†Indicates the date when analogue signals were switched off and not necessarily the date when 100% digitisation was achieved.
Phase I
From midnight on 31 October 2012, analogue signals were switched off in Delhi and Mumbai. Pirated signals were available in parts of Delhi even after the date.[25] In Kolkata, on 30 October 2012, the state government refused to switch off analogue signals citing low penetration of set-top boxes (STBs) required for receiving digital signals. The I&B Ministry did not push for switching off of analogue signals in Kolkata. After approximately the Centre estimated that 75%
From midnight on 31 October 2012, analogue signals were switched off in Delhi and Mumbai. Pirated signals were available in parts of Delhi even after the date.[25] In Kolkata, on 30 October 2012, the state government refused to switch off analogue signals citing low penetration of set-top boxes (STBs) required for receiving digital signals. The I&B Ministry did not push for switching off of analogue signals in Kolkata. After approximately the Centre estimated that 75% of Kolkata households had installed STBs, the ministry issued a directive to stop airing analogue channels in some parts of the city beginning 16 December and completely switch off analogue signals after 27 December.[26] On 17 December 2012, the West Bengal government openly defied the directive and stated that it would not implement it.[27] The state government then announced that it would extend the deadline to 15 January 2013.[28][29][30] The I&B ministry had initially threatened to cancel the license of multi system operators (MSOs) in Kolkata if they did not switch off all analogue channels. However, the ministries softened their stand following a letter from MSOs, explaining how it they were sandwiched between divergent orders from the Central and State Governments.
In Chennai, the deadline was extended twice to 5 November by the Madras High Court.[31] The extension was in response to a petition filed by the Chennai Metro
In Chennai, the deadline was extended twice to 5 November by the Madras High Court.[31] The extension was in response to a petition filed by the Chennai Metro Cable TV Operators Association (CMCOA), who argued at the beginning of November that only 164,000 homes in Chennai had the proper equipment, and three million households would be left without service.[32] When a week later only a quarter of households had their set-top boxes, the Madras High Court further extended the deadline to 9 November. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting stated that it would allow an additional extension to 31 December.[33][34] As of March 2013, out of 3 million subscribers, 2.4 million continued to be without set-top boxes.[35]
A similar petition, filed by a local cable operator (LCO), to extend the deadline in Mumbai was rejected by the Bombay High Court on 31 October 2012.[36]
In the second phase, 38 cities in 15 states had to digitise by 31 March 2013. Of the 38, Maharashtra has 9 cities, Uttar Pradesh has 7 and Gujarat has 5.[37][38][39]
About 25% of the 16 million households covered did not have their equipment installed before the deadline. Secretary Uday Kumar Varma extended a 15-day grace period.[22] The I&
About 25% of the 16 million households covered did not have their equipment installed before the deadline. Secretary Uday Kumar Varma extended a 15-day grace period.[22] The I&B ministry estimated that as of 3 April 2013, 25% of households did not have set-top boxes.[40] Enforcement of the switchover varied from city to city.[41] Vishakhapatnam had the lowest rate of conversion to the new system at 12.18 per cent. Other cities that had low figures included Srinagar (20 per cent), Coimbatore (28.89 per cent), Jabalpur (34.87 per cent) and Kalyan Dombivli (38.59 per cent).[42]
As of 2016, over 1600 TV satellite television channels are broadcast in India. This includes channels
from the state-owned Doordarshan, 21st Century Fox owned STAR TV, Sony owned Sony Entertainment Television, Zee TV, Sun Network and Asianet. Direct To Home service is provided by Airtel Digital Tv, BIG TV owned by Reliance, DD Direct Plus, DishTV, Sun Direct DTH, Tata Sky and Videocon D2H. Dish TV was the first one to come up in Indian Market, others came only years later.

<
These services are provided by locally built satellites from ISRO such as[43] INSAT 4CR, INSAT 4A, INSAT-2E, INSAT-3C and INSAT-3E as well as private satellites such as the Dutch-based SES, Global-owned NSS 6, Thaicom-2 and Telstar 10.
DTH is defined as the reception of satellite programs with a personal dish in an individual home. As of December 2012, India had roughly 54 million DTH subscribers.
DTH does not compete with CAS.[citation needed] Cable TV and DTH are two methods of delivery of television con
DTH is defined as the reception of satellite programs with a personal dish in an individual home. As of December 2012, India had roughly 54 million DTH subscribers.
DTH does not compete with CAS.[citation needed] Cable TV and DTH are two methods of delivery of television content. CAS is integral to both the systems in delivering pay channels.
