India’s TV Broadcasting Sector Shrinks Amid OTT Boom and Falling Ad Revenue
In India's television broadcast sector, 50 channels have surrendered their licenses in the past three years. Changing viewership habits, increasing use of digital technology, and pressure on advertising revenue are the main reasons for this. Pay-TV subscribers are declining, wealthy families are shifting to OTT platforms, and price-sensitive households are moving to DD Free Dish. Weakening advertising trends are also a major factor.
The television broadcast industry in India has undergone a revolution. A total of 50 television channels have reportedly handed back their licenses over the past three years due to changes in television habits and the use of digital technology.
The Economic Times report, citing data from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, states that the companies that have surrendered their TV broadcast licenses include JioStar, Zee Entertainment Enterprises, Eenadu Television, TV Today Network, NDTV, and ABP Network. Additionally, Culver Max Entertainment, operating as Sony Pictures Networks India, surrendered 26 downlinking permissions after receiving ministry approval to uplink and downlink the same set of channels.
India's pay-TV ecosystem is under constant pressure as affluent households increasingly migrate to OTT platforms, while price-sensitive households are switching to DD Free Dish. According to a recent Crisil report, the paid DTH subscriber base declined from 72 million in FY19 to 62 million in FY24 and is projected to fall further.
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Industry officials said there were several reasons behind the license surrenders. Weak advertising trends have exacerbated the situation. WPP estimates that television advertising revenue will decline by 1.5% to ₹477.4 billion in 2025, while the total advertising market is expected to reach ₹1.8 trillion in 2025, growing at an annual rate of 9.2% to reach ₹2 trillion in 2026.
According to an ET report, Enter10 Media has also surrendered some licenses following a strategic review. The broadcaster said it decided not to pursue plans to launch more channels due to business objectives and resource-planning constraints. As part of this review, Enter10 surrendered its Dangal HD and Dangal Oriya licenses.
The industry body said the slowdown reflects deep structural changes driven by the convergence of media and technology, as well as changing audience preferences and consumption behavior. The report also cited regulatory challenges as a key factor contributing to the stress in the broadcasting sector.
