Dish TV steps up focus on content aggregation as DTH sees churn

Want to be hybrid player, says CEO Manoj Dobhal

- VIVEAT SUSAN PINTO

DIRECT-TO-HOME operator Dish TV is beefing up its presence in the content aggregation space as the DTH market continues to see customer exodus to DD Free Dish and OTT platforms.

Dish TV, which has around 10-11 million DTH subscribers, will soon introduce a new service as part of its Watcho platform, an OTT aggregator, allowing content creators to upload and monetise their videos of any duration. Dish TV is calling the service Flix, which will be a window within the Watcho platform for easy access, CEO Manoj Dobhal said in an interaction with FE on Wednesday. Watcho is expected to get a share of the revenue generated from the content uploaded on the platform.

"Erosion of DTH subscribers at the top end to OTT platforms and at the lower end to DD Free Dish will continue," he said. "However, (DTH) operators who can transform themselves into hybrid players will survive. This will mean a more well-rounded focus on distribution and content," Dobhal said of the way forward for the company. Dish TV also has amongst the thinnest boards in India Inc, with under three members, which Dobhal said has not been a hindrance in any way as the focus remains on building the company operationally.