DTH
Malaysia’s Astro ‘doesn’t know’ about talks with Reliance Digital TV
NEW DELHI: Malaysian and ASEAN content and consumer company Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd has scotched rumours about due diligence being done to buy financially-beleaguered Indian DTH operator Reliance Digital TV saying it “does not know anything” about the talks.
“I read about it in the newspaper,” Astro CEO Datuk Rohana Rozhan was quoted as saying by website The Edge Markets in a report datelined Kuala Lumpur. The pay TV service provider’s executive further told reporters that “as a matter of principle, we don’t comment on rumours.”
According to the website report, pressed with questions on whether Astro was denying that it was in talks with Reliance Digital TV, Rohana was quoted as saying, “I don’t know anything about it and I am the CEO of this company.”
Malaysia’s The Star few days earlier had carried a wire agency report of Bernama that Astro was performing a due diligence to buy into Reliance Digital TV, a business venture under Reliance Communications controlled by Anil Ambani. A Reliance spokesman had declined to comment when contacted by Bernama wire agency that sourced the news story to a report in Times of India.
The Bernama report had gone to add that with just 2 per cent subscribers in the Indian DTH market, Reliance Digital TV faces stiff competition from bigger players and a sale deal could help RCom cut its debt. Astro has a 20 per cent stake in south Indian DTH operator Sun Direct.
Last year the Anil Ambani-controlled Reliance Communications had entered into a definitive agreement with the Zee group companies to sell its TV broadcast comprising few channels and radio FM businesses subject to regulatory approvals. Buyer Zee presently is in the process of integrating with the group the Reliance businesses.
Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad is a Kuala Lumpur-based content and consumer company that is recommitting towards being a technology-driven organisation in the digital, TV, radio and e-commerce space.With a customer base of 5.8 million or approximately 71 per cent penetration of total households in Malaysia, Astro serves 21 million individuals by offering a wide range of media and entertainment products spanning across television, radio, digital media and home shopping.
Astro’s value proposition includes 188 TV channels broadcast via DTH satellite TV, IPTV and OTT platforms, of which 60 are Astro-branded and 72 are in HD. Astro also offer a non-subscription freemium service called NJOI, which offers 28 channels, of which two are in HD and 19 radio stations.
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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.
