper prices, then people would go for it.
Take, Tamil Nadu’s example. The state does boast of a sizable cable TV population, but still tops the list with maximum ( 2.5 lakh) sale of DD Direct Plus boxes. Maharashtra follows TN with sale figures of 1.5 lakh boxes, while in Rajasthan slightly over 100,000 boxes have been sold.
In the north-eastern state of Assam about 50,000 boxes have got sold, which, DD feels, is ‘encouraging.’
However, the state of Karnataka, DD sources admitted, is a bit of concern with the boxes sale sluggish.
DD also is in the process of wrapping up a 117-city media outdoor campaign, which harped on the virtues of DD Direct Plus.
DTH
Dish TV moves court seeking level playing field with DD Free Dish
DTH player flags unfair edge as free platform reshapes pay-TV market
MUMBAI: Dish TV has approached the Kerala High Court, seeking a level playing field with DD Free Dish, the free-to-air satellite platform run by Prasar Bharati.
At the heart of the dispute is what Dish TV calls a regulatory imbalance. The company has urged the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to bring DD Free Dish under the same rules as private direct-to-home operators, including mandatory encryption and compliance with the Digital Addressable System under existing laws such as the Indian Telegraph Act and the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act.
Private DTH platforms are required to encrypt their signals, meaning viewers need authorised set-top boxes and paid subscriptions. In contrast, DD Free Dish remains unencrypted, allowing access through basic equipment without monthly fees, a difference Dish TV argues creates a structural advantage.
In its petition, Dish TV has described the current framework as arbitrary and discriminatory, alleging it undermines constitutional guarantees of equality and the right to trade. The company pointed out that while private operators shoulder the cost of encryption infrastructure, licensing fees and regulatory levies, DD Free Dish operates without similar obligations despite scaling up significantly.
Originally launched to distribute Doordarshan channels, DD Free Dish has steadily morphed into a quasi-commercial platform. It now carries around 120 private channels and generates substantial revenue through slot auctions, with earnings rising sharply over the years, according to the petition.
The case also throws a spotlight on shifting dynamics within India’s television market. Pay DTH operators have been grappling with a shrinking subscriber base, which has fallen from nearly 70 million in 2021 to about 51 million in 2025. At the same time, DD Free Dish has expanded its reach to roughly 53 million households, buoyed by viewers in price-sensitive regions opting for free access over paid subscriptions.
The migration has been further fuelled by broadcasters placing popular channels on the free platform, making it an increasingly attractive alternative for households looking to cut costs.
The Kerala High Court has admitted the petition and scheduled the next hearing for June 2, 2026. It also noted that a recent notice by Prasar Bharati inviting regional channels to uplink on DD Free Dish without carriage fees until March 31, 2026 will remain subject to the final outcome of the case.
Regulators have already acknowledged the gap. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, in its July 2024 recommendations, proposed a shift towards an addressable system for DD Free Dish, though these suggestions are not binding. The government is yet to take a final call, mindful of the platform’s reach among millions of households.
The petition follows repeated representations from private players and bodies such as the All India Digital Cable Federation, all flagging the same concern: a fast-growing free platform competing in a paid market without the same rulebook.
As the courtroom battle unfolds, the outcome could redraw the contours of India’s pay-TV ecosystem, deciding whether the free ride continues or the rules of the game finally converge.
