DTH
NDS, Canal Plus dispute to be heard in California court on Thursday
French tech company Canal Plus and Rupert Murdoch’s NDS will lock horns in a California court on Thursday. This will be the first public hearing of the claim in which Canal Plus is suing NDS for $ 1 billion dollars.
The controversy started last month when the French company accused NDS of cracking its pay-TV smart card software and helping create counterfeit versions by distributing the security codes on the internet. Canal Plus’s case appears to have gathered momentum as Oliver Kommerling, an employee of NDS-owned ADSR, threatens to turn whistleblower. He said in his deposition that he had a written report showing that “NDS engineers disassembled and analysed” the security software used by Canal Plus smart cards.
Kommerling said that he was told by NDS employees that the Canal Plus code was cracked by NDS technicians in Israel. He has alleged that Chris Tarnovsky, an NDS employee, arranged for the Canal Plus codes to be published on a website, www. DR7.com.
Even if the charge is validated, Canal Plus has to prove that Tarnovsky did the needful under instructions from NDS management. Rupert Murdoch’s sons, James and Lachlan, are on the NDS board. Meanwhile, NDS continues to maintain that it was in no way involved in the piracy of smart cards, used to enable Vivendi and ITV Digital pay-TV services.
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.
