DTH
Videocon d2h expands HD offering to 39, adds two new channels
MUMBAI: Videocon d2h has upped its HD channel offering to 39 with the addition of two new channels namely Viacom 18’s Colors Infinity and Fox Group’s Nat Geo Wild HD.
Additionally, the DTH operator has also added Colors Infinity (SD) to its portfolio of channels.
Colors Infinity airs critically-acclaimed series such as Fargo, Orange Is The New Black, Better Call Saul, Forever, The Big C, The Musketeers, My Kitchen Rules and The Flash for the first time in India.
On the other hand, Nat Geo Wild HD will feature wildlife related programs and factual content involving nature, science, culture, and history.
Colors Infinity will be available as channel 183, Colors Infinity HD as channel 184, whereas Nat Geo Wild HD will be available as channel 462 on Videocon d2h.
Subscribers can access Colors Infinity standard definition channel as a part of Diamond Pack available at Rs 385 per month for 407 channels & services. Colors Infinity HD & Nat GeoWild HD will be part of Videocon d2h’s Premium HD add-on and Platinum HD pack available at Rs 590 per month for 452 channels & services.
“We believe that our ability to provide a substantial lineup of top entertainment choices in English, infotainment and HD is the key in serving the needs of India’s premium consumers. And the more such stellar options we provide, the more Videocon d2h will emerge as India’s definitive DTH choice,” said Videocon d2h executive chairman Saurabh Dhoot.
Videocon d2h CEO Anil Khera added, “By adding new English entertainment channels like Colors Infinity and infotainment channel Nat Geo Wild HD, Videocon d2h is creating a television viewing experience our subscribers can’t get anywhere else. Our aim is to ensure that every Indian home is able to experience top quality entertainment that rivals the world’s most established television markets.”
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.
