DTH
Gemporia TV hops on to Tata Sky platform
MUMBAI: India’s live jewellery shopping channel Gemporia TV has hopped on to the Tata Sky direct to home (DTH) platform.
The channel will be available on channel no. 155 in Tata Sky.
It may be recalled that Indiantelevision.com had reported earlier this month that the channel was eyeing revenue of Rs 60 – 100 crore by the end of 2016 and was looking at expanding its presence in the market by launching on Tata Sky. The shopping platform has been available on other DTH operators like Dish TV and Videocon d2h since September 2015.
With a market presence of 11 years in the UK, the channel has seen a rapid growth in the overall jewellery retail, and claims to achieve almost eight per cent market share of all hallmarked jewellery sold in the UK. The platform also claims to sell over nine million pieces worldwide all through e-commerce and television.
Gemporia TV co-founder Manuj Goyal said, “In India, we bring you these exquisite pieces, directly from our factories to your home, eliminating all middlemen, bringing the costs lower and at direct-to-home prices. We are enlivened with Gemporia’s expanded audience base of over 50 million homes with the launch on Tata Sky, one of the leading DTH providers in India. Our intention is to be available across DTH platforms and gradually move our presence on cable.”
He further added, “Our product size is constantly increasing to fit the business needs. The jewellery ranges from earrings to necklaces to charms to rings for women and men, in multiple styles. Our average item value has been Rs 4216. For Sterling Silver jewellery, our sweet spot is Rs 999. For Gold Jewellery, we have seen maximum sales in Rs 5000 to 8000 pricing category. Rings are currently 50 per cent of our sales, I guess as most retailers find it challenging to stock rings in different sizes. We keep a wide variety of gemstone jewellery – Rubies, Emeralds, Sapphires, Tanzanites, Pearls, Topaz, Opals, Amethyst, Citrines, Garnets, Onyxs, Tourmalines besides Diamonds. Our presence on Tata Sky brings a whole new audience with a completely different demographic. We are excited to see how these numbers will shift.”
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.
