ITV

Tag: DTH

  • Govt examining proposal to relax FDI norms in Print Media

    Govt examining proposal to relax FDI norms in Print Media

    NEW DELHI: After a recent slew of relaxations relating to foreign investment norms, the PM Narendra Modi-led government is said to be considering a proposal to liberalise investment levels in print media.

    Quoting unnamed Finance Ministry officials, Bloomberg reported that the ministry is of the view that foreign investment norms in India’s print media could be raised from the present 26 per cent to 49 per cent, bringing it at par with norms for TV news segment.

    The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) under the Commerce Ministry will take a final call on the matter, the Bloomberg report quoted the government officials as saying.

    Though, foreign investment in India’s print media sector is limited, but from time to time global giants like News Corp, having widespread interest in media, have evinced interest in investing here but stopped short because of restrictive policies and an inherent opposition from big Indian media groups.

    In June 2016, the government had liberalised foreign investment norms in many sectors including airlines, retail, defence and TV broadcast carriage services like DTH, HITS, teleports, etc.

    Recently, a delegation of  US-India Business Council (USIBC), which included some broadcast companies, had petitioned the Commerce Ministry to relax foreign investment levels in electronic news media that stands at 49 per cent at present, but just shy of giving majority controlling stake to any foreign entity.

    Interestingly, in January 2015, the then Minister of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) and present Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had opined that restrictions on foreign investment limit in print media need to be debated afresh.

    Delivering the inaugural JS Verma memorial lecture, organised by News Broadcasters’ Association (NBA), Jaitley had said the practicality of FDI norms in print media should be examined anew in a spreading digital age when such limits are becoming irrelevant as news products are increasingly being made available on the Internet.

    Finance Minister Jaitley’s forward-looking views on foreign investment norms in India’s print sector — and media in general — could be viewed at

    and 

    Are such proposals under study a precursor to relaxations for TV news channels too?

    ALSO READ
    Stakeholders welcome easing of FDI norms for broadcasting; want DAS to move faster
     

  • FYI TV18 rollout with Chetan Bhagat and Vicky Ratnani

    FYI TV18 rollout with Chetan Bhagat and Vicky Ratnani

    MUMBAI: With the rise in factual entertainment and lifestyle genre on Indian television, A+E Network and TV18 have added one more infotainment channel FYI TV18 to its network. The channel was officially announced on Thursday after a three day soft run on various platforms. The channel started airing SD and HD feeds together from 4 July 2016.

    FYI TV18 is a factual entertainment channel. It will be distributed on all major DTH and cable operators by 11 July. It is leveraging its partnership with IndiaCast for distribution. This is a second channel in the same space from the network. “The difference between the channels is the content strategy. History TV18 is focused on historical events and individual pursuits while FYI TV18 will be entirely based on relationships people share, it has the concept in its roots of relation bonds” said A+E Network MD Avinash Kaul.

    FYI TV18 is predominantly focusing on content strength for growth; the management has high expectations from its human stories that it will have expanded audiences and reach with its progressive content and Hindi used a medium.

    The channel claims to focus on middle and top tier viewers. Kaul, while talking to the media said that presently, there is a gap in the content flow. Either the shows are made for urban or for rural audiences. There is a lack of progressive content for tier II city audiences. FYI TV18 is targeting to fill in that gap with its factual content and focus on Hindi as the language for its shows. Therefore, the channel will reach out to the mid and top level of pyramid. “The channel is bound to demographics, and the programming is Hindi. Therefore it will travel to a bigger lot” added Kaul.

    At present, the channel will roll out 35 per cent of locally produced content and 65 percent internationally acquired content, acquired from FYI international. The first two Indian shows are Real 2 States Couple – the show follows the travails of a cultural dating couple, trying to adjust to each other’s families. The show is to be hosted by novelist Chetan Bhagat. The other show is rivals-in-law, hosted by Chef Vickey Ratnani. It follows a cook off between a daughter-in-law and a mother-in-law.

