DTH
Zee’s Dish DTH service to have 100 channels by April-end
NEW DELHI: Having managed to gain a toehold in the market, Dish TV, the first KU-band DTH service in the country, is now looking at expanding its market share through some aggressive marketing and wooing of subscribers by almost doubling the number of channels available on the platform.
Dish TV is all set to add 50 more channels to the platform taking the tally to 100 by April end. Contacted by indiantelevision.com, Essel Group spokesperson Ashish Kaul confirmed the development.
Dish TV is the brand name under which Subhash Chandra’s companies, ASC Enterprises Ltd. (the licence holder) and Zee Telefilms (responsible for implementation) have launched the DTH service. A new entity, called New Era Entertainment, too has been formed to look after the marketing of the service.
At present, a Dish TV subscriber gets 50 channels with ESPN and Star Sports being the last two channels to be added to the list last month. The other channels are pre-dominantly from the Zee Turner bouquet with Dish TV leveraging Zee Telefilms vast film library by launching several movie channels on the DTH platform, including Zee Classic (old Hindi films), FX Movies (English action movies), Premier Movies and Smile TV (mostly comedy-oriented sitcoms and films).
Though aggressive marketing has not been a USP of Dish TV till now, but with the addition of new channels from April end, a marketing blitzkrieg has also been lined up to beef up the overall communication and marketing strategy.
However, with the introduction of two sports channel on the DTH platform, the monthly subscription for Dish TV too would see a hike to approximately Rs 220 from the existing Rs 100 per month.
At the moment, the Dish TV service is beamed via transponders on Insat satellites. But with the commissioning of ASC Enterprises own satellite under the Agrani project, slated for later this year the platform is expected to move on to Agrani. In the Agrani project, global majors Alcatel and Arianespace together have 13 per cent equity stake in Agrani satellite Services Ltd., a subsidiary of ASC Enterprises Ltd. Having invested close to $ 20 million. The deal with Arianespace was signed in 2002.
The Agrani satellite project is estimated to cost around Rs 11.5 billion, including pre-operative costs and finance costs. Financial institutions and banks have committed Rs 6.500 billion debt for the project with a 1.4:1 debt equity ratio.
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.
