News Broadcasting
Prasar Bharati awards five DD Free Dish slots in mid-year e-auctions
NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati has wrapped up a swift mid-year monetisation drive, awarding five vacant slots on DD Free Dish after concluding its 95th and 96th online e-auctions, reinforcing the platform’s pull even for short-term carriage.
The public service broadcaster allotted the slots for a two-month period from February 1 to March 31, 2026, following the completion of the dual e-auctions covering both MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 categories, according to official results.
Regional entertainment and movies won MPEG-2
The 95th e-auction, conducted exclusively for MPEG-2 capacity, saw two channels clinch slots. Punjabi-language general entertainment channel GTC Punjabi and Hindi movie channel Movieplex secured carriage for the February–March window.
MPEG-2 slots continue to attract regional and movie broadcasters looking to tap DD Free Dish’s vast rural and semi-urban footprint. The free-to-air platform reaches more than 40 million households, making it one of the country’s largest DTH distribution pipes.
News takes centre stage in MPEG-4
The 96th e-auction, held for MPEG-4 slots, was dominated by news broadcasters. North East Live, focused on the northeastern states, alongside FM News and K News India, emerged as successful bidders.
Industry watchers say the tilt towards news in the MPEG-4 category underlines rising demand for sharper picture quality and deeper regional news penetration, particularly in underserved markets where DD Free Dish remains a primary television source.
Filling gaps, fast
Unlike the annual DD Free Dish auctions, the mid-year exercise was aimed at plugging vacant inventory on a pro-rata basis. Participation was restricted to satellite television channels holding valid uplinking and downlinking permissions from the ministry of information and broadcasting, including eligible international public broadcasters.
DD Free Dish has become a critical distribution lever for free-to-air channels, offering massive reach without the carriage fees charged by private DTH operators. The latest results underline sustained demand for its limited slots, even for brief allotment periods.
For Prasar Bharati, periodic auctions are proving to be a steady revenue tap. For broadcasters, the message is blunt: even two months on DD Free Dish is still worth the fight.
News Broadcasting
WITT Summit 2026 concludes in New Delhi
Babar Azam’s comical diving attempt goes viral as league introduces anti-dew measures.
MUMBAI: The WITT Summit just wrapped up with enough big ideas to fill a policy playbook because when India’s leaders, thinkers and icons gather under one roof, even the conversations hit sixes. The eighth edition of TV9 Network’s flagship What India Thinks Today (WITT) Summit 2026 concluded on Saturday after two days of dynamic discussions at its New Delhi venue. India’s largest multi-domain public policy and culture summit brought together political leaders, policymakers, sports icons, artists and technology innovators to examine the forces shaping contemporary India and its global standing.
Prime minister Narendra Modi delivered the keynote address on the theme “India and the World” for the third consecutive year. In a wide-ranging speech, he addressed the ongoing conflict in West Asia, calling for restraint and compassion while highlighting India’s continued development trajectory despite global turmoil.
The summit featured candid conversations with state leaders. Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy articulated a people-first governance model and contrasted it with other development approaches. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav declared that Left-wing extremism had been effectively eliminated in his state and highlighted preparations for the upcoming Kumbh Mela. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann defended his government’s record, citing the closure of 19 toll plazas and creation of the Sadak Suraksha Force. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar expressed confidence in Congress prospects in Assam and addressed recent allegations against him.
On geopolitics and national security, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia outlined India’s ambition to become a builder of trusted digital infrastructure for the world, citing the rapid 5G rollout and village-level 4G connectivity.
Cricket received significant attention. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly praised player freedom and trust as hallmarks of great leadership and named MS Dhoni as the greatest captain due to his World Cup successes. India women’s team bowling coach Aavishkar Salvi credited the BCCI and Women’s Premier League for building a pipeline of world-class talent behind the team’s recent ODI World Cup triumph.
The summit also hosted the inaugural AI² Awards 2026, celebrating the convergence of human creativity and machine intelligence in storytelling and content creation. Poet and kathavachak Kumar Vishwas delivered a nuanced take on India’s concept of Dharma and criticised the recent arrest of an 80-year-old Shankaracharya. Veteran lyricist Sameer Anjaan and storyteller Neelesh Misra reflected on changing music trends and artistic responsibility in the wake of a recent controversy involving Nora Fatehi.
In a country where conversations often run as deep as the Ganges, the WITT Summit proved once again that when leaders, thinkers and storytellers come together, the real winner is public discourse lively, layered and refreshingly unafraid to tackle the big questions shaping India’s tomorrow.