    Speaking about the two shows Kaul added, “The shows are based on relationships between people before anything else. These shows are stories that everyone will relate to.” The channel has aimed to make simple shows with less glamourous and real life stories. The next show will be a home styling show, planned sometime next month. That production has also been undertaken by BBC.

    Popular international shows like Man Vs Child, Tiny House Nation and Married at First Sight will be aired on the channel. The channel plans to grow locally produced shows gradually. FYI TV18 is focusing on Hindi as a medium. Even international shows will be dubbed in Hindi. Other language feeds will be Tamil and Telugu.

    For the first year, FYI TV18 will be encrypted but free to air, later it will switch to a subscription based modle. There are high expectations from the venture. According to the management, the soft run received viewership of over 1 million in an hour’s time, so when it launches on all major DTH and cable platforms, the channel is expected to reach 90 million households.

    On the digital front, FYI TV18 is on the verge of launching a mobile application and website. Its content is also available on Facebook Live. The channel might have exclusive digital content, but that is yet to be revealed.

    Kaul informed that a 360 degree marketing strategy has been planned to establish FYI TV18. Digital marketing has been given a lot of importance. Apart from digital, the channel and the shows will be promoted on cross channels of the group and outside heavily. There is also investment on OOH and radio as well. The channel has finalised deals with three to four brands as advertisers and is targeting mass products brands to come on board. The names could not be revealed for now.

  • FYI TV18 rollout with Chetan Bhagat and Vicky Ratnani

    FYI TV18 rollout with Chetan Bhagat and Vicky Ratnani

    MUMBAI: With the rise in factual entertainment and lifestyle genre on Indian television, A+E Network and TV18 have added one more infotainment channel FYI TV18 to its network. The channel was officially announced on Thursday after a three day soft run on various platforms. The channel started airing SD and HD feeds together from 4 July 2016.

    FYI TV18 is a factual entertainment channel. It will be distributed on all major DTH and cable operators by 11 July. It is leveraging its partnership with IndiaCast for distribution. This is a second channel in the same space from the network. “The difference between the channels is the content strategy. History TV18 is focused on historical events and individual pursuits while FYI TV18 will be entirely based on relationships people share, it has the concept in its roots of relation bonds” said A+E Network MD Avinash Kaul.

    FYI TV18 is predominantly focusing on content strength for growth; the management has high expectations from its human stories that it will have expanded audiences and reach with its progressive content and Hindi used a medium.

    The channel claims to focus on middle and top tier viewers. Kaul, while talking to the media said that presently, there is a gap in the content flow. Either the shows are made for urban or for rural audiences. There is a lack of progressive content for tier II city audiences. FYI TV18 is targeting to fill in that gap with its factual content and focus on Hindi as the language for its shows. Therefore, the channel will reach out to the mid and top level of pyramid. “The channel is bound to demographics, and the programming is Hindi. Therefore it will travel to a bigger lot” added Kaul.

    At present, the channel will roll out 35 per cent of locally produced content and 65 percent internationally acquired content, acquired from FYI international. The first two Indian shows are Real 2 States Couple – the show follows the travails of a cultural dating couple, trying to adjust to each other’s families. The show is to be hosted by novelist Chetan Bhagat. The other show is rivals-in-law, hosted by Chef Vickey Ratnani. It follows a cook off between a daughter-in-law and a mother-in-law.

    Speaking about the two shows Kaul added, “The shows are based on relationships between people before anything else. These shows are stories that everyone will relate to.” The channel has aimed to make simple shows with less glamourous and real life stories. The next show will be a home styling show, planned sometime next month. That production has also been undertaken by BBC.

    Popular international shows like Man Vs Child, Tiny House Nation and Married at First Sight will be aired on the channel. The channel plans to grow locally produced shows gradually. FYI TV18 is focusing on Hindi as a medium. Even international shows will be dubbed in Hindi. Other language feeds will be Tamil and Telugu.

    For the first year, FYI TV18 will be encrypted but free to air, later it will switch to a subscription based modle. There are high expectations from the venture. According to the management, the soft run received viewership of over 1 million in an hour’s time, so when it launches on all major DTH and cable platforms, the channel is expected to reach 90 million households.

