DTH
Videocon d2h introduces Smart Cooking in association with Hungama
MUMBAI: Videocon d2h is launching a new active service- Smart Cooking in a tie up with Hungama. Smart Cooking will have classic and innovative recipes catering to meals and snacks. The recipes will have vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes as well. The Chef Special section is powered by celebrity chef Ranveer Brar and the other sections would see handpicked recipes across. The service launched in partnership with Hungama, is priced at Rs. 45 per month. Under Smart Cooking, India’s best known and most enjoyed culinary dishes, desserts and the signature spicy curries etc will be on display.
Videocon d2h executive chairman Saurabh Dhoot said, “With the launch of Smart Cooking, we are strengthening our proposition of being more than a provider of TV Channels. This new Smart service reaffirms our commitment of growth through innovation by providing unique content not available elsewhere. With this launch we strengthen our Smart TV content we will continue to grow and differentiate in this area in coming months”
Videocon d2h CEO Anil Khera said, “This Smart Cooking application being launched in partnership with Hungama is a result of our deep understanding of the preferences and needs of our consumer. This rich media interface and depth of the content in Smart Cooking is designed to appeal to diverse segments from homemakers in cities to women in villages”.
Hungama.com CEO Siddhartha Roy too added, “Culinary experiences are a vital part of Indian preferences and is the seed of our foray into developing and packaging cookery based content. We are very excited to partner with Videocond2h to deliver this service after delighting our users with entertainment content like movies, music and much more.”
The other active services by Videocon d2h include d2h Hollywood HD, d2h music, d2h spice, d2h cinema in both Standard Definition and HD, etc.
DTH
DD Free Dish e-auction revenue dips to Rs 642 crore as slot sales fall
Revenue dips as revised norms reshape bidding in 94th round
NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati’s DD Free Dish has closed its 8th annual, and 94th overall, e-auction for MPEG-2 slots with total collections of Rs 642 crore for the period April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
That is lower than last year’s Rs 780 crore haul, with 55 slots sold compared with 61 in FY25–26. The softer topline reflects both a slimmer inventory and a recalibrated auction framework.
This was the first auction conducted after amendments to the e-auction methodology, including tighter eligibility norms and a revised reserve price structure for MPEG-2 slots. The stated aim was greater transparency and more serious participation. The immediate outcome appears to be more measured bidding in certain categories.
Day one set the tone. Eight slots were sold, six in the premium Bucket A+ and two in Bucket A. The strong early action in A+, which typically houses Hindi GECs and movie channels, reaffirmed the enduring appeal of mass Hindi programming on the platform.
Among the broadcasters securing slots in the initial rounds were Zee Entertainment Enterprises, Sony Pictures Networks India, Viacom18’s Colors network, Sun Network and Shemaroo Entertainment. Their continued presence signals that, despite the pull of digital platforms, Free Dish remains a strategic must have for legacy networks chasing scale in price sensitive markets.
The final bouquet of 55 channels leans heavily towards Hindi news, movies, devotional fare, Bhojpuri and regional programming.
In Hindi news, familiar heavyweights such as Aaj Tak, ABP News, India TV, News18 India, Republic Bharat and Zee News made the cut. Entertainment and movie offerings include Colors Rishtey, Star Utsav, Dangal TV, Sony Pal, Shemaroo TV, Goldmines, B4U Movies and Zee Biskope. Devotional viewers will find Aastha, Sanskar and Sadhna Gold among the selected channels.
Regional representation includes Sun Marathi, Fakt Marathi, PTC Punjabi and GTC Punjabi.
Equally telling were the absences. Broadcasters such as Big Magic, Filamchi Bhojpuri, India News, Bharat Express, Movieplex Maithili, TV9 Marathi, Shemaroo Marathibana, Zee Chitra Mandir and Satsang did not participate. The pullback is particularly visible across Marathi, Bhojpuri, Maithili and spiritual programming. Industry observers point to the revised reserve prices, tighter eligibility norms and a reassessment of commercial viability as possible factors.
DD Free Dish continues to beam into over 40 million homes, largely in rural and semi urban India. For advertisers and broadcasters alike, it offers efficient access to Bharat markets where pay TV penetration remains uneven and OTT subscriptions are limited.
The moderation in revenue this year may be read as a pause rather than a retreat. Fewer slots, a reworked auction playbook and evolving broadcaster strategies have clearly shaped outcomes. Yet premium Hindi entertainment retains its pull, and the platform’s mass reach remains hard to ignore.
As the FY26–27 line-up settles in, the mix of winners and walkaways will define the private satellite channel landscape on DD Free Dish for the year ahead.
