DTH
DishTV launches ‘Thriller Active’ service on both platforms
India, 4th October 2018: Dish TV India Limited, world’s largest single-country DTH Company, is delighted to introduce a never heard before value added service-‘Thriller Active’ offering best thriller and horror TV shows and movies to Indian audiences on its both brands; DishTV and D2H. The first of its kind service is being offered in partnership with Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd, one of India’s leading filmed entertainment content house. Customers can now enjoy best of thrilling content at channel number 134 on DishTV and D2H platform.
‘Thriller Active’, DishTV’s exciting new offering is available to the subscriber on free preview of 15 days. Post free preview, the viewers can continue to enjoy spine chilling thrillers, television shows and movies at a nominal subscription price of Rs.40+Taxes.
Announcing the new service, Mr. Anil Dua, Group Chief Executive Officer, Dish TV India Limited, said, “Our focus at DishTV and D2H, has always been on innovative content, best value proposition and unique entertainment initiatives. Horror and thriller is a genre that young audiences have a huge appetite for, and we are here to fill the gap for a singular destination for the best of content available in this segment.”
Apart from classic horror shows such as Aahat, Zee Horror Show, Fear Files, a bouquet of unique features await every thriller enthusiast on DishTV and D2H. Further, to make weekends exciting for binge watching, the service brings special thriller, crime and horror series every Saturday and Sunday along with a popular movie.
Hiren Gada, Director – Shemaroo Entertainment Limited said, “We are delighted to tie-up with Dish TV India Ltd to provide this exciting content on its DishTV and D2H platforms. Being a leading content aggregator and owner, our efforts are to serve audiences with exciting content in innovative ways. Bearing the same in mind, the programming of the service has been carefully chosen and hand-picked from Shemaroo’s best thrilling library content.”
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.
