DTH
IndiaCast issues public notice about Dish TV
MUMBAI: Dish TV subscribers might have been a wee bit surprised today when they saw an IndiaCast notice in newspapers and on their TV channels informing them about a possible channel unavailability from 1 January.
Last month Dish TV went on a hyper drive promoting its “on request channels” campaign that was designed to give TV consumers freedom of choice and give them the option of taking up a flexible package and allow India’s oldest DTH operator to generate savings.
As part of that scheme (which is still going on), Dish TV subscribers need to SMS or telephone its call centre and opt for the IndiaCast channels they want. Subscribers who choose not to SMS or choose to unrequest the IndiaCast channels have a reward waiting for them in the form of 100 bonus points (Rs 100) per unrequested channel, which they can redeem against the movies on demand service that Dish TV is offering.
The DTH operator had said that it is looking at increasing revenues and reducing content costs over a period of time. The initiative of knowing what channels consumers want would help it bring down satellite transponder and bandwidth consumption costs as it would help it decide which channels it can take off. This unbundling of packages would be a win-win situation for itself as well as subscribers.
Now, IndiaCast has been running TV promos on all its channels and has also issued a public notice on the same issue in select newspapers. The newspaper notice has cautioned general TV viewers who are subscribers of Dish TV “that several IndiaCast channels might not get carried on Dish TV from 1 January 2014 and that Dish TV would be offering its movies-on-demand instead.”
In the notice, IndiaCast has asked Dish TV subscribers to call up the DTH operator’s call centres if they want these channels to be included in their packages. Additionally, it has informed subscribers that alternatively they can get a “new connection from service providers such as Tata Sky, Airtel, Videocon, Hathway, DEN and InCable.”
IndiaCast, reportedly, has five different agreements with Dish TV for TV18-Viacom18, Disney, UTV, Eenadu and HD channels. Out of these, three deals namely TV18-Viacom18, Disney and UTV are slated for renewal on 1 January 2014.
The channels that are mentioned in the advertisement – Colors, CNBC TV 18, MTV, CNN IBN, Bindass, Nick, IBN7, CNBC Awaaz, UTV Movies, History TV, Disney, Hungama, Sonic, Disney XD, UTV Action, Comedy Central, VH1, UTV World Movies, Nick Jr, Disney Junior and IBN Lokmat are a part of the three deals coming for renewal.
Earlier this week, a case filed in The Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) by Dish TV came up for hearing in which it claimed that IndiaCast was refusing to provide signals to the DTH provider on account of the carriage fees it was charging the aggregator. The case was dismissed and a settlement was reached between the two that Dish TV will get the channels on a reference interconnect order (RIO) basis.
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.
