DTH
Videocon d2h adds comedy VAS service from Shemaroo
MUMBAI: To add a pinch of fun, Dish TV has added a new value-added service on its Videocon d2h platform. Comedy Active service is being offered in partnership with Comedywalas, a division of Shemaroo Entertainment.
Comedy Active service is being offered to the subscribers with a free preview of two months after which they can continue to enjoy at a nominal subscription price of Rs 35 + GST.
“We are thrilled to extend Comedy Active service on our Videocon d2h platform after having received a positive response from our viewers on Dish TV Platform. With this announcement, Comedy Active service is now available to our entire subscriber base of 29 million. We have always focused on enhancing our product portfolio and value-added services to bring uninterrupted 24×7 entertainment to our viewers. Our partnership with Shemaroo to launch Comedy Active Service on Videocon d2h platform reiterates our commitment to providing unique content and best TV viewing experience for our viewers,” Dish TV India group CEO Anil Dua said.
Along with original content created especially for this service, Comedy Active will also offer most popular comedy shows of all times like Tu Tu Main Main, Chamatkar, and Ye Jo Hai Zindagi.
“We are very excited to launch Comedy Active service with Dish TV on its Videocon d2h platform. Comedy shows on television are a way for audiences to de-stress from the otherwise hectic life. Comedywalas is an initiative by Shemaroo to bring together high-quality comedy content by curating and creating, rib-tickling programmes. We also use our exceptional programming expertise and associate with stalwarts in comedy to produce some original comic gems. We are sure that this right mix of classic and new comedy shows will be loved by the audience,” Shemaroo Entertainment CEO Hiren Gada said.
“We have always focused on delivering the best value proposition to our customers along with novel entertainment initiatives. The launch of Comedy Active service on our Videocon d2h platform reiterates our commitment to bring handpicked quality content for our viewers of all age groups. Taking ahead our existing partnership with Shemaroo, we are sure this new offering will add to the fun and laughter amongst our viewers across the country,” Videocon d2h marketing head Sugato Banerji said.
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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.
