ITV

Tag: Tata Sky

  • Nirvana Digital’s Spiritual channel – Spiritual Mantra cross 3 million subscribers; now available on TATA Sky and Airtel DTH

    Nirvana Digital’s Spiritual channel – Spiritual Mantra cross 3 million subscribers; now available on TATA Sky and Airtel DTH

    MUMBAI: Nirvana Digital, one of the leading YouTube Rights Management companies in India announced that its spiritual channel – Spiritual Mantra – has crossed a total of over 3 million subscribers. Launched in 2012, the channel is a one-stop destination for Bhajans, Kirtans and Mantras. It also offers Meditation Videos for stress relief and improved quality of life.

    The YouTube channel has served more than 6 billion minutes of video to audiences across all age groups. The majority of the video consumption has been from 18-44-year-old audiences in Tier 1 and 2 cities across India.

    Content from Spiritual Mantra is now available on multiple platforms including Tata Sky (Channel 201) and Airtel DTH (Channel 125) as a daily morning show. Nirvana Digital is also working with the leading music and video OTT platforms globally to create curated spiritual content offerings for their global audiences.

    Pinakin Thakkar, CEO, Nirvana Digital said, “Video consumption in India is growing at an exponential rate and we are elated to cross this milestone in the Spiritual Content space. Spiritual Content has a very strong and loyal following. We are excited to see this growth and look forward to building out more content for our audience.”

    Manu Kaushish, Co-Founder of Nirvana Digital said “We are excited to offer Spiritual Mantra on TATA Sky and Airtel DTH. Over the past year, we have seen an 80% jump in the viewership on our channel and this shows that there is sizeable untapped demand for our content. According to BARC, there has been a 5-fold increase in devotional channel viewership from the 2016-2018 period, and its increasingly becoming an important area for brands to reach a strong and loyal audience base.  We will soon be launching our Spiritual Mantra App, which will be available on Android, iOS and other connected TV platforms to offer a premium ad-free subscription service to our worldwide fans.”

    The Nirvana Digital Network includes channels across the most viewed categories on YouTube including Film, Television, Spiritual, Music, Comedy, Education, Kids and Top Independent artists like Bohemia and Devika. Besides being a leading video network, Nirvana Digital is also a rights management, channel optimization and multi-platform digital distribution company. Content from Nirvana Digital’s partners is available on platforms including YouTube, Amazon, Netflix, MX Player, Apple iTunes, Spotify, Dailymotion and more.

  • Dish TV reduces STB rate, offers 1-month free subscription

    Dish TV reduces STB rate, offers 1-month free subscription

    MUMBAI: DTH player Dish TV is looking at various ways to stay strong in the market. The latest move is to reduce the price of its set top boxes. Dish TV has slashed the rate of its most premium STB. Now, Dish TV NXT STB will be available for Rs 1590, which is Rs 50 less than the previous cost.

    Usually, the price would only cover the cost of the STB but now the DTH operator is also offering a free one-month subscription, lifetime warranty and coupons worth Rs 2000, according to reports. This means that subscribers won’t have to pay a penny for HD channels for one month.

    The NXT STB has a smart and easy user interface with intuitive functionalities. It also has multi-lingual support as well as games.

    Other DTH players have also taken similar steps recently. Airtel Digital TV slashed rates by Rs 200 while Tata Sky is offering both SD and HD STBs for Rs 400 less.

    These decisions by DTH players sound like strategies to counter the threat that is being posed by the giant in Jio. The upcoming Jio Home TV is said to rely on its own GigaFiber network to show TV channels. Rumours abound that Jio’s service will cost just Rs 600 where people can watch free channels and get 100 GB worth of data as well as free voice calls. The Jio Triple Play is what it is being called.

  • Dish TV waives off 30-day lock-in period for pay channels, channel bouquets

    Dish TV waives off 30-day lock-in period for pay channels, channel bouquets

    MUMBIA: India’s biggest direct-to-home operator Dish TV has waived off the 30-day lock-in period for pay channels and select channel bouquets it had levied earlier.

    This lock-in period, which was earlier introduced by the DTH operator, prevented consumers from unsubscribing to a channel they had opted for until the duration of the lock-in period.

    Consumers can now drop and opt for channels without these restrictions.

    According to some subscribers, however, there is no change made to the seven-day lock-in period for sports channels.