    On the digital front, FYI TV18 is on the verge of launching a mobile application and website. Its content is also available on Facebook Live. The channel might have exclusive digital content, but that is yet to be revealed.

    Kaul informed that a 360 degree marketing strategy has been planned to establish FYI TV18. Digital marketing has been given a lot of importance. Apart from digital, the channel and the shows will be promoted on cross channels of the group and outside heavily. There is also investment on OOH and radio as well. The channel has finalised deals with three to four brands as advertisers and is targeting mass products brands to come on board. The names could not be revealed for now.

  • Dish TV terms Videocon d2h acquisition plans speculative

    Dish TV terms Videocon d2h acquisition plans speculative

    MUMBAI: Leading Indian DTH operator, DishTV, has rubbished news reports that it was acquiring or it is in talks to acquire India’s fastest growing DTH operator Videocon d2H. It has issued a press statement and a release to the Bombay stock exchange which says: “This is in reference to the news relating to the proposed acquisition of Videocon D2H by Dish TV appearing in certain sections of media. The news is speculative in nature and as a Policy, Dish TV does not comment on market speculations and rumours.”

    An article on moneycontrol.com, owned by the Network18 group, had stated that Dish TV India was in the running to take over Videocon d2H. According to moneycontrol, the latter had put up a bid price which valued itself at around $1 billion. Dish TV’s offer price was lower, and it was trying to bring d2H’s bid down. Said the report: “The two companies are negotiating on valuations close to $ 1 billion. This is because Videocon’s ask price is currently higher than what Dish TV has offered. Nasdaq-listed Videocon d2H has a market capitalisation of of USD 855 million and has a net debt of Rs 1600 crore. The losses that the company had last fiscal year stood at Rs 92.2 crore.”

    The article had further claimed that: “Even the lenders have suggested that sale of Videocon d2H to Dish TV is likely.”

    This had been supported by other news reports which had explained that lenders – banks and financial institutions – to the Vengopal Dhoot promoted Videocon group were allegedly forcing it to offload assets as it is too heavily leveraged. The reports had stated that the much diversified group which began in electronics but today was involved in oil and gas had taken on a debt pile that it was finding difficult to service. Hence, it was exploring several options to pare its loans by finding buyers for assets like its oil and gas operations or its direct to home television businesses, the reports had claimed.

    But with DishTV pooh-poohing that it was amongst the suitors for Videocon d2H, at least speculation about one of the alleged transactions has been put to rest.

  • Dish TV terms Videocon d2h acquisition plans speculative

    Dish TV terms Videocon d2h acquisition plans speculative

    MUMBAI: Leading Indian DTH operator, DishTV, has rubbished news reports that it was acquiring or it is in talks to acquire India’s fastest growing DTH operator Videocon d2H. It has issued a press statement and a release to the Bombay stock exchange which says: “This is in reference to the news relating to the proposed acquisition of Videocon D2H by Dish TV appearing in certain sections of media. The news is speculative in nature and as a Policy, Dish TV does not comment on market speculations and rumours.”

    An article on moneycontrol.com, owned by the Network18 group, had stated that Dish TV India was in the running to take over Videocon d2H. According to moneycontrol, the latter had put up a bid price which valued itself at around $1 billion. Dish TV’s offer price was lower, and it was trying to bring d2H’s bid down. Said the report: “The two companies are negotiating on valuations close to $ 1 billion. This is because Videocon’s ask price is currently higher than what Dish TV has offered. Nasdaq-listed Videocon d2H has a market capitalisation of of USD 855 million and has a net debt of Rs 1600 crore. The losses that the company had last fiscal year stood at Rs 92.2 crore.”

    The article had further claimed that: “Even the lenders have suggested that sale of Videocon d2H to Dish TV is likely.”

    This had been supported by other news reports which had explained that lenders – banks and financial institutions – to the Vengopal Dhoot promoted Videocon group were allegedly forcing it to offload assets as it is too heavily leveraged. The reports had stated that the much diversified group which began in electronics but today was involved in oil and gas had taken on a debt pile that it was finding difficult to service. Hence, it was exploring several options to pare its loans by finding buyers for assets like its oil and gas operations or its direct to home television businesses, the reports had claimed.

