Ministry of I&B's DTH revenue falls for third straight year, slipping below Rs 650 cr in FY25

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has reported a continued decline in its revenue from Direct-to-Home (DTH) services in the financial year 2024-25, as per its latest accounts report.

The ministry earned Rs 648.73 crore from DTH operations in FY25, down from Rs 859.96 crore in FY23 and Rs 692 crore in FY24. This marks a cumulative 24.6% decrease in just two years.

The consistent fall in DTH revenue, Rs 211 crore lost since FY23, highlights the growing challenges for legacy satellite television platforms, particularly in the face of surging OTT adoption, cheaper mobile data, and changing consumer preferences.

It is to be noted that DTH subscriber base has been falling steadily over the years. According to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) data, India’s active DTH pay user base has fallen to 56.92 million in 2025 from 70.26 million in 2020. The subscriber base stood at 69.57 million in March 2021, which decreased to 66.92 million in March 2022, which subsequently decreased to 65.25 million in March 2023.

Read more: From Dish to Distress: MIB’s Rs 16,000 crore licence fee demand risks collapsing DTH sector

Industry experts have often suggested that Doordarshan’s Free Dish, the government-run free-to-air DTH platform, may be struggling to keep pace with the evolving media landscape, especially among urban audiences who are increasingly pivoting to streaming services.

Steady rise in private FM

FM Radio has also evolved as a potential medium for local businesses to expand their reach through radio advertisements. Ministry I&B is also utilizing Private FM Radio as a platform to reach the masses for furthering the developmental agenda of the Government.

Private FM radio channels have been operationalised in Leh and Kargil of the UT of Ladakh and at Bhaderwah, Kathua and Poonch of the border areas of the UT of J&K. As on March 31, 2024, 388 FM Radio channels are operational in 113 cities across the country spread across 26 States and 5 Union Territories.

Read more: DTH faces a ‘moment of reckoning’ but sees growth opportunity amid broadband expansion, regulatory imbalance: Gopal Vittal, Bharti Airtel

Revenue from private FM radio channels rose to Rs 196.28 crore in 2024-25, from Rs 186.80 crore in 2023-24 and Rs 178.99 crore in 2022-23.

CBFC’s certification revenue shrinks despite rising content volumes

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), which charges fees for film certification, also reported declining collections for the third consecutive year. It earned Rs 14.29 crore in FY25, down from Rs 15.13 crore in FY24 and Rs 15.15 crore in FY23.

Read more: Pay DTH subscribers plummet by over 3 million in just one year

This trend persists despite the proliferation of content in theatres and on OTT platforms, suggesting either a drop in big-ticket certifications or a change in fee structures and exemptions.

Publications Division revenues witness modest rise

The Publications Division, which manages the sale of government literature and journals such as Yojana, Kurukshetra, and Employment News, also saw net revenue (excluding Employment News) of Rs 25.43 crore in FY25, compared to Rs 20.84 crore in FY24 and Rs 47.32 crore in FY23. The flagship Employment News earned Rs 7.87 crore in FY25, a decreased from Rs 9.09 crore in FY24, and Rs 11.02 crore it fetched in FY23. This steady decline underlines falling subscription and circulation, possibly due to growing online consumption of job information.