    Dish TV is by far the largest DTH player in the country and probably the second largest globally. As on 31 December 2018, Dish TV claimed a net active subscriber base of 236 lakh (23.6 million, 2.36 crore).

    Two major DTH players – Airtel Direct TV (Airtel DTH) and the merged Dish TV Videocon d2h entity (Dish TV) have about 55 percent of the market share of private DTH subscribers in the country. During CY 2018, these two players added 17.06 lakh (1.706 million, 0.1706 crore) subscribers, or 58.2 percent of the net subscribers that were added by all the 5 private DTH players in the country. Airtel DTH added 10.63 lakh (1.063 million, 0.1063 crore) net subscribers, while Dish TV added 6.43 lakh (0.643 million, 0.0643 crore) during the period under review.

    Earlier in the week a report by CNBC-TV18 claimed that Singapore Telecommunications Ltd (Singtel) and Bharti Airtel are jointly looking to buy a stake in Dish TV in a bid to compete with Reliance Jio.

    The duo is looking to acquire the promoter’s 60 per cent stake in Dish TV for around Rs 6150 crore. As part of Bharti Airtel’s plan to raise $4.6 billion, Singtel is likely to buy stock in it worth $525 million through shares and bonds.

    GIC, the parent company of Singtel via Temasek Holdings, also owns about 20 per cent in Tata Sky and could hint at a future possibility of further consolidation in the DTH sector.

  • 10.4 lakh DTH subscribers added in Oct-Dec 18 quarter in India

    10.4 lakh DTH subscribers added in Oct-Dec 18 quarter in India

    BENGALURU: In calendar year 2018 (1 January 2018 to 31 December 2018), India’s private direct to home (DTH) service providers added 29.3 lakh net subscribers of which 10.4 lakh additions were made in the last quarter of the calendar year (Oct-Dec 2018, Q3 2019, period under review).

    According to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) quarterly Indicator Reports, DTH has attained net pay active subscriber base of around  704.9 lakh (70.49 million, 7.049 crore)  with five pay DTH service providers as on 31 December, 2018. This is in addition to the subscribers of the free DTH services of Doordarshan. Quarterly growth in the DTH sector in terms of the net active subscriber base and market share of DTH operators in terms of the percentage of net active subscribers during the quarter is depicted in the following charts.

    Two major DTH players – Airtel Direct TV (Airtel DTH) and the merged Dish TV Videocon d2h entity (Dish TV) have about 55 percent of the market share of private DTH subscribers in the country. During CY 2018, these two players added 17.06 lakh (1.706 million, 0.1706 crore) subscribers, or 58.2 percent of the net subscribers that were added by all the five private DTH players in the country. Airtel DTH added 10.63 lakh (1.063 million, 0.1063 crore) net subscribers, while Dish TV added 6.43 lakh (0.643 million, 0.0643 crore) during the period under review.

    As per the latest TRAI quarterly Indicator Reports, the highest number of DTH subscribers in 2018 by private players were added in the Apr-Jun quarter with 18.4 lakh (1.84 million, 0.184 crore) subscriber additions. In the first quarter of CY 2018, the private DTH players lost 30,000 subscribers. Please refer to the figure below for the private DTH subscriber trends during CY-2018.

    Dish TV is by far the largest DTH player in the country and probably the second largest globally. As on 31 December 2018, Dish TV claimed a net active subscriber base of 236 lakh (23.6 million, 2.36 crore) while Airtel DTH claimed a net active subscriber base of 150 lakh (15 million, 1.5 crore).

    The government’s DD Free Dish DTH service claims to reach out to nearly 300 lakh (30 million) as per reports and the FICCI-EY 2019 report, it has the capability to breach the 50 million mark if broadcasters keep supplying it with pay-TV content. It must however be noted that an exact number for registered or active subscribers is not available since this is a free DTH service.

  • DTH platforms say NaMo TV a special service, content provided by BJP

    DTH platforms say NaMo TV a special service, content provided by BJP

    MUMBAI: Amid controversy surrounding NaMo TV, a channel exclusively featuring content related to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, sources within India’s top DTH operators have told Indiantelevision.com that it isn’t, in fact, a standard television channel. While a Tata Sky source said NaMo TV is a “special service with content provided by the BJP” a Dish TV spokesperson described it as an “ad sales-related service”.

    Earlier, a tweet from Tata Sky calling NaMo TV a "Hindi news service" raised several questions. However, that was soon clarified by the company.

