DTH
Zee to invest Rs 1 billion by 2005-end in Siticable for DTH and network upgradation
MUMBAI: Zee Telefilms Ltd (ZTL) plans to invest Rs 1 billion in its wholly owned subsidiary Siticable over the next one year to further expand its direct-to-home (DTH) distribution network.
A small portion of the amount will also be spent on upgradation of Siticable’s cable network. This is in addition to Rs 1.5 billion already invested in 2004. Before that, Zee had pumped in Rs 2 billion for its DTH project.
“Zee has already invested Rs 1.5 billion in Siticable this year. The plan is to put in another Rs 1 billion by December 2005,” says Essel Group chief executive officer of corporate strategy and finance Rajiv Garg.
The investment of Rs 2.5 billion since 2004 is being mainly met from the proceeds of the $100 million foreign currency convertible bond Zee raised early this year, says Garg. Further fund requirement will be spent from internal accruals.
Siticable is creating the infrastructure for the DTH operations including billing, subscriber management system services, marketing, call centre operations and expenses towards creating a dealer network. ASC Enterprises, part of the Essel Group, has the licence to provide DTH service and operates it under the Dish TV brand.
Dish TV has 160,000 subscribers and is offering 100 channels. “We are adding 20,000-25,000 subscribers a month. Our aim is to increase our offerings to 144 channels by December 2005,” says Garg.
Will the entry of Doordarshan’s DTH service with a free bouquet of channels affect Dish TV’s growth? “DD will have a limited offering, with the mainline channels not in the menu. DTH will take off in a big way when conditional access system (CAS) is operational in cable TV. That is when consumers will have to buy a set-top box. This will make them decide which service to take,” says Garg.
What is Dish TV’s target? “We aim to reach one million subscribers by 2005-end. We will achieve a break-even situation when we reach one million DTH subscribers,” says Garg.
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.
