DTH
AIR staffer wins ABU 2006 Broadcast Engineering Excellence Award
MUMBAI: The winners of the annual ABU Broadcast Engineering Excellence Awards were announced yesterday at the ABU Technical Committee Meetings in Beijing.
The recipient of the ABU Broadcast Engineering Excellence Award is All India Radio engineer-in-chief Ansu Sekhar Guin, in recognition of his contributions of an outstanding nature in broadcasting engineering and related disciplines at All India Radio and Doordarshan.
Guin is the technical head of All India Radio (AIR), responsible for the management and operational aspects of AIR’s network, according to an official release. He holds the position of president of the Broadcast Engineering Society of India.
In his illustrious career at All India Radio, he has been responsible in the implementation of many new services such as digital radio studio automation, digital video archives, digitalisation of the satellite based networking system and digital audio broadcasting.
The ABU Engineering Industry Excellence Award is conferred on Dr Osamu Yamada for the most outstanding engineering contribution made by an individual to the broadcasting industry in the Asia-Pacific region.
Dr Yamada was NHK Science director general and Technical Research Laboratories in his previous posting and is now senior managing director of Pioneer Corporation.
He played a pioneering role in the setting up of error correction codes in developing a new decoding algorithm for different applications for various broadcasting systems.
He also developed digital transmission systems. He engaged in the development and standardisation of new broadcasting systems such as teletext, FM multiplex broadcasting system (DARC), digital satellite and terrestrial broadcasting systems (ISDB). He also contributed to the work of the ITU-R Study Groups from 1992 to 1997.
“The awards are conferred in appreciation of their dedication and endeavours in the promotion of technical developments in the broadcasting industry. The ABU congratulates Mr Guin and Dr Yamada,” said ABU secretary-general David Astley.
Both awards will be presented at the ABU Prizes awards ceremony on 7 November. Each award comprises a commemorative trophy, a citation and a lifetime ‘distinguished observer’ status at ABU Technical Committee meetings, informs the statement.
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.
