ITV

Tag: Dish TV

  • Digital channel Zindagi to launch on DTH platforms as a value-added service

    Digital channel Zindagi to launch on DTH platforms as a value-added service

    Mumbai: Digital channel Zindagi which features popular Pakistani soap operas will now be available on DTH platform Dish TV, D2H and Tata Play as a value-added service. The service will be available starting on 23 May.

    The channel launched in 2014, had gone off the air in July 2017 and its content was only available on the OTT service Zee5. Now, the shows Kitni Girhain Baaki Hain with Kirron Kher as the narrator, “Aunn Zara, Sadqay Tumhare” amongst others will be available to DTH subscribers. The channel’s launch is backed by an innovative content strategy of airing two episodes back-to-back.

    Apart from fiction shows, the service will also showcase acclaimed movies like “Baarish aur Chowmein” featuring Taapsee Pannu and Amit Sadh, directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia; “Toba Tek Singh”, based on a short story by Saadat Hasan Manto, featuring noted actor Pankaj Kapoor and directed by Ketan Mehta; “Silvat” written by Faraz Arif Ansari and directed by Tanuja Chandra with Kartik Aaryan in a leading role; “Saari Raat” a film by National Award winner Aparna Sen starring Konkona Sen Sharma among others.

    “It’s a proud moment for us as we reach yet another milestone and launch Zindagi across key DTH platforms,” said Zee Special Projects chief creative officer Shailja Kejriwal. “What started as a salient idea between a few people deeply invested in the belief of cross border cultural collaborations grew to become one of the most loved television channels in the country. Zindagi took its journey ahead on OTT fueling the digital consumption needs in the country, and the community of believers continued to grow. Today, we add new partners, new believers in Tata Play, Dish TV and D2H, as we take Zindagi to every corner of the country.”

    “There’s a huge fan following for nuanced and author-backed storylines in our country,” said Tata Play chief content and commercial officer Pallavi Puri. “Tata Play Zindagi’s content library is very slice-of-life… they are humari zindagi se milti julti kahaniyan, which we believe will be a treat for the viewers who like relatable narratives.”

    “We firmly believe that providing relatable, wholesome, unique, and relevant content is the most effective way to engage with our subscribers,” said Dish TV India Limited head – VAS Shruti Kumar.

    “We are delighted to announce Zindagi Active as the latest addition to our comprehensive value-added service portfolio. With this, we offer our subscribers the stories that are emotional and enthralling, series & movies that resonate with them, their families, and relationships. We hope to bring together people/communities beyond our country’s border who share similar values, cultures, and traditions. Our Active Services brings the most appealing and relevant content to our subscribers, and the latest addition of the Zindagi Active service reaffirms our commitment towards them,” she added.

  • Dish TV’s Watcho registers 45 million users in India

    Dish TV’s Watcho registers 45 million users in India

    Mumbai: Dish TV’s India’s OTT platform Watcho has achieved a 45 million cumulative user base in India, the company said in a statement. Launched in 2019 with the brand proposition of ‘Fun Fatafat,’ Watcho brings original and on-the-go snackable video content across genres and formats (including live TV) to its viewers.

    The platform currently provides over 35 original shows, 300 exclusive plays, and 100 live channels in Hindi, Kannada and Telugu.

    So as to recognise and reward the emerging talent pool across the country, Watcho allows users to create and showcase their content on its user-generated content platform – Watcho Swag. To this end, it recently collaborated with the India Film Project (IFP) for its 11th season, becoming the exclusive platform for participants to exhibit their work

    “When we embarked on the journey of providing on-demand quality content with the launch of Watcho, we wanted to supplement our DTH user viewing experience. Today, Watcho is serving exciting exclusive content to all its users, and at the same time, it is also offering Live TV services on the go to DishTV and D2H customers,” said Dish TV India executive director and group CEO Anil Dua. “It is also fast emerging as the preferred platform for users to showcase their talent.” 

    Watcho’s content repertoire includes original shows like “Gupta Niwas,” “Jaunpur,” “Papa Ka Scooter,” “Aghaat,” “Cheaters – The Vacation,” “Sarhad,” “Mystery Dad,” “JaalSaazi,” “Dark Destinations,” “It’s My Pleasure,” “4 Thieves,” “Love Crisis,” “Ardhsatya,” “Chhoriyan,” and “Rakhta Chandana.” There are also original influencer shows like “Look I Can Cook” and “Bikhare Hain Alfaaz.”

