World Television Day 2025: India’s TV Network Now Reaches 900 Million Viewers
Education remains a key pillar of India’s TV broadcasting landscape. Channels such as Swayam Prabha, DIKSHA, and NCERT’s content platforms, accessible via Doordarshan’s DTH services, play a major role in remote learning.
New Delhi, November 21: India marked World Television Day 2025 with new data showcasing the continued strength of the country’s broadcast ecosystem, which now connects nearly 900 million viewers across 230 million households. According to the latest figures from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, India’s television sector remains one of the world’s largest public-information and entertainment networks.
The government highlighted that 918 private satellite channels were operational as of March 2025, creating a vibrant and diverse media environment. Of these, 908 channels were approved for downlinking in India, including 333 pay TV channels. The rapid growth of DD Free Dish, whose channel count rose from 9 in 2014 to 482 in 2025, has significantly expanded digital inclusion, especially in remote and underserved regions.
Television’s evolution—from the SITE experiment of 1975–76 to the nationwide expansion of Doordarshan, the introduction of colour TV in 1982, private satellite broadcasting in the early 1990s, and the shift to digital platforms—was also highlighted as a core part of India’s media history.
The pandemic accelerated this shift, with TV-based programmes designed to reach students without consistent internet access.
With television continuing to serve as a powerful medium for governance, information, and cultural outreach, officials reaffirmed that India’s broadcast sector is entering a new phase—defined by content innovation, infrastructure expansion, and convergence with digital platforms.
