DTH
Broadcasters discuss investment caps with Reddy
NEW DELHI: The present Congress-led coalition Indian government has an “open mind” on news on FM radio and foreign investment cap in news and DTH ventures. However, it is not in a hurry to revisit any existing guidelines on these issues.
This was the broad message that information and broadcasting minister S Jaipal Reddy conveyed to the members of the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), an apex body of broadcasting companies operating in India, during an informal interaction over dinner here yesterday.
Though the issue of foreign investment cap in direct-to-home (DTH) and news ventures were brought up by some members of the IBF, which is a divided house on these two matters, at least, Reddy made it clear that in matters relating to media laws, India need not be guided by examples of any particular country.
“We have an open mind (on issues relating to foreign investment caps in media). However, if someone has any particular suggestion in this regard, he is welcome to submit them to the ministry,” Reddy is said to have conveyed to IBF members.
The minister, according to some of those present during the dinner, also directed one of his bureaucrats to compile – how many times such an exercise would be undertaken? – media ownership and cross-service laws of various countries like the UK, US, Australia and Japan so that India can have the best of the world.
Those who were present at the dinner included I&B ministry officials, senior representatives of Doordarshan, All India Radio, Sahara TV, Star India, Zee Telefilms, Enadu and IBF executives. Interestingly, Star News president Ravina Raj Kohli, who is said to have put in her papers, according to
reports in a certain section of the media, was also in attendance.
Another issue that was brought up by IBF members during the interaction with the I&B minister, who still seems to be in a “learning” mode, was that of service tax and how a certain leading FMCG company has been steadfastly resisting inclusion of service tax in the release order for advertisements.
Reddy’s intervention was also sought in the matter of high customs duty on import of broadcast equipment, which, according to some, adds to the high investment levels in the broadcast and cable industry.
It was also pointed out to the minister that the difference in customs duties in the telecom and broadcast sectors was sizeable and that both the sectors should be brought at par. Especially when broadcast and cable services have been redesignated as telecom services after a notification to this effect was issued by the previous government while making Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) the sector regulator.
At present, while imports of telecom equipment attract customs duty of around 5 per cent, those for the broadcasting sector range between 20-30 per cent.
Reddy did not make promises, but said he would discuss these taxation issues with his “friend (PC) Chidambaram,” the finance minister.
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.
