Article In free TV, broadcasters find the next big thing

[IndianMascot]

Zee Anmol, a free-to-air channel launched 11 months ago, is a huge hit in small-town India. It dominates the list of top 50 shows in an estimated 20-25 million homes that only watch free channels. It has got millions watching earlier versions of Jhansi Ki Rani and Chhoti Bahu on their mobile phones. Zee Anmol is Zee Entertainment Enterprises' third free channel after 9X and Zee Smile.

Late last year, Viacom18 launched its free channel called Rishtey. Big Magic's comedy show, Har Mushkil Ka Hal - Akbar Birbal, has become a favourite in the Hindi heartland of Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. "Because Bihar is such a media-dark market, inventory (on Big Magic) is usually sold out," claims Reliance Broadcast Network CEO Tarun Katial. Star Utsav with its reruns of Diya aur Baati Hum and Saraswatichandra is another free-to-air hit, especially in Doordarshan-fed DTH homes.

There are, by some estimates, over 300 free channels in India - just over a third of all channels available. They account for 7 per cent of the time spent on television in the country, and attract advertisements worth Rs 1,300 crore. (The total television advertising pie, according to a study done by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry and KPMG, is Rs 13,500 crore).

There are two major changes that have pushed broadcasters to start paying attention to this market in the last couple of years. One, the penetration of TV in rural India has shot up because of the plethora of distribution options now available: cable, DTH and even mobile phones. Of these, the biggest game changer has been DD's Freedish, a free DTH service. With 18 million homes, it is bigger than Tata Sky and Dish TV. It is bringing TV to homes that never had it or replacing the sad stuff that Doordarshan dishes out to the 10 million or so terrestrial homes left. More than 30 channels such as Zee Anmol and Star Utsav pay anywhere between Rs 3.25 crore and Rs 6 crore a year to be on Freedish.



In free TV, broadcasters find the next big thing | Business Standard News

 

[DashMajor]

Free TV Market is growing and ZEE changes the concept of FTA market by providing maximum FTA channels via DD Free Dish also making profit from this market.

 

[IndianMascot]

Now, interesting thing is that many more are planning and suggesting to go FTA. Major junk of revenue comes from Advt and if channel is FTA, it will reach to maximum people. Hence earning will be more for broadcasters.

 

[DashMajor]

Its a really headache for DD Free Dish that how to increase the capacity because SONY is next in the line and small broadcasters are already there to get the opportunity.

 

[IndianMascot]

New I&B minister is very active and i am sure he will announce something astonishing