    But with DishTV pooh-poohing that it was amongst the suitors for Videocon d2H, at least speculation about one of the alleged transactions has been put to rest.

  • Vikas Varma to head BFlix Movies channel; airs 24*7 live tweets from KRK

    Vikas Varma to head BFlix Movies channel; airs 24*7 live tweets from KRK

    MUMBAI: After successful conceptualization and running of various channels like 9XM, Music Fafafati, Hummra M, CEO of Dicky Speak Pvt Ltd Vikas Varma along with few more promoters is all geared up to launch a new Hindi FTA movie channel called BFlix Movies. The channel possesses a mixed bag of old and new movies.

    It will cater to the ever changing persona of Bollywood. Varma resonates that movies channels, movie halls or multiplexes do not create or produce their own movies but create an environment in which movies are the most fun and entertaining to watch. Breaking free from this notion, the channel will evolve with the constantly changing demands of the viewers and will have structural flexibility in environment to surprise and delight them.

    “Bflix Movies is the ‘gen-next’ movies channel. The entire experience of the channel is very musical and in harmony with the movies we play. If movies are the tea that our viewers drink in the afternoon, then Bflix Movies is a dash of zingy lemon in the tea. In the nights we are the rum in your coke and in the mornings we are the lover you awake with. To sum it all, Bflix Movies is the twinkle in your eye even on your most boring day”, says Varma.

    The channel is available on all major cable and DTH networks in India and has already started airing on Insat4a.

    A small yet passionate team has been created to not get lost in the war of bureaucracy and designations. It will focus on the underlying ideology, clarity of intent and simplicity of execution on TV.

    The channel has another supporter, Kamaal R Khan as part of its team and will constantly play @kamaalrkhan tweets on the channel. He is already creating a lot of buzz about this on his social media accounts.

    “I personally am a big fan of his tweets and among his 1.1 million (11 lakh)  fans on Twitter”, voices Varma.

    Adding further, “It’s great for the ego of the people involved with the channel. It does very little to garner viewership and certainly does nothing to retain it. We launched 9XM with zero marketing and in two weeks we beat MTV, which was #1 at that time. The same was applied to Hummra M and Music F Fatafati. If the channel is good, it will garner viewers irrespective of its B2C marketing spends”.

    “Brand mirroring platforms on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. will be created for the Bflix Movies community and space for our viewers to interact. A ‘mood-map’ will also be created airing tailor made content as per the audience’ demand,” he informed.  

  • Vikas Varma to head BFlix Movies channel; airs 24*7 live tweets from KRK

    Vikas Varma to head BFlix Movies channel; airs 24*7 live tweets from KRK

    MUMBAI: After successful conceptualization and running of various channels like 9XM, Music Fafafati, Hummra M, CEO of Dicky Speak Pvt Ltd Vikas Varma along with few more promoters is all geared up to launch a new Hindi FTA movie channel called BFlix Movies. The channel possesses a mixed bag of old and new movies.

    It will cater to the ever changing persona of Bollywood. Varma resonates that movies channels, movie halls or multiplexes do not create or produce their own movies but create an environment in which movies are the most fun and entertaining to watch. Breaking free from this notion, the channel will evolve with the constantly changing demands of the viewers and will have structural flexibility in environment to surprise and delight them.

    “Bflix Movies is the ‘gen-next’ movies channel. The entire experience of the channel is very musical and in harmony with the movies we play. If movies are the tea that our viewers drink in the afternoon, then Bflix Movies is a dash of zingy lemon in the tea. In the nights we are the rum in your coke and in the mornings we are the lover you awake with. To sum it all, Bflix Movies is the twinkle in your eye even on your most boring day”, says Varma.

    The channel is available on all major cable and DTH networks in India and has already started airing on Insat4a.

    A small yet passionate team has been created to not get lost in the war of bureaucracy and designations. It will focus on the underlying ideology, clarity of intent and simplicity of execution on TV.

