DTH
Dish TV India launches ‘Punjabi Active’ Service in association with Shemaroo
New Delhi: Dish TV India Limited, world’s largest single-country DTH Company, introduces a new value added service- ‘Punjabi Active’ in association with Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd to offer unique and engaging content to its Punjabi viewers on both of its brands; DishTV and d2h. With the launch of this new service, customers can now enjoy the complete Ad-Free and 24X7 ‘Punjabi Active’ Service packed with Movies, Shows, Short Plays and Songs.
Committed to deliver spellbinding content experience at remarkable pric;e, the package includes daily Gurbani, devotional songs and latest Punjabi pop songs along with telefilms. Enriched with complete Punjabi entertainment, the customers will get to witness some of the big premiere movies like High End Yaariyaan, Saggi Phull, Laavaan Phere, Nanak Naam Jahaz hai, Rabb da radio etc. As an additional merit to this pack, live studio music along with short movies and famous chat shows like Pekeyan di thukk, Aar Nanak Paar Nanak, Live Studio etc. will also be telecasted over weekends.
Commenting on the launch of ‘Punjabi Active Service’, Mr. Anil Dua, Executive Director and Group CEO, Dish TV India Ltd added, “Dish TV India strongly believes that the best way to engage our subscribers is to provide a range of wholesome, exclusive and relevant content. We are glad to announce our partnership with Shemaroo to launch Punjabi Active service on both our platforms DishTV and d2h. With this latest addition to our value added service we take the entertainment quotient a notch higher and allow subscribers to watch specially curated entertainment covering the latest Punjabi movies, shows, music and more in the comfort of their home.“
Mr. Hiren Gada, CEO, Shemaroo Entertainment Limited, said, “We are delighted to partner with Dish TV and offer our extensive Punjabi service to a varied set of audiences through the launch of ‘Punjabi Active’ with Dish TV. As content leaders, over the years we have seen that the engagement is much higher when content is served in preferred language and through preferred medium. We are sure this partnership will entertain a massive set of audience across India.”
‘Punjabi Active Service’, Dish TV’s new offering will be available for the subscribers on Channel No.1182 on DishTV and Channel No. 776 on d2h at a nominal subscription fee of INR 40+ GST per month from 06 August 2019 post applicable free preview period.
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.
