DTH
DD Free Dish announces new channel numbers effective 1 April
Mumbai: Prasar Bharati’s free direct-to-home (DTH) platform DD Free Dish has announced the new channel numbers for 167 TV channels and 48 radio channels that will come into effect from 1 April. The TV channels comprise 91 Doordarshan channels including 51 cobranded educational channels and 76 private TV channels.
The private TV channels bouquet comprises eight Hindi general entertainment channels, 15 Hindi movie channels, six music channels, 22 news channels, 9 Bhojpuri channels, four devotional channels and two foreign channels.
“The new channel lineup has rendered the DD Free Dish bouquet more diverse and engaging than ever,” said the statement.
Chef Sanjeev Kapoor’s dedicated food channel ‘Food Food’ has been added along with a new sports channel ‘MyCam.’
In the latest e-auction for allotment of MPEG-2 slots of DD Free Dish, 63 channels were successfully allocated slots in various genres. The number of channels on DD Free Dish has also increased under multiple buckets this year. In the news and current affairs category, the number of channels has increased from 11 to 14, while the bucket of Hindi music, Hindi sports, Hindi teleshopping channels, Bhojpuri movies and Bhojpuri GEC has registered growth from 13 to 16.
“With improved auction processes leading to addition of better quality and quantity of channels in various genres, between 2017 and 2022 alone, the free DTH service of Doordarshan clocked a stellar growth of almost 100 per cent from 22 million in 2017 to 43 million in 2022,” said the statement.
“DD Free Dish has become the largest DTH platform with a reach of more than 43 million households,” said the statement.
This year’s FICCI-EY report found that free television continued to grow its base to reach an estimated 43 million subscribers on the back of less expensive TV sets, economic issues, and the addition of new channels to the platform. The report also quoted Free Dish distributors mentioning the year-on-year growth in sales of DD Free Dish set-top-boxes.
“In stark comparison to 22 million subscribers in 13 years between 2004 and 2017, DD Free Dish’s growth over the last five years stands out,” said the statement. “In just five years between 2017 and 2022, Free Dish has added another 21 million subscribers, taking the total to 43 million.”
The DD Free Dish set-top-box can be purchased for a one-time fee of Rs 2000 where the viewer does not have to pay any monthly subscription fee.
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.