    "NaMo TV is not a Hindi news service. If someone in the frontline at Tata Sky has tweeted or said that it is a news service, it is a mistake," Tata Sky CEO Harit Nagpal told NDTV.

    He also added that NaMo TV "does not fall into any genre" and special services do not need a licence.

    Earlier, the Election Commission had sought a report from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) on NaMo TV, which was launched on 31 March.

    Throughout the week, several media reports citing MIB sources said the channel was an advertising platform that didn’t need the ministry’ licence.

    The 24-hour channel borrows PM Modi’s image for its logo and is available on all the major DTH platforms in the country.

  • Tata Sky vs TRAI: Discovery concludes arguments, Delhi High Court lists matter for 11 April

    Tata Sky vs TRAI: Discovery concludes arguments, Delhi High Court lists matter for 11 April

    MUMBAI: The Delhi High Court has adjourned the petition of top DTH operators Tata Sky, Discovery India Communication, Airtel Digital TV and Sun Direct challenging Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and its new tariff regime to 11 April. According to a source close to the development, Discovery India concluded its arguments, which commenced on 4 February, on Thursday. The long-running court battle is likely to conclude by the end of this month, as TRAI and all interveners in support of the regulatory body will commence their arguments during the next hearing. The matter is being heard by Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V Kameswar Rao.

    Notably, the extended deadline for consumer migration under the new regime expired on 31 March. While the TRAI has repeatedly said most consumers have moved to the new regulatory framework, with a reduction in cable bills, several reports have claimed otherwise.

    Earlier, the regulatory body in February extended the deadline to pick new channels under new regime till 31 March as well as gave a directive of Best Fit Plans. The subscribers that don’t opt for new channels would be moved to ‘Best Fit Plans’, which would be developed as per usage pattern, language and channel popularity, the sector regulator said in its statement.

    Chief Justice of Delhi High Court Rajendra Menon on 13 February questioned TRAI for altering the implementation process of its new tariff regime without informing the court. The chairperson of the sector regulator had also been directed to file an affidavit within a week explaining these changes.

    While the regulatory body has continuously declined that cable bills would go up under the new regime, several reports, as well as surveys, have indicated the hike in the monthly bill. Due to the change in pricing, many experts predicted that consumers would shift to OTT platforms eventually. To decrease the churn rate, some of the DTH players have removed network capacity fee for long duration packs.

    In 2017, Bharti Telemedia, Tata Sky and Discovery Communication India had filed petitions against TRAI, challenging its tariff order and the interconnect regulations. Unlike the position adopted by Star India wherein it questioned the regulatory powers of TRAI, the matter in the Delhi HC questions the regulator’s power to wipe out deals that operators enter into to fix commissions and rates for customers.

  • Tata Sky terms NaMo TV as ‘Hindi news service’ causing further confusion

    Tata Sky terms NaMo TV as ‘Hindi news service’ causing further confusion

    MUMBAI: The mystery regarding NaMo TV is rising. Now, DTH operator Tata Sky has termed it as a Hindi news service, which provides the latest breaking news on national politics, on its Twitter handle. It also said that the channel is added to all subscribers as a launch offer and there is "no option to delete the individual channel".

    Earlier, the Election Commission (EC) of India sought a reply from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) on the sudden launch of NaMo TV. According to a report from The Print, the channel never applied for a broadcast licence and does not even have a compulsory security clearance.

    It has been more than a week since its launch but till now there is no clarity on whether the channel has been classified as news or non-news. The report also added that MIB is considering issuing a notice to DTH operators for carrying an unauthorised channel. Media reports also suggest that it is a kind of advertising platform which does not need any kind of approval before going live.

    Two political parties, Congress and AAP have raised the matter with the EC questioning its launch especially after the model code of conduct before elections came into force. AAP’s legal cell, in its letter to EC, also raised the question that who would monitor the content of the channel. Neither Content TV nor NaMo TV find a mention in the list of permitted satellite TV channels on the MIB website.

    After undergoing a test run for several months, the channel went live as NaMo TV. The channel had no formal launch and there isn’t any information in the public domain about its ownership.

    The channel appears to be an extension of the popular NaMo app that contains information about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's welfare schemes and other activities. NaMo TV airs programmes related to the Prime Minister, his speeches and government ads. Even BJP social media handles have been tweeting asking viewers to tune in to the channel. The channel is available on Videocon d2h, Dish TV, Tata Sky at 302, 770, and 512 respectively. It also has a picture of the Prime Minister as its logo.