Cable TV is through cable networks and DTH is wireless, reaching direct to the consumer through a small dish and a set-top box. Although the government has ensured that free-to-air channels on cable are delivered to the consumer without a set-top box, DTH signals cannot be received without the set-top box.
India currently has 7 major DTH service providers and a total of over 54 million subscriber households in as of December 2012. DishTV (a ZEE TV subsidiary), Tata Sky, Videocon D2H, Sun Network owned ' Sun Direct DTH', Reliance Digital TV, Bharti Airtel's DTH Service 'Airtel Digital TV' and the public sector DD Direct Plus. As of 2012, India has the most competitive Direct-broadcast satellite market with 7 operators vying for more than 135 million TV homes. India overtook the US as the world's largest Direct-broadcast satellite market in 2012.[44]
The rapid growth of DTH in India has propelled an exodus from cabled homes, the need to measure viewership in this space is more than ever; aMap, the overnight ratings agency, has mounted a peoplemeter panel to measure viewership and interactive engagement in DTH homes in India.[45]
There are IPTV Platforms available for Subscription in India in the main cities as Broadband Internet in many parts of the country, they are
- iControl IPTV A joint venture between MTNL and BSNL also in association with Aksh Optifiber a company that also provides Reliance IPTV is an IPTV service Operated by Reliance Communication the Telco uses the Microsoft Mediaroom IPTV Middleware Software as its end-to-end delivery Platform, with around three TV packages on offer. the service is currently only available in Mumbai.
- APSFL is a provider of IPTV service. This service was launched in 2016 and it offers over 250 channels out of which 49 are in HD. It is currently only available in Andhra pradesh.
Programming
The typical Indian soap opera is by-far the most common genre on Indian television. Fiction shows (which also includes thriller dramas and sitcoms) are extremely popular among Indian audiences, as they reflect real family issues portrayed in a melodramatic fashion.
There are thousands of television programs in India, all ranging in length, air time, genre and language. The Hindi and Tamil television industry is by far the biggest. However, some have much greater influence on the audiences, and therefore make the annual list of the best Hindi shows. The present status follows:
List of top five Hindi GEC (Urban+Rural) Pay-Television shows in India (Week 10, 2020)
Source: Barc India[46]
There are thousands of television programs in India, all ranging in length, air time, genre and language. The Hindi and Tamil television industry is by far the biggest. However, some have much greater influence on the audiences, and therefore make the annual list of the best Hindi shows. The present status follows:
Source: Barc India[46]
Rank
|
Series
|
Genre
|
Network
|
Production House
|
Air date
|
Air time
|
Impressions (000s)
|
1
|
Naagin 5
|
Indian soap opera
|
Star Sports, Sony Ten, Sony Six, Europort, 1Sports and DD Sports.
Audience metrics
Television metrics in India have gone through several phases in which it fragmented, consolidated and then fragmented again. One key difference in Indian culture is that families traditionally limit themselves to owning only one screen.
DART
During the days of the single channel Doordarshan monopoly, DART (Doordarshan Audience Research Team) was the only metric available. This used the notebook method of recordkeeping across 33 cities across India.[47] DART continues to provide this information independent of the Private agencies. DART is one of the rating system that measures audience metrics in Rural India.[48]
TAM & INTAM
In 1994, claiming a heterogeneous and fragmenting television market ORG-MARG introduced INTAM (Indian National Television Audience Measurement). Ex-officials of DD (Doordarshan) claimed that INTAM was introduced by vested commercial interests who only sought to break the monopoly of DD and that INTAM was significantly weaker in both sample size, rigour and the range of cities and regions covered.[49]
In 1997, a joint industry body appointed TAM (backed by AC Nielsen[50]) as the official recordkeeper of audience metrics.[51] Due to the differences in methodology and samples of TAM and INTAM, both provided differing results for the same programs.
In 2001, a confidential list of households in Mumbai that were participating in the monitoring survey was released, calling into question the Television metrics in India have gone through several phases in which it fragmented, consolidated and then fragmented again. One key difference in Indian culture is that families traditionally limit themselves to owning only one screen.
DART
During the days of the single cha During the days of the single channel Doordarshan monopoly, DART (Doordarshan Audience Research Team) was the only metric available. This used the notebook method of recordkeeping across 33 cities across India.[47] DART continues to provide this information independent of the Private agencies. DART is one of the rating system that measures audience metrics in Rural India.[48]
| |