DTH
Tata Play introduces anime local
Mumbai: Tata Play’s platform service portfolio gains momentum with its latest addition – Anime Local. Bringing the best of Japanese animation to audiences in India, Anime Local on Tata Play, is an ad free service available to all Tata Play subscribers in three different languages – Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam. For ease of access, the service will also be available simultaneously on the Tata Play mobile app for portable, on-the-move viewing.
Anime Local on Tata Play seeks to entice the viewers with a large bouquet of curated anime content, from thrilling action epics to heartwarming coming-of-age stories, at just Rs. 2 per day. The service will feature popular anime shows like Naruto, Sergeant Keroro, Ninjaboy Rantaro, Naruto Shippuden, Black Clover, Robotan, among many others, in Hindi, Tamil, and Malayalam languages.
Commenting on the successful launch of another niche programming service, Tata Play’s chief commercial and content officer, Pallavi Puri said, “The evolving preferences of our TV audiences have been the driving force behind the innovative programming we’ve envisioned for our platform services. Anime Local on Tata Play will be yet another jewel to our exhaustive offering. The palette for Anime content has been growing, and our new service will provide top notch content, to suit that growing appetite. We thank our partner Culver Max Entertainment for putting together this curation for us.”
Adding to the same, Sony YAY! – business head (CMEPL) Leena Lele Dutta commented, “In today’s world, where innovation drives the evolution of entertainment, anime has emerged as a global sensation and is rapidly growing in India. To meet this growing enthusiasm, we are thrilled to launch ‘Anime Local’ with TATA PLAY, that aims to revolutionize the anime viewing experience for Indian fans.”
DTH
Dish TV moves court seeking level playing field with DD Free Dish
DTH player flags unfair edge as free platform reshapes pay-TV market
MUMBAI: Dish TV has approached the Kerala High Court, seeking a level playing field with DD Free Dish, the free-to-air satellite platform run by Prasar Bharati.
At the heart of the dispute is what Dish TV calls a regulatory imbalance. The company has urged the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to bring DD Free Dish under the same rules as private direct-to-home operators, including mandatory encryption and compliance with the Digital Addressable System under existing laws such as the Indian Telegraph Act and the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act.
Private DTH platforms are required to encrypt their signals, meaning viewers need authorised set-top boxes and paid subscriptions. In contrast, DD Free Dish remains unencrypted, allowing access through basic equipment without monthly fees, a difference Dish TV argues creates a structural advantage.
In its petition, Dish TV has described the current framework as arbitrary and discriminatory, alleging it undermines constitutional guarantees of equality and the right to trade. The company pointed out that while private operators shoulder the cost of encryption infrastructure, licensing fees and regulatory levies, DD Free Dish operates without similar obligations despite scaling up significantly.
Originally launched to distribute Doordarshan channels, DD Free Dish has steadily morphed into a quasi-commercial platform. It now carries around 120 private channels and generates substantial revenue through slot auctions, with earnings rising sharply over the years, according to the petition.
The case also throws a spotlight on shifting dynamics within India’s television market. Pay DTH operators have been grappling with a shrinking subscriber base, which has fallen from nearly 70 million in 2021 to about 51 million in 2025. At the same time, DD Free Dish has expanded its reach to roughly 53 million households, buoyed by viewers in price-sensitive regions opting for free access over paid subscriptions.
The migration has been further fuelled by broadcasters placing popular channels on the free platform, making it an increasingly attractive alternative for households looking to cut costs.
The Kerala High Court has admitted the petition and scheduled the next hearing for June 2, 2026. It also noted that a recent notice by Prasar Bharati inviting regional channels to uplink on DD Free Dish without carriage fees until March 31, 2026 will remain subject to the final outcome of the case.
Regulators have already acknowledged the gap. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, in its July 2024 recommendations, proposed a shift towards an addressable system for DD Free Dish, though these suggestions are not binding. The government is yet to take a final call, mindful of the platform’s reach among millions of households.
The petition follows repeated representations from private players and bodies such as the All India Digital Cable Federation, all flagging the same concern: a fast-growing free platform competing in a paid market without the same rulebook.
As the courtroom battle unfolds, the outcome could redraw the contours of India’s pay-TV ecosystem, deciding whether the free ride continues or the rules of the game finally converge.