    The channel has another supporter, Kamaal R Khan as part of its team and will constantly play @kamaalrkhan tweets on the channel. He is already creating a lot of buzz about this on his social media accounts.

    “I personally am a big fan of his tweets and among his 1.1 million (11 lakh)  fans on Twitter”, voices Varma.

    Adding further, “It’s great for the ego of the people involved with the channel. It does very little to garner viewership and certainly does nothing to retain it. We launched 9XM with zero marketing and in two weeks we beat MTV, which was #1 at that time. The same was applied to Hummra M and Music F Fatafati. If the channel is good, it will garner viewers irrespective of its B2C marketing spends”.

    “Brand mirroring platforms on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. will be created for the Bflix Movies community and space for our viewers to interact. A ‘mood-map’ will also be created airing tailor made content as per the audience’ demand,” he informed.  

  • Panel of experts checks possibility of STB inter-operability: TRAI

    Panel of experts checks possibility of STB inter-operability: TRAI

    NEW DELHI: A panel of 12 experts from institutions like the Indian Institute of Technology Mumbai and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore is working on the challenge of overcoming the problem relating to inter-operability of set top boxes (STB). Even though it has already issued a consultation paper on the subject, broadcast regulator Telecom Reguatory Authority of India has still to find solutions for inter-operability of STBs.

    TRAI chairman R S Sharma said inter-operability of STBs was a major programme in the interest of the consumers as this would help consumers get better service from their service providers who would be aware that one can switch to another operator if not satisfied with a service.

    He said he was aware that many felt that it is not possible to have a common STB because of security reasons and the need of broadcasters to keep their content encrypted and safe from piracy.

    “Because it is essentially a technology issue, we have brought on board professors from IITs and other institutions to look at it from a technology perspective,” Sharma said adding that C-DoT is the technology partner in this venture.

    TRAI is attempting to find a solution to this problem as soon as possible, Sharma told a press meet.

    The press meet was held to apprise the media about the spate of consultation papers and other decisions taken by TRAI in recent weeks.  (Earlier, it is learnt by Indiantelevision.com that some broadcasters also called on Sharma to discuss various issues.)

    TRAI officials said while a common STB for cable services may be a bit easier as shown by lab tests, another challenge is bringing STBs which are inter-operable between cable as well DTH operators.

    Another major initiative, for which TRAI has initiated a consultation process in the broadcasting sector is ensuring that the broadcasters share infrastructure. Sharma, said that “learning from the Telecom sector” where competitors also share towers, it is being examined if such a practice can be instilled in the broadcasting sector.

    Referring to sharing of infrastructure by broadcasters as suggested by the regulator in its latest paper, TRAI officials said different broadcasters are using different satellite system to carry the same channels.

    “The idea is whether there is a need to have a different head-end, or different optical fibre network or different satellite system and if we can combine, are we not able to reduce the cost of operations,” a TRAI official said.

    The official said that while broadcasters have been initially “closed” to this idea, they were positive that the idea may yield results as seen from the example in the telecom sector.

    The TRAI official said that are some licensing conditions which do not allow sharing of infrastructure. After consultations, the regulator would work to see that a proper framework can be provided which allows sharing of infrastructure by broadcasters.

    TRAI is also pushing for provision of broadband services through the cable sector, officials added. The regulator is also working to create guidelines for audience measurement for radio and guidelines, officials said.

     

  • Panel of experts checks possibility of STB inter-operability: TRAI

    Panel of experts checks possibility of STB inter-operability: TRAI

    NEW DELHI: A panel of 12 experts from institutions like the Indian Institute of Technology Mumbai and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore is working on the challenge of overcoming the problem relating to inter-operability of set top boxes (STB). Even though it has already issued a consultation paper on the subject, broadcast regulator Telecom Reguatory Authority of India has still to find solutions for inter-operability of STBs.

    TRAI chairman R S Sharma said inter-operability of STBs was a major programme in the interest of the consumers as this would help consumers get better service from their service providers who would be aware that one can switch to another operator if not satisfied with a service.