  • ShortsTV best of india short film festival 2019 open for entries

    ShortsTV best of india short film festival 2019 open for entries

    MUMBAI: ShortsTV, the world’s leading short movie TV service, available in India on Tata Sky, is looking for great short movies made by Indian filmmakers to enter its 2019 Best of India Short Film Festival.

    After a successful first edition last year, the competition is returning with the goal of further raising artistic awareness of Indian filmmakers to the Hollywood film community and opening doors for possible television deals and other opportunities, including qualification for Academy Award consideration.

    ShortsTV will award prizes totaling $2,500 to the top five selected short films. The five top shorts will also receive a screening in Los Angeles, California for seven days and thereby gain Academy Award qualification status. Every film entered will be considered for a television broadcast deal on ShortsTV (although filmmakers do not have to accept this).

    Commenting on the initiative, Mr. Carter Pilcher, Chief Executive of ShortsTV said, “At present, no Indian film festival is accredited by the Academy, making it difficult for Indian filmmakers to get their films considered for Oscar® nominations. To be considered for an Oscar®, a film either needs to win an award at an Academy accredited film festival or be screened at a cinema in Los Angeles for at least seven days, which can be prohibitively expensive for most short filmmakers. ShortsTV believes more Indian filmmakers deserve the opportunity to become Oscar® nominated and the ShortsTV Best of India Short Film Festival is one initiative we are implementing to make that happen.”

    Last year, the top prize went to Mumbai based filmmaker Chintan Sarda and his short film ‘Shunyata’, featuring Jackie Shroff in the leading role.

    To be eligible for the competition, entries need to be “narrative” live action short films with a total running time of 40 minutes or less where either the writer, director or producer is from India and the film’s final form is in High Definition (HD) or DCP.

  • Tata Sky’s Pallavi Puri says TRAI tariff order has no impact on VAS portfolio

    Tata Sky’s Pallavi Puri says TRAI tariff order has no impact on VAS portfolio

    MUMBAI: DTH operator Tata Sky has been banking on value-added services (VAS) for a long time to differentiate itself from competitors. Its newly launched Tata Sky Theatre has emerged as one of the fastest growing services. While there have been speculations on the new tariff order’s impact on such services, Tata Sky chief commercial officer Pallavi Puri said the new price regime has not affected its VAS portfolio at all.

    “Tata Sky Theatre is priced at Rs 75 and Rs 99 depending on whether you take SD or HD. At Rs 75, subscribers get four new plays every month; one new play every week plus there are other plays. There is no comparison. The new tariff order has no impact on it. It’s a big value offering for consumers,” she commented.

    Tata Sky launched the subscription-based service for theatre enthusiasts in collaboration with Zee Theatre last September. According to Puri, customer insights revealed a need for access to theatrical content which led them to the ideation of this service. Puri said that while the company was identifying need gaps for launching more services, theatre came across as one.

    “It’s been one of our fastest services. We launched over 30 services. What we found very unique about Tata Sky Theatre is that we have seen consumers actually calling us and say what they want more. So, the engagement has been higher. They love the plays and they want more regional plays,” Puri commented on the traction of the service.

    In the initial phase, more traction has come from the Northern and Western part of India because primarily the plays are in Hindi. However, Puri revealed plans to expand the service in other regional languages. The company is currently discussing what would be the right plays or languages to add on.

  • Tata Sky, Airtel Digital TV offer free Star Sports channels for IPL

    Tata Sky, Airtel Digital TV offer free Star Sports channels for IPL

    MUMBAI: In order to cash in on the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) fanfare, two DTH operators, Tata Sky and Airtel Digital TV, have decided to provide free access to all matches of 2019.

    In a message, it was revealed that from 23 March to 19 May Star Sports 1 Hindi, Star Sports 1 Tamil, Star Sports 1 Telugu, Star Sports 1 Kannada and Star Sports 1 Bangla will be available without any extra charge to Tata Sky users.

    Airtel Digital TV is also giving its users, both old and new, free access to the above channels and also Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD and Star Sports 1 Hindi HD. New subscribers, however, as per reports, will only get access to Star Sports 1 and Star Sports 1 Hindi till 19 May.

    It is quite likely that with two big DTH operators having named such lucrative packs, Dish TV will follow suit.

    Airtel Digital TV, Tata Sky and Dish TV have already created special packs for IPL wherein Star Sports channels are embedded into other genre packs such as Hindi, Marathi and kids.