Free TV on track for steady growth despite challenges
Furthermore, the re-launch of FTA Hindi GECs—Star Utsav, Colors Rishtey, Sony Pal, and Zee Anmol— on DD Free Dish, the free DTH service from Prasar Bharati, is expected to expand FTA viewership, they said.
FTA channels such as Hindi GEC Dangal and the Hindi movie channel Goldmines TV are among the most-watched TV channels in India.
Led by DD Free Dish, the FTA universe is projected to reach 57 million homes by 2030, up from an estimated 49 million in 2024, according to the latest FICCI-EY report. Market estimates suggest that the advertising market for FTA Hindi entertainment channels exceeds Rs 2,000 crore.
«Overall, television as a screen is growing in reach and engagement, despite fragmentation in distribution between linear (pay and free-to-air) and streaming. Post-pandemic inflationary trends, particularly in smaller towns and rural markets in the northern and western states, have driven growth in FTA,» said TAM Media chief executive officer LV Krishnan.
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However, experts pointed out that FTA channels face challenges due to lower advertising rates despite high viewership. The advertising rate for FTA Hindi GECs is a mere fraction of that for pay Hindi GECs, they added.
Experts predict that FTA advertising expenditure will grow 2.5 times in three years, with JioStar, Zee and Sony's FTA GEC relaunch on DD Free Dish further boosting the market.
«While FTA viewership has grown with the expansion of DD Free Dish and the decline of pay-TV, its share of advertising expenditure has not kept pace.