India’s traditional TV industry is facing pressure as broadcasters are reviewing their channel portfolios. According to The Economic Times report yesterday, some channels have been shut down, while some planned channels were never launched. The shift is mainly linked to changing viewer habits and rising competition from digital platforms.

114 TV channel licences were surrendered between 2022 and 2026. This includes 17 licences surrendered by six broadcasters to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting by August 5, 2026. The figure also includes 26 permissions surrendered by Sony Pictures Networks India for channels that received new permissions.

Broadcasters are facing challenges such as lower advertising revenue and fewer pay-TV homes. At the same time, more viewers are moving towards OTT platforms, connected TV and short-form video.

In 2025, linear pay-TV lost around 11 million subscriptions, while free TV gained 4.5 million and connected TV added around 10 million. Linear TV revenue also fell 9.2 percent to around Rs 62,000 crore.

The changes show that viewer preferences are moving away from traditional television. Broadcasters are now focusing more on digital platforms and connected TV as they adapt to the changing media market.