Dish TV to be a Thing of the Past? By Sri Vidya - HYDERABAD Published: 11th April 2014 09:49 AM

Everything we do is inherently connected to the internet nowadays. We access it through our Smart phones, laptops, tablets and computers. But technology has even routed the same to our Smart TVs. With laptops and Smart TVs serving just as good as the traditional television set up, more and more seem to be opting for this.

Most of the city’s migratory population doesn’t really bother with investing in a fancy telly, or a television at all, as everything can be viewed on the internet.

“When I moved to Hyderabad, I was living on my own. I did not think of buying a TV as I could access all the TV shows I followed on the internet. Watching them on my laptop saves me a lot of expense that goes into buying a TV and getting a dish connection,” says Geethika Rao, a software employee.

With torrents being available for nearly every TV show, youngsters prefer downloading them and watching it at their own convenience rather than rescheduling their day to catch them on TV.

“Most of the time I do not even download them. I borrow it from friends who have downloaded them already, and watch them when I have the time. As I am mostly at college when these shows come on TV, this is most convenient for me,” says Kubra Fatima, a student from St Francis College for Women.

If waiting for the next episode of a show was painful enough, folks don’t have to wait much longer to access them on the internet as nearly all regional channels have their own YouTube channel. Usually, episodes are uploaded onto the site within the same day as their telecast. Some channels like Star Plus and Colors Viacom also have their own websites where the viewers can read synopsis of previous episodes, watch the episodes and follow news about their favourite characters.

But it isn’t just viewers who are realising the potential of this; channels as well are making sure they cater to both audiences. Some regional channels also count their TRP’s by the number of views on their Youtube counterpart. “Our serials are rated and judged by the administration even by the number of views on each day’s episode. The views garnered also help us analyse what kind of content the viewers prefer to watch the most,” says Krishna Prasad, a TV serial producer at a popular regional channel.

But what of cable and Dish TV operators in the city? They say that their businesses haven’t been adversely affected as yet. “Our existing subscriptions has not declined at all but certainly, there is a decline in the average number of new subscriptions that we get yearly,” says Mallesh, an operator, adding that the problem will arise when their old subscriptions begin to expire as even housewives are beginning to shift online.

“I follow two serials on two different channels that are telecast at the same time. So I watch one on TV and the other online,” shares Varsha, a civil engineer.

And Srinivas, an employee of Virtusa, knows what that’s like. “My mom never used the internet until her friend told her that the shows she misses are uploaded on YouTube. Now she does not mind skipping a few shows as she knows where to find them,” he says.

As the popularity picks among those who are usually technologically-challenged, a cable Tv subscriptions may soon be a thing of the past in the city.

http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/Dish-TV-to-be-a-Thing-of-the-Past/2014/04/11/article2161444.ece1#.U0gMAlWSxQg