DTH
Dish TV unveils hackathon for M&E industry
MUMBAI: Aimed at inviting disruptive ideas, Dish TV India Ltd has announced the launch of Dish-a-thon, a hackathon for the media and entertainment (M&E) industry. The company is inviting tech enthusiasts to develop unique products and create impactful solutions to advance digital transformation for great customer experience.
“Our latest initiative, Dish-a-thon is aimed at delivering unparalleled customer experiences. We’re thrilled to be leading this never done before initiative in the M&E/broadcast industry, which will provide opportunity for tech enthusiasts to come up with ideas that will re-define technology in the M&E/broadcast industry for the future,” Dish TV India Ltd group CEO Anil Dua said on the launch of Dish-a-thon.
The event is open for individual teams of developers and startups. DishTV, in collaboration with IncubateIND, will be shortlisting 25 teams for a 30-hour open-format grand finale. It will be organised in Bengaluru on June 16 and in Delhi on June 23, 2018.
“We are proud to partner Dish TV, the pioneer in the DTH industry in the inaugural year of Dish-a-thon. Dish TV has always been at the forefront of development with its path-breaking initiatives and the most receptive brand that has imbibed innovation in its culture. We really hope that some of the ideas that will come from this Dish-a-thon will be accepted and worked upon by the leadership team of Dish TV,” IncubateIND co-founder Samkit Sharma said.
While the event is aimed at “young innovators/disruptors/startups/students/developers across India,” participants will get an opportunity to interact with industry experts and work with mentors to co-create and co-develop. The winners will be offered cash prizes and a chance to work with Dish TV.
“It’s an industry-first initiative being done at this scale and depth that encourages innovation in the DTH industry to introduce fresh ideas to create new products and drive digital transformation. Dish-a-thon will provide a platform to innovators to enhance the present TV-viewing experience and also to sow the seeds for future disruptions in this industry,” Dish TV India Ltd senior vice president (marketing) Sukhpreet Singh 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.