    He said he was aware that many felt that it is not possible to have a common STB because of security reasons and the need of broadcasters to keep their content encrypted and safe from piracy.

    “Because it is essentially a technology issue, we have brought on board professors from IITs and other institutions to look at it from a technology perspective,” Sharma said adding that C-DoT is the technology partner in this venture.

    TRAI is attempting to find a solution to this problem as soon as possible, Sharma told a press meet.

    The press meet was held to apprise the media about the spate of consultation papers and other decisions taken by TRAI in recent weeks.  (Earlier, it is learnt by Indiantelevision.com that some broadcasters also called on Sharma to discuss various issues.)

    TRAI officials said while a common STB for cable services may be a bit easier as shown by lab tests, another challenge is bringing STBs which are inter-operable between cable as well DTH operators.

    Another major initiative, for which TRAI has initiated a consultation process in the broadcasting sector is ensuring that the broadcasters share infrastructure. Sharma, said that “learning from the Telecom sector” where competitors also share towers, it is being examined if such a practice can be instilled in the broadcasting sector.

    Referring to sharing of infrastructure by broadcasters as suggested by the regulator in its latest paper, TRAI officials said different broadcasters are using different satellite system to carry the same channels.

    “The idea is whether there is a need to have a different head-end, or different optical fibre network or different satellite system and if we can combine, are we not able to reduce the cost of operations,” a TRAI official said.

    The official said that while broadcasters have been initially “closed” to this idea, they were positive that the idea may yield results as seen from the example in the telecom sector.

    The TRAI official said that are some licensing conditions which do not allow sharing of infrastructure. After consultations, the regulator would work to see that a proper framework can be provided which allows sharing of infrastructure by broadcasters.

    TRAI is also pushing for provision of broadband services through the cable sector, officials added. The regulator is also working to create guidelines for audience measurement for radio and guidelines, officials said.

     

  • FY-16: Videocon d2h adds 16.8 lakh subs, Op Profit up 32.5 percent

    FY-16: Videocon d2h adds 16.8 lakh subs, Op Profit up 32.5 percent

    BENGALURU: Videocon d2h Limited (Videocon d2h) led by executive chairman Saurabh Dhoot reported 16.8 lakh net subscriber additions during the year ended 31 March 2016 (FY-16, current year). The company reported a subscriber base of 118.6 lakh at the end of the current year as compared to 101.8 at the end of the previous fiscal (FY-15), hence a growth of 16.5 percent in FY-16 as compared to FY-15. Gross subscribers increased by 26.5 lakh in FY-16. Incremental subscriber churn in the current year reduced by 7 basis points to 0.73 percent as compared to 0.80 percent in FY-16.The company claims to have added the largest number of subscribers amongst its peers in India for the sixth year in a row in FY-16.

    Videocon d2h reported simple EBIDTA (Operating Profit, Earnings before Interest-Depreciation-Tax-Amortisation) of Rs 789.52 crore (EBIDTA margin of 27.6 percent) for FY-16 which was 32.5 percent more than the Rs 595.64 crore (25.5 percent EBIDTA margin) in FY-16.

    Revenue in the current year increased 22.2 percent to Rs 2,855.86 crore from Rs 2,337.71 crore in the previous year. Subscription and Activation revenue in FY-16 grew 26.4 percent to Rs 2,607 crore compared to Rs 2,063 crore in FY-15.

    Note: The unit of currency in this report is the Indian rupee – Rs (also conventionally represented by INR). The Indian numbering system or the Vedic numbering system has been used to denote money values. The basic conversion to the international norm would be:

    (a) 100,00,000 = 100 lakh = 10,000,000 = 10 million = 1 crore.

    (b) 10,000 lakh = 100 crore = 1 arab = 1 billion.

    Average Revenue per User (ARPU) in FY-16 increased by Rs 11 from Rs 196 in the previous year to Rs 207 in FY-16.

    The DTH major reported a lower loss in FY-16 at Rs 92.21 crore as compared to a loss of Rs 272.66 crore in FY-15.

