50 TV channels give up licenses in three years as viewers shift to digital platforms: report

Over the past three years, around 50 Indian television channels have given up their broadcast licenses, signaling a structural shift in the country’s media landscape as audiences increasingly migrate to digital platforms. Data from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) shows that several major broadcasters – including JioStar, Zee Entertainment Enterprises, Eenadu Television, TV Today Network, NDTV and ABP Network – have participated in this trend. The departures come amid falling advertising revenues, rising operating costs and a changing regulatory environment, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability of traditional TV models.

According to a report by The Economic Times, broadcasters such as JioStar, Zee Entertainment and Enter10 Media have given up licenses of several channels. JioStar has given up the licenses of channels such as Colors Odia, MTV Beats, VH1 and Comedy Central, citing internal business decisions. Zee Entertainment shut down Zee Sea, which held an uplink-only license, after shutting down the channel’s operations.

Enter10 Media, which runs Dangal, one of India’s most-watched general entertainment channels in Hindi, has also given up some licenses following a strategic review. The company decided not to proceed with the planned new channel launch, citing internal constraints related to business objectives and resource allocation. As part of this re-evaluation, Enter10 relinquished the licenses of Dangal HD and Dangal Oriya, thereby shelving its HD and regional expansion plans.

Other networks have exited specific segments due to cost and monetization pressures. ABP Network shut down ABP News HD, citing high operational expenses and low revenue generation, while NDTV relinquished the license of its proposed Gujarati news channel, NDTV Gujarati.

Industry officials attribute the decline to broader technological and business forces. Media executives and industry bodies say the slowdown reflects structural changes driven by the convergence of media and technology, as well as changing viewer preferences and consumption patterns. Regulatory challenges have further added pressure on traditional broadcasters.

A major concern raised by industry players is the regulatory imbalance between television and digital platforms. Broadcasters, cable operators and DTH service providers say television is subject to multiple layers of regulation – from licensing to content standards to pricing – while over-the-top (OTT) platforms continue to operate under relatively lighter oversight.

Despite the license abandonments, India still has a vast television ecosystem. The latest MIB data shows 916 TV channels licensed for downlink, including 572 free-to-air channels and 334 pay channels, as well as 10 exclusive overseas licenses.

Financial pressures remain a central factor. According to Crisil, the number of paid DTH subscribers in India fell from 72 million in FY19 to 62 million in FY24, and is expected to fall below 51 million this fiscal. Meanwhile, WPP estimates that TV advertising revenue will decline by 1.5% in 2025 to Rs 477.4 billion, even as India’s overall advertising market is expected to reach Rs 2 lakh crore by 2026.