DTH
Indian OTT/VOD will not impact cable TV and DTH: Edelweiss Capital
MUMBAI: Financial services firm Edelweiss Capital’s research division’s latest report on the impact of OTT on television in India is surely going to delight the cockles of executives in broadcasting companies and probably raise the hackles of those in the video on demand space. The report says that, even as consumers are bound to increase their spends and time spent on video – either on handheld devices or on their smart TVs or their laptops, this will have a negligible impact on traditional linear TV’s fortunes.
Cord cutting or cord shaving which has been rampant in the US as cable TV and DTH viewers shift from their expensive services to cheaper VOD options or to cheaper TV packages is not something that is going to pop up in a hurry in India, says the Edelweiss report. The Indian cable TV and DTH segments are marked by low monthly rentals of Rs 300-450 as compared to the US where DTH and cable TV fees have soared.
“The Indian OTT market is at a nascent stage and is quite like the US was seven years ago,” it points out.
However, it is optimistic about the growth of the OTT sector. Currently, the challenge is broadband speed, the report points out, with the average home clocking 3.5 mbps, which is not enough to offer lag-free HD video streaming. It reveals that this will change with cheaper data and broadband options fueling VOD and OTT taking consumption of video content up from 3.5 hours to five hours daily.
Consumers are going to open their wallets and spend Rs 600-700 per month from the current Rs 300-450 per month to view video content across various platforms in the next five years, the report says. “In the case of India, it is largely a single-TV home market where not everyone in the family gets to watch what they want during prime time which will aid the OTT space,” the report adds.
But, VOD and OTT is only going to complement traditional television and not erode it is the report’s guidance.
The brokerage house is quite clear that TV advertising is also going to hold its ground because its viewership is going to continue to be steady. And, there is going to be no loss in revenues on account of VOD/OTT and the heady growths in digital video consumption and digital advertising.
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.