    “Engaging and short-format content has always been an unmet need for viewers across the country, particularly amongst millennials and GenZ who are at the forefront of consumption as well as creation. Riding on these trends, Watcho continued to gain strength with a strong semi-urban presence in addition to significant tier-1 visibility,” remarked DishTV & Watcho corporate head – marketing Sukhpreet Singh. “The app has notched up more than 45 million user base so far. We are enthused with this new milestone it has achieved in a very short time, and we intend to continue to work towards making it the first choice for our users.”

  • Bharti Airtel in talks to buy out Dish TV: Report

    Bharti Airtel in talks to buy out Dish TV: Report

    Mumbai: Telecom operator Bharti Airtel is on the lookout to buy a majority stake in direct-to-home (DTH) company Dish TV India Ltd, promoted by Subhash Chandra’s Essel Group. The telecom company is in the early stages of talks at present.

    According to a Mint report, Airtel executives have been holding discussions with Dish TV parent Essel Group’s founder Subhash Chandra for the deal. The report added that accounting firm EY, hired by Airtel to inspect Dish TV’s financials, has submitted the due diligence report on 25 October.

    The announcement comes in the wake of the ongoing boardroom tussle between Dish TV and Yes Bank. Yes Bank holds a 25.63 per cent stake in the company. It has sought the removal of the present board of directors including managing director Jawaher Lal Goel and independent directors Dr Rashmi Aggarwal, Bhagwan Das Narang, Shankar Agarwal, and Ashok Mathai Kurien.

  • Dish TV Board responds to Yes Bank’s notice, says EGM cannot be called

    Dish TV Board responds to Yes Bank’s notice, says EGM cannot be called

    New Delhi: In the latest turn of events, Dish TV has turned down Yes Bank’s call for an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), stating that the meeting cannot be called, as it will be in violation of the extant laws.

    The decision was taken in a Board meeting of the Company held on Wednesday, wherein the members reviewed the requisition notice sent by Yes Bank on 21 September. The Bank which holds a 25.63 per cent stake in Dish TV India Ltd had demanded an EGM to be convened, to oust the current directors and managing director Jawahar Lal Goel from the Company.

    On Wednesday, the Board said that it considered the factual background, as also the legal advice and the opinions received from various legal experts.

    According to the Board, Yes Bank Ltd is a Banking Company and YBL’s shareholding in the Company is a consequence of the invocation of pledges. “Therefore, there are certain embargos under the provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 read with Securities and Exchange Board of India (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers) Regulations, 2011, because of which the said resolutions cannot be placed before the shareholders,” the Board stated.

    It further highlighted that resolutions proposed to be placed before the shareholders of the Company as sought by YBL require certain prior steps to be undertaken by YBL under the applicable provisions of SEBI (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers) Regulations, 2011 and also prior approval to be obtained by YBL under the Competition Act, 2002; and, require prior approval of the ministry of information and broadcasting in respect of national security clearance as well as that of Company’s Lenders.

    “Accordingly, in view of the above and considering (a) its fiduciary duties and (b) that the Board shall be in violation of extant laws if it acts upon the Notice, the Board unanimously agreed that the EGM cannot be called,” it informed the stock exchange on Wednesday.

    Yes Bank had initially sent a notice to Dish TV on 6 September calling for a resolution for the removal of Rashmi Aggarwal, Shankar Aggarwal, Bhagwan Das Narang, and Ashok Mathai Kurien as directors, along with Jawahar Lal Goel as managing director of the company under Section 169 of the Companies Act, 2013. This would also remove Goel from the post of chairperson of the Company. It also sought the appointment of a new board of directors including Akash Suri, Sanjay Nambiar, Vijay Bhatt, Haripriya Padmanabhan, Girish Paranjape, Narayan Vasudeo Prabhutendulkar, and Arvind Nachaya Mapangada. 

