India’s television business is quietly but decisively reinventing itself. Over the past three years, nearly 50 TV channels have voluntarily surrendered their licences, signalling that the old rules of broadcast no longer apply in a country racing toward digital-first viewing.
What looks like an administrative clean-up on paper is, in
reality, a structural reset driven by changing viewer habits, slowing ad
revenues and the unstoppable rise of OTT platforms.
From Living Rooms to Logins
For decades, television was India’s most powerful mass
medium. Today, that dominance is being challenged from two sides.
On one end, urban and affluent viewers are switching to
streaming platforms, drawn by on-demand content and ad-light experiences. On
the other, cost-conscious households are gravitating toward DD Free Dish,
cutting subscription costs altogether. Caught in the middle is the traditional
pay-TV ecosystem — shrinking, fragmented and under pressure.
Industry estimates show pay DTH subscriptions sliding from
around 72 million in FY19 to nearly 62 million in FY24, with further declines
expected. Fewer subscribers mean reduced reach — and for TV channels, reduced
reach often means reduced relevance.
Big Broadcasters, Smaller Footprints
This shift has pushed even established networks to rethink
their portfolios. Zee, NDTV, ABP Network, TV Today, Eenadu Television and
JioStar are among the major players that have either exited certain genres or
trimmed their channel line-ups.
In one of the clearest signs of consolidation, Sony Pictures
Network India (Culver Max Entertainment) surrendered 26 downlinking permissions
after regulatory approvals allowed a more streamlined uplink–downlink
structure. The move wasn’t about retreat — it was about efficiency.
Advertising: The Cracks Are Showing
While India’s overall advertising market continues to grow,
television is no longer the star performer. TV ad revenues are expected to dip
slightly in 2025, even as digital platforms capture a growing share of
marketing budgets.
For broadcasters, this has forced tough calls. Launching new
channels — once a default growth strategy — is now seen as risky.
Enter10 Media, best known for the hit Hindi GEC Dangal, has
paused expansion plans, shelving ideas like Dangal HD and DaDangal Oriya.
Select licences have already been surrendered as the company tightens focus on
profitability over scale.
More Than a Slowdown — A Shift
Industry insiders say this isn’t a temporary downturn. It’s
a fundamental reordering of how content is produced, distributed and monetised.
Technology convergence, evolving audience behaviour and complex regulations are
reshaping decisions at boardroom level.
The result?
Fewer but stronger channels
Sharper content strategies
Greater emphasis on digital extensions
The Road Ahead
Television in India isn’t disappearing — but it is
shrinking, consolidating and adapting. As OTT platforms continue to grow and
viewer loyalty becomes increasingly fragmented, more rationalisation appears
inevitable.
In the years ahead, success won’t be measured by how many channels a broadcaster owns, but by how well it understands where — and how — India chooses to watch.
BY- Nirosha Gupta
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