Over 50 TV channels surrender licences as OTT viewing rises

Around 50 television channels in India have surrendered their broadcasting licences over the past three years, reflecting a steady shift in audience consumption from linear TV to OTT platforms.

Data from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting shows that broadcasters affected include NDTV, JioStar, Zee Entertainment Enterprises, Eenadu Television, TV Today Network and ABP Network.

Culver Max Entertainment, which operates Sony Pictures Network India, surrendered 26 downlinking permissions after receiving approval to both uplink and downlink the same set of channels.

Enter10 Media, which runs Hindi general entertainment channel Dangal, also gave up several licences following a strategic review. The broadcaster decided not to proceed with planned channel launches, citing business objectives and resource constraints. As part of this move, it surrendered licences for Dangal HD and DaDangal Odia, shelving HD and regional expansion plans.

The trend comes against a backdrop of pressure on television advertising revenues. WPP has forecast a 1.5 per cent decline in TV ad revenues in 2025 to Rs 477.4 billion, even as India’s overall advertising market is expected to grow 9.2 per cent year-on-year to Rs 1.8 trillion.

The shift is also reflected in distribution numbers. According to a Crisil report cited by The Economic Times, India’s pay DTH subscriber base has fallen from 72 million in FY19 to 62 million in FY24 and is expected to decline further.