    The proposal was to be tabled at the annual 33rd general meeting, which was to be held on 27 September. However, Dish TV deferred the meeting citing some regulatory approvals, following which Yes Bank sent a requisition notice calling for an EGM on 21 September.

    The Bank had alleged that the current Dish TV Board was “not acting in line with good corporate governance standards and is not a fair representation of the incumbent significant shareholders of the Company which holds about 45 per cent shareholding in the Company.”

  • Watcho collaborates with India Film Project season 11

    Watcho collaborates with India Film Project season 11

    Mumbai: Dish TV India’s OTT platform Watcho has partnered with Asia’s noted content festival India Film Project (IFP) for its 11th season to encourage emerging artists and content creators to showcase their work.

    Watcho will exclusively host three of IFP’s prominent challenges including ‘50 Hour Filmmaking Challenge,’ ‘50 Hour Music Challenge,’ and ‘7 Day Storytelling Challenge.’ Participants can submit their original content on Watcho’s creator platform Watcho Swag, and subsequently view their entries on the app, said the statement.

    Apart from other prizes, Watcho-IFP winners will get an opportunity to showcase their content on TV. Winners will be announced during the four-day virtual festival starting from 22 October, it added.

    “At Watcho, we aim to bring fresh, short-form and on-the-go snackable video content for our viewers across genres. We are providing a platform for emerging content creators to exhibit their talent and reach a large audience with Watcho Swag,”said Dish TV India’s corporate head of marketing DishTV and Watcho Sukhpreet Singh. “Our partnership with IFP will provide them with significant exposure to a broader audience while allowing viewers to access the repository of creative and unique user-generated content.” 

  • Dish TV seeks more time to convene AGM, defers 27 Sep meeting

    Dish TV seeks more time to convene AGM, defers 27 Sep meeting

    New Delhi: Dish TV has sought additional time to convene the next Annual General Meeting (AGM), which was initially scheduled to be held on 27 September. The company has cited some regulatory approvals, that it needs to obtain before going ahead with the meeting.

    The DTH company has informed the BSE, that its Board of Directors has approved the application for postponing the AGM scheduled on 27 September. The new date of the meeting has not been disclosed yet, however, as per rules, the meeting could happen any time before 30 December.

    Earlier this month, one of its prime shareholders YES Bank, which holds 25.63 per cent stake in Dish TV India Ltd had sent a special notice to the company, seeking the removal of the current directors and managing director. The proposal was to be tabled at the upcoming annual 33rd general meeting.

    In its communique to the stock exchange on Sunday, the company has stated that the proposed changes in the Board are subject to applicable regulatory permissions and also other approvals which the Company requires to obtain. While it has already sent the applications to the Lenders for seeking their consent for the said change in the Board of Directors of the Company under applicable covenants, the approval is still awaited.

    “Accordingly, in order to ensure compliance of all applicable laws and guidelines in respect of the Notices sent by YBL and also to ensure that the Company does not default on any of the regulatory and lender covenants, the Board of Directors of the Company have approved making requisite applications as per provisions of the Companies Act for seeking extension of time under applicable regulatory provisions for convening the AGM of the Company, so that the Company has sufficient time to evaluate, analyse and to ensure compliance of all applicable regulatory, and other approvals as required by the law and avoid any non-compliance to contractual obligations,” it wrote.

    In its special notice to Dish TV, Yes Bank had sought the removal of Rashmi Aggarwal, Shankar Aggarwal, Bhagwan Das Narang, and Ashok Mathai Kurien as directors, along with Jawahar Lal Goel as managing director of the company under Section 169 of the Companies Act, 2013. This would also remove Goel from the post of chairperson of the Company.

    The Bank had alleged that the current Dish TV Board was “not acting in line with good corporate governance standards and is not a fair representation of the incumbent significant shareholders of the Company” which hold about 45 per cent shareholding in the Company.

    In its notice, Yes Bank had also proposed to reconstitute the board with – Yes Bank senior group president and general counsel Sanjay Nambiar, Yes Bank, country head, stressed asset management, Akash Suri, former KPMG executive Viiav Bhatt, litigation counsel Haripriya Padmanabhan,  Wipro’s IT business former Co-CEO Girish Paranjape, independent management consultant Narayan Vasudeo Prabhutendulkar and Arvind Nachaya.