    Total Expenditure (TE) in FY-16 increased 17.8 percent to Rs 2,675.19 crore (93.7 percent of revenue) from Rs 2,270.75 crore (97.1 percent of revenue) in FY-15.

    Videocon d2h reported higher content costs for FY-16, which increased to 37.8 percent of revenue as compare to 36.2 percent of revenue in the previous year.

    Fourth Quarter of 2016 numbers

    The fourth quarter – quarter ended 31 March 2016 (Q4-16, current quarter), has been a great quarter for the company in terms of financial and operational performance.

    For Q4-16 Videocon d2h added 5.9 lakh net subscribers. The company reported 5.2 percent quarter-over-quarter (q-o-q) growth in subscribers for Q4-16 at 118.6 lakh as compared to 112.7 lakh in the immediate trailing quarter Q3-16. Gross subscribers increased by 7.9 lakh in Q4-16. Incremental subscriber churn in Q4-16 increased 16 basis points to 0.58 percent year-over-year (y-o-y) from 0.42 percent but declined 15 basis points q-o-q from 0.73 percent.

    Simple EBIDTA in the current quarter increased 33.7 percent y-o-y to Rs 216.20 crore (28 percent EBIDTA margin) from Rs 161.71 crore (25.9 percent margin) and increased 9.4 percent q-o-q from Rs 197.71 crore.

    Subscription and activation revenue in the current quarter grew 20.9 percent y-o-y to Rs 706 crore and grew 6.2 percent q-o-q from Rs 665 crore. SAC in the form of hardware subsidies at Rs 1,776 per subscriber during Q4-16 was higher than the Rs 1,726 in the immediate trailing quarter. SAC in FY-15 averaged Rs 1,984

    ARPU in the current quarter increased by Rs 12 y-o-y from Rs 202 in the corresponding year ago quarter to Rs 214 in Q4-16. ARPU in Q4-16 increased q-o-q by Rs 3 from Rs 211 in Q3-16.

    Videocon d2h reported lower y-o-y and q-o-q loss in Q4-16. Loss in the current quarter declined to Rs 21.18 crore as compared to a loss of Rs 75.74 crore in the corresponding year ago quarter and a loss of Rs 22.05 crore in the immediate trailing quarter.

    TE in Q4-16 increased 19.4 percent y-o-y to Rs 721.77 crore (93.6 percent of revenue) from Rs 605.55 crore (96.7 percent of revenue) and increased 5.4 percent q-o-q from Rs 684.58 crore (93.6 percent of revenue)

    Content cost in Q4-16 was lower in terms of percentage of revenue at 37.5 percent as compared to 38.4 percent in Q4-15 and 38.5 in Q3-16.

    Company speak

    Videocon d2h executive chairman Dhoot said, “Fiscal 2016 has been a landmark year for Videocon d2h, as it was the first fiscal year after our NASDAQ listing, and it has been a great journey. I am delighted to share that our strong net subscriber additions, rising revenue realization and operating leverage benefit resulted in 31.5 percent Adjusted EBITDA growth for fiscal 2016, in spite of increases in service tax rates and the implementation of a new ‘clean India initiative’ tax during the year.”

    “During the year, we accomplished numerous technological advancements, such as the development of HD Smart Connect Set Top Box, our new connected set-top box which allows customers to view normal DTH services as well as internet and over-the-top content and applications. This development demonstrates our expertise and innovation in creation, delivery and execution of technologically advanced products,” revealed Dhoot.

    Speaking on the business outlook for the DTH sector, Videocon d2h CEO Anil Khera said “There have been a series of industry developments in fiscal 2016, which we believe will provide for growth opportunities in the DTH sector in India. The implementation of Phase III digitization of the Digital Addressable Cable TV System program of the government of India that began in January 2016 was an example of such a development. It led to a surge in new subscriber additions for various distribution platforms. While the momentum slowed down as many state high courts issued a temporary stay order against digitization, we are still seeing higher subscriber additions from Phase III markets as compared to previous years.”

    “In addition, the deadline for Phase IV digitization is December 31, 2016, which we believe covers approximately 80 million (8 crore) television homes,” added Khera.