DTH
Somani to lead Shemaroo’s DTH business
MUMBAI: Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd, one of the leading content houses appoints Subhash Somani to head DTH business for the company. Prior to joining Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd, he was working for Videocon d2h as Senior Manager – Content. In Shemaroo Entertainment, he will be responsible for driving the scale of business to next level. He will be primarily looking into Content Strategy, Business Development & Revenue. Also, he will lead & manage strategic partnerships with broadcasters/studios and will be playing key role in new initiatives & launches.
Somani has over seven years of experience in diverse roles in Media & Entertainment sector. In his last tenure with Videocon d2h, he was primarily involved in content acquisition and launch of new value added services (VAS) for d2h platform.
Shemaroo director Hiren Gada said “Subhash is a part of the DTH industry since its nascent stage and has deep understanding of the market. With an addition of new perspective and experience in the team, we believe, we will be able to leverage the platform to the fullest.”
Somani shared his thoughts, “Now when Shemaroo is expanding its DTH services, we plan to leverage the trust value it has created in the partners and consumers. We are at cusp of opportunities for DTH business in the country and with a company that has one of the largest content libraries, I believe sky is the limit.”
Shemaroo recently forayed into DTH business and today stands among the leading players in the industry. The company has tied up with all the DTH players including Tata Sky, Airtel Digital, Videocon d2h and Dish TV. Shemaroo offers a bouquet of VAS services on all the major DTH platforms covering multiple genres. These offerings range from devotional services like