I&B Ministry
India boasts of 830 TV channels even as MIB cancels permission of 125
NEW DELHI: The total number of television channels uplinking from or downlinking into India has risen to 830, with the permission of as many as 125 channels cancelled by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB).
Thus, the government had given permission to a total of 955 channels, which included those who have been later denied permission.
Of the permitted channels, 398 are news and current affairs channels while 432 are general entertainment channels (GECs).
Twenty channels including seven news channels have been permitted to uplink from India but not downlink within the country, as of 30 November, 2015.
A total of 725 channels including 349 GECs are allowed to uplink and downlink in the country while 85 including 70 GECs are uplinked from overseas but allowed to downlink into TV homes in the country.
Star India brought into its fold the Maa cluster of channels including Maa TV, Maa Movies, Maa Music, and Maa Gold. NGC Network India launched National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Wild HD, Nat Geo People HD, Nat Geo Music HD, National Geographic HD, Fox Life and Fox Life HD in other Indian languages. Eenadu TV launched ETV Life, ETV Plus and ETV Abhiruchi that are Telugu channels permitted for uplinking. Additionally, Colors TV launched Colors Infinity and Colors Infinity HD.
Other channels that received permission this year include 9X Bajao (earlier 9X Bajaao and 9X Bangla), Rengoni, Asianet HD, Australia Network, Da Vinci Learning (non-news channel), Sharnam, Tulsi TV (earlier Vedas Om TV); the multi-lingual Sree TV, Naaptol HD (earlier All Time), Media One Life in Malayalam and English; Sangeet Marathi; MNGK Star in English and Indian languages; Ishwar in English and Indian languages; Baby TV HD; Seven Sisters Rainbow; Positive Health; Shubh TV; Swadesh News; Cartoon TV (earlier Maha Mazza); Teleshop; Home Shop 18 Tamil; V S Entertainment; Nick HD+ (earlier Bandhan); Veria Living and Zee Café HD (for downlinking).
I&B Ministry
Prasar Bharati sets EPG standards for DD Free Dish platform
New specs define 7-day guide, LCN mapping, and device compatibility.
MUMBAI: Your TV guide just got a backstage pass structured, scheduled, and far more in sync. Prasar Bharati has released detailed technical specifications for Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) services on DD Free Dish, laying down a standardised framework for how channels and programme information are organised and delivered. At the core of the update is a defined EPG data structure, covering genre-based categorisation, scheduling formats, and Logical Channel Numbering (LCN). The aim is simple: make navigation less guesswork and more guided experience across the platform’s over 40 million households.
The specifications also introduce a seven-day programme guide window for each channel, alongside clear rules for channel grouping and LCN mapping effectively deciding not just what you watch, but how easily you find it.
On the technical front, the document outlines requirements for Program Specific Information (PSI) and Service Information (SI), including descriptor usage across tables such as PAT, BAT and NIT. It further details service lists and network linkage parameters, giving OEMs and developers a clearer blueprint for integration.
Importantly, the framework is designed to work seamlessly with television sets equipped with in-built satellite tuners, enabling users to access DD Free Dish directly without additional hardware, an incremental but meaningful step towards simplifying access.
The platform will continue to operate on GSAT-15 transponders, using MPEG-4 compression and DVB-S2 transmission standards, ensuring continuity even as the interface evolves.
While largely technical, the move signals a broader push towards standardisation and user-friendly discovery in India’s free-to-air ecosystem because sometimes, the real upgrade isn’t what’s on screen, but how easily you get there.
