DTH
Dish TV sharpens focus on Tamil Nadu
MUMBAI: Despite having substantial share across all markets in South India, direct-to-home (DTH) operator Dish TV is currently focusing on Tamil Nadu as the market there affords a big pay TV opportunity. Moreover, the state is also going through digitisation, which has created more avenues for DTH players to increase their subscriber base in the state.
Recently, Dish TV announced a plan to come up around 30 popular Tamil channels on its platform with an aim to leave customers with wider choice. In an interaction with Indiantelevision.com, Dish TV India SVP marketing Sukhpreet Singh said that Tamil Nadu has always been important for the company and is one of the top markets for the company.
“We are a major player in every market, including the South Indian market. We have a substantial share in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, too. But we are focusing more on the Tamil market because there is more content available. At this point of time, we are focusing on the Tamil market as it is going through digitisation,” he said when asked about the company’s plan to focus on other South Indian markets.
However, he said that being a pan-India brand, it is not fair to focus on one market over another. The company keeps figuring out what customers want in a particular state, if there’s need of more content, subscription packages or services. Currently, they are doing this for Tamil Nadu.
Being a multi-dimensional market, Tamil Nadu has several segments of audience. One of the segment watches Tamil channels only while another one watches other South Indian language channels along with Tamil channels. Then, there are other two segments that demand Hindi and English content. The company tries to reach each of the four segments with subscription packs applicable for a particular segment.
“We continuously keep coming up with subscription packages; recently, we launched an annual subscription package for Tamil Nadu,” Singh said. The primary means of attracting more users to the platform is providing more content. Along with that, content has to be packaged and priced correctly.
Through promotional programmes and advertisements, Dish TV wants to keep its customers aware of all the plans. For building up the subscriber base, it is expanding distribution as well.
“We do unique things. For example, Dish TV is the only brand that provides the option of topping of your pack with single channels also,” he said. “If a customer who basically watches Tamil content and want some English channels, they don’t have to opt for the mega pack. They can pick channels at Rs 8.5 under ‘Mera Apna Pack’ initiative. This initiative has attracted a lot of customers.”
To increase market share, the long-term strategy is always based on better customer experience. Brand loyalty has a direct bearing on market share.
“The number of people subscribing to our VAS (value-added services) has increased dramatically,” he added when asked about how VAS was helping Dish TV’s business.
During the various digitisation phases, Dish TV acquired a number of customers in the state. Now, as the market has matured, like all the brands, Dish TV is also experimenting with new strategies.
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.
