DTH
With d2h merger, Essel Group will have world’s largest subs base
BENGALURU: The Essel group is one of the largest media and entertainment industry players in India. Its flagship company is Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (Zeel) that has a weightage of 45 per cent on the National Stock Exchange’s Nifty Media Index.
Its group company, Dish TV Limited (Dish) is also is the largest DTH player in the country in terms of number of subscribers. Along with DTH services, the group also has one of the largest cable operators or multi-system operators (MSO) in Siti Networks Limited or Siti (the erstwhile Siti Cable Network Limited). Amongst the major MSOs in India, Siti is the only one that has added 1.5 million (15 lakh) subscribers over the past few quarters, while its peers have had stagnating subscriber numbers.
On combining the number of subscribers, the two carriage industry players are already a force to reckon with – a fact that the Essel Group recognised, and will leverage. In an industry first, the two formed a content negotiating joint venture (JV) called Comnet. Both Dish and Siti are equal partners in the JV that came into existence on 1 July, 2015. As part of the JV, both companies said that they would hold joint discussions with broadcasters post which separate direct contracts between the broadcaster and distribution platform will be signed. Further, the JV’s intent is to bring together the industry on contentious taxation issues like the hike in entertainment tax in Delhi.
Let us look at what we have on the table — Siti had 12.2 million (1.22 crore) subscribers — of which 8.4 million (84 lakh) were digital as per its Q1-17 report, and Dish has reported a subscriber base of 15.1 million (1.51 crore) – totalling 27.3 million(2.73 crore). Now the merger with Videocon d2h will bring in another 12.5 million (1.25 crore) subscribers into the Essel fold for a grand total of 39.8 million (3.98 crore), hence about 2 million (20 lakh) more than the 37.8 million (3.78 crore) subscribers reported for DIRECTV.
Zeel’s channels have been regularly making it to the top five or 10 in the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) ratings across various genres, be they Hindi general entertainment (GEC), regional channels, movies, English entertainment, etc. Another group company, Zee Media Corporation Limited (ZMCL), offers general news and business news across its television channels.
The fact that a number of the top rated channels are Essel group companies as well as a huge slice of the Indian television subscription market is indeed huge leverage – bear in mind that the group will probably control more than 25 percent of the carriage industry in the country. And what with the sunset date for DAS phase IV nearing with no let-up in sight from the government, subscription numbers will only grow.
With this merger, synergies of the two match perfectly. Dish is more of a value player with offerings for all markets including rural, while Videocon d2h is a premium player.
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.