    Dish TV had responded to the notice, stating that the proposed new directors could be appointed only after obtaining approvals from the ministry of information and broadcasting. and other requisite approvals for appointment of new directors, within the statutory timelines.

  • Yes Bank seeks removal of current directors of Dish TV

    Yes Bank seeks removal of current directors of Dish TV

    New Delhi: YES Bank, which holds 25.63 per cent stake in Dish TV India Ltd has sought the removal of the current directors and managing director of the direct-to-home service provider. The bank has recently issued a special notice asking the company to put its proposal to vote at Dish TV’s upcoming annual 33rd general meeting to be held on 27 September.

    “The present board of directors of the Company (“Board”) has approved a rights issue process, pending objections raised with the Board by the Bank time and again, solely to dilute the shareholding of the Bank and to prejudice the interests of inter alia the Bank which is the single largest shareholder of the Company as of date,” it said in its notice.

    Yes Bank has sought the removal of Rashmi Aggarwal, Shankar Aggarwal, Bhagwan Das Narang, and Ashok Mathai Kurien as directors, along with Jawahar Lal Goel as managing director of the company under Section 169 of the Companies Act, 2013. “Moreover, consequent to such removal, Goel shall cease to be the chairperson of the Company with effect from the date of this meeting,” the notice read.

    According to the bank, the Board “is not acting in line with good corporate governance standards and is not a fair representation of the incumbent significant shareholders of the Company” which hold about 45 per cent shareholding in the Company.

    “The Board is purportedly acting at the behest of certain minority shareholders holding merely six per cent of the shares in the Company. This is reflected from the fact that even though the Bank, vide various letters issued to the Board, asked the Board to desist from approving/conducting the proposed capital raising exercise by way of rights issue, the Board, without consulting the significant shareholders of the Company, went ahead to make a press announcement dated 28 May, 2021 regarding its intention to proceed with a Rs 1000 Cr. rights issue,” read the notice.

    According to the bank, the Board has “completely side-lined the multiple requests of the Bank to reconstitute the Board, inter alia, by appointment of the nominee directors.”

    In its notice, Yes Bank has also proposed to reconstitute the board with – Yes Bank senior group president and general counsel Sanjay Nambiar, Yes Bank, country head, stressed asset management, Akash Suri, former KPMG executive Viiav Bhatt, litigation counsel Haripriya Padmanabhan,  Wipro’s IT business former Co-CEO Girish Paranjape, independent management consultant Narayan Vasudeo Prabhutendulkar and Arvind Nachaya.

    Dish TV has responded to the notice, stating that the proposed new directors could be appointed only after obtaining approvals from the ministry of information and broadcasting. and other requisite approvals for appointment of new directors, within the statutory timelines.

  • Dish TV India joins hands with JOP Network for dubbed movie service “Hits Active”

    New Delhi: Dish TV has joined hands with content house, JOP Network Pvt Ltd to re-introduce dubbed movie service– Hits Active, in a new Avatar to broadcast International and South Indian hit movies dubbed in Hindi.

    Hits Active is an ad-free service showcasing all genres of blockbusters. The service will go LIVE from 1 June.

    JOP Network Pvt Ltd, director, Urvi Agarwal said “We are glad to associate with Dish TV India, India’s leading DTH Company and offer our rich bouquet of hit South Indian and International movies to Dish TV and D2H viewers on ‘Hits Active’. The service is targeted at the Indian masses for all age groups who enjoy watching regional and international content across the world but in their preferred language – Hindi.”

    Dish TV India Ltd, executive director and group CEO, Anil Dua said, “Keeping consumer interests at core during these challenging times, we at Dish TV India, aim to bring best-in-class entertainment to customers while sitting in the comfort of their homes. Our collaboration with a like- minded brand JOP Network resonates with our ideologies and is sure to help us make content viewing an enriching and engaging experience for all our subscribers. With addition of dubbed movies on our value added channel ‘Hits Active’, we further intend to take the entertainment quotient a notch higher and entertain a massive set of audience across India.”

    To avail HITS Active service, subscribers can give a missed call from their registered Mobile Number on 18005682536 for Dish TV & 18003150217 for D2H platform.

  • How to check if your payment app is reliable?

