DD Free Dish shake-up: Dangal hit by layoffs as competition and revenue pressures mount

Industry sources suggest that this shift has impacted viewership and advertising revenues for several existing channels, including Dangal TV, which has now seen workforce adjustments affecting around 40–50 employees.

By Imran Fazal| Sep 24, 2025 9:12 AM

DD Free Dish shake-up: Dangal hit by layoffs as competition and revenue pressures mount

Dangal TV, operated by Enterr10 Television, has been one of the most successful FTA channels in the past decade, often leading BARC ratings in its category.

The entry of major broadcasters into the Free-To-Air (FTA) space on DD Free Dish has shaken up the Hindi general entertainment segment, putting pressure on existing players. With Sony Pal, Colors Rishtey, and Zee Anmol Cinema securing MPEG-2 slots in the recently concluded DD Free Dish online e-auction, competition in the FTA market has intensified.

Industry sources suggest that this shift has impacted viewership and advertising revenues for several existing channels, including Dangal TV, which has now seen workforce adjustments affecting around 40–50 employees. The shake-up highlights the broader challenges smaller and mid-sized broadcasters face in sustaining their positions against large network-backed channels with deeper resources and content libraries.

Dangal TV, operated by Enterr10 Television, has been one of the most successful FTA channels in the past decade, often leading BARC ratings in its category. However, the recent changes in the DD Free Dish ecosystem underscore the volatility of the segment, where audience loyalty can be quickly disrupted by the arrival of big players.

“The return of big broadcasters like JioStar, Sony, and Zee to DD Free Dish was expected to disrupt the FTA market. Smaller independent channels will find it difficult to compete for both audience share and ad revenue,” said a senior media analyst tracking the television space.

“Free-to-Air channels rely heavily on advertising linked to rural and semi-urban viewership. Once established brands enter this segment, advertisers quickly shift budgets, leaving independents in a tough spot,” an industry expert explained.

A former employee hit by the layoff on condition of anonymity said, "The revenue pressures were mounting heavily and the management decided to optimize the costs to sustain day to day operations. Multiple employees from different departments were laid off in phases."

Founded in 2004 by Manish Singhal, Enterr10 Television has built a diversified presence in Indian broadcasting. Its flagship channel, Enterr10, was launched in 2006, and the company later expanded into multiple regional and entertainment categories. The network now operates five satellite TV channels across four languages, including Dangal TV (Hindi GEC), Bhojpuri Cinema (24-hour Bhojpuri movies), Dangal 2 (Hindi GEC), Enterr10 GEC (Hindi GEC), and Enterr10 Bangla (Bengali GEC).

Addressing layoffs and uncertainty around Dangal, Manish Singhal, Managing Director of Enterr10 Television Pvt Ltd, clarified the company’s position. He said:

"Far from reducing, our team strength has remained steady. In August 2024, we had 216 employees; in August 2025, we are at 207 employees. Attrition has been largely performance-led, and the open roles are already in the process of being filled -- ensuring no impact on operations or delivery."

Singhal also emphasized Enterr10’s forward-looking approach, pointing to its growing success in the digital ecosystem.

"Our investment in digital is both strategic and future-focused. These efforts are already yielding results as Dangal’s YouTube channel has been ranked No. 1 globally in the Movies & Entertainment category by Tubular Leaderboards for three consecutive months (June, July, and August 2025), across Film, Movies, and Overall Creators," he added.