JioStar, Zee & other broadcasters give up TV licences as viewers go digital

Core Insights - The surrender of approximately 50 television channel licenses over the past three years highlights significant challenges facing India's linear television sector as digital consumption rises and advertising revenues decline [3][10]. Industry Trends - The Indian pay-TV ecosystem is experiencing sustained pressure, with affluent households increasingly moving to OTT platforms, while price-sensitive households are shifting to DD Free Dish [6][10]. - The pay DTH subscriber base has decreased from 72 million in FY19 to 62 million in FY24, with projections indicating it may fall below 51 million in the current fiscal year [6][10]. Advertising Revenue - WPP forecasts a 1.5% decline in television advertising revenue in 2025, estimating it will reach ₹477.4 billion, while the overall advertising market is expected to grow to ₹1.8 trillion in 2025, a 9.2% year-on-year increase, and further expand to ₹2 trillion in 2026 [7][10]. Company Actions - JioStar surrendered licenses for channels including Colors Odia, MTV Beats, VH1, and Comedy Central due to internal business decisions [7][10]. - Zee Entertainment closed Zee Sea, which had an uplink-only license, following the cessation of the channel's operations [10]. - Enter10 Media, which operates the popular Hindi channel Dangal, surrendered some licenses after a strategic review, deciding against launching additional channels due to business objectives and resource constraints [9][10]. - ABP Network shut down ABP News HD, citing high operating costs and weak monetization, while NDTV surrendered the license for its proposed Gujarati news channel [10]. Structural Changes - Industry bodies indicate that the slowdown in the sector reflects structural changes driven by media and technology convergence, alongside shifting audience preferences and consumption behaviors [10].