    Direct-to-home (DTH) recharge is one of the most frequently used services today as you get to browse through hundreds of TV channels – domestic, regional, and international. The geographic spread of India is aptly covered by a large number of  DTH operators, with some having hold in one part of the country while the other in another part. One of the leading DTH operators in India is Dish TV. Used by more than 21 million subscribers, the 24×7 service provider offers a comprehensive range of set-top boxes and smart device connectivity to elevate home entertainment to several notches higher. For online Dish TV recharge, you can use a trusted UPI app for swift and prompt payments. How to identify the best and the most dependable app?

    Features of a trustworthy Payment App:

    The best part about technology is that multiple apps have been developed and launched for users. The con is that not all can be trusted because not all have the features that can help process payments safely. It is critical to check out the features of the top Apps in the country today, compare the features and read reviews online before downloading one. Look out for some of the features mentioned below:

    1.    The app should permit payment transfer on a 24×7 basis. 

    2.    The app should be downloadable on your mobile phone. 

    3.    It should allow payments and recharges for multiple services and cover all service providers in the given category.

    4.    Look out for an interface that has straightforward steps to carry out the payment. Complicated interfaces should be avoided.

    5.    Checkout if the UPI payment app offers rewards and cash backs as incentives to the user.

    6.    Ensure that the payment processing time is fast; hence, find out about the technology, system performance before picking one.

    It is a good idea to enquire within your social circle about their choice of the UPI app. Word-of-mouth reviews are good sources of information, and you instantly get to know the pros and cons that help you decide. One of the things that need to be mentioned here is the app’s reputation or the credibility of the parent company that owns the app. The approach is to read online reviews and check from trusted sources before using the apps. It is vital because the app becomes your one-stop payment interface – be it paying for your child’s school fees or booking the tickets of a movie show, or paying your monthly EMIs.
     
    In simple three or four steps, one can recharge your DTH connection, irrespective of the service provider. Videocon DTH is another leading service operator in the direct broadcast satellite sector. Videocon DTH has officially merged with Dish TV, and the name of the new business entity is d2h. Today, d2h owns about 19% of the market share with a subscriber base of 29 million and more. Founded in June 2009, the company was merged with Dish TV in 2016. By choosing the right UPI payment app, you can get your Videocon d2h recharge and dish TV recharge from the same platform, one after the other. Not just that, you can recharge your mobile, pay your water and electric bills and in the process, get cash backs by using the right app.

    No need to move out of home, there are no other hassles, and you get to watch your shows without any interruptions. All of it not only looks effortless, but these are also quite simple in reality. The crucial work is to find out in-depth about the payment app you choose for recharging your direct-to-home connection. 

  • DTH segment expands its subscriber base by 1.01 mn in 2020

    DTH segment expands its subscriber base by 1.01 mn in 2020

    KOLKATA: The direct-to-home (DTH) subscriber base in India has reached a base of around 70.99 million in 2020, according to the Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator Report October-December 2020 published by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). This points to an addition of around one million subscribers in the year.

    While the total active DTH subscriber base stands at 70.99 million as of 31 December 2020, the segment had reported a base of 69.98 million for the last quarter of 2019.

    Tata Sky is leading the DTH segment with 33.03 per cent market share. It has marginally increased its market share of 32.58 per cent from July-September (2020) quarter. Airtel’s DTH arm has almost closed its gap with Dish TV with the former holding 25.17 per cent market share, and the latter gaining 25.45 per cent market share. Sun TV’s DTH arm has also improved its position with 16.35 per cent market share compared to 15.83 per cent in the previous quarter.

    As on 31 December 2020, there are 1,704 MSOs registered with the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB), as against 1,613 multi-system operators (MSO) at the end of 2019. There were 1,697 MSOs including two provisional MSOs at the end of the previous quarter. Further, TRAI data indicates that there are 12 MSOs and one HITS operator who have subscriber bases greater than one million. Siti Networks, GTPL Hathway and Hathway are the top three players in this category.

    A total of 907 private satellite TV channels have been permitted by MIB for uplinking, downlinking, as on 31 December 2020. There are 326 pay TV channels including 233 SD channels and 93 HD channels and 581 free-to-air channels.