DTH
Info Edge debuts with 62% premium on BSE
MUMBAI: DotCom days are here again. Info Edge (India), a provider of online recruitment, matrimonial classifieds and related services in India (through its Websites naukri.com, jeevansathi.com etc) made a very impressive debut with a 62.5 per cent premium at Rs 520 on BSE today against the offer price of Rs 320 per share of Rs 10 each.
The price shot up to Rs 623.80 intraday before closing for the day at Rs 593.20, a hefty premium of 85 per cent with a volume of 7.8 million equity shares on BSE.
The volume on NSE was higher at 11.6 million equity shares, taking the total volume on both the exchanges to 19.4 million equity shares on the very first day.
The company would use issue proceeds to purchase or lease real estate for their office, to acquire companies and use alternative delivery models such as messages through mobiles, etc. ICICI Securities and Citigroup Global Markets India were the book running lead managers to the issue.
The company entered the capital market on 30 October with an IPO of 5.32 million equity shares in the price band of Rs 290 to Rs 320 per equity share. The issue closed on 2 November. The issue constitutes 19.5 per cent of the fully diluted post issue paid-up equity capital of the company.
Info Edge wants to maintain its position as the leading provider of online recruitment solutions in India and further enhance its position as one of the leading providers of internet based matrimonial services. In addition, it seeks to diversify into and establish a position of leadership in the diverse spectrum of the online classified market and also to create such markets in those segments, which are currently catered to by the print media only.
In order to achieve these objectives, it will continue emphasis on innovation and customization of its products and services, enhance and diversify its advertising revenue streams, leverage offline relationships and diversify into providing online classified services in new market segments.
Presently its business activities are limited to primarily providing information exchange services in the recruitment, matrimonial and real estate markets; and the activities are concentrated in India.
Now the Company proposes to diversify into other segments of the online classifieds market such as automobile products, educational products and industrial products and expand its present business to the countries in the Middle East and in South Asia. It also intends to start several initiatives to enhance the features and qualities of its currently existing products and services.
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.
