DTH
Pakistan gets tough on Indian DTH & content
Mumbai: Politics and media make for strange bed fellows. More often than not one annoys the other. And a backlash follows even worse than a woman scorned. Take a look at what’s happening in Pakistan. And what’s happening in India.
Both sides are banning the transmission of channels in their respective countries. The Jammu & Kashmir government has banned five channels; earlier the Indian government had banned Pakistani channels. But Pakistani content was being shown on cable networks in the country.
Pakistan, however, is going a step further. It is drawing up a multipronged strategy to close the doors on Indian content transmission into Pakistan whether through Pakistani satellite television or Indian DTH operators like Dish TV. Airtel, Videocon d2h, or on illegal TV cable channels in the country run by local operators there.
On the satellite dishes and DTH front, its media watchdog – the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) – says it is approaching different law-enforcement agencies in Pakistan ensure that sales of Indian DTH operators decoders – which it says are illegally being sold there – are banned in Pakistan as they don’t have landing rights or permissions to beam in Pakistan. It is also in the process of informing the chief ministers of the various provinces, including the Federal Investigation Agency, the Federal Bureau of Revenue to get behind the money trail of the sale and purchase of decoders and annual subscriptions for Indian DTH services. Dealers of Indian DTH decoders are going to be acted against immediately by local enforcement agencies.
According to him close to three million illegal Indian DTH decoders are currently available and active in Pakistan, on which there will be a crackdown through these measures.
On the content front, Alam firmly stated that his organization would ensure that Pakistani satellite television channels adhere to the six minutes per hour limit on Indian content going forward. Pakistani satellite TV channels have been airing Indian soaps, series and Naagin is among the top rated shows in the country. A Pemra board meeting took a decision to totally ban Indian channels as none of them have downlinking permission.
Alam has ordered cable TV networks to stop running illegal channels on their networks using compact disc content, failing which again strict action will once again be taken.
Pemra gave the managements of the broadcast networks 45 days until 15 October to adhere to the diktat, failing which punitive action- ranging from fines to suspension of licences – will follow.
Finally, the Pemra boss also made appeals to the Pakistani viewers to put a full stop to Indian content and satellite TV. “I urge the people to stop using illegal Indian dishes as it is in utter violation of the law and against the national interest,” he said.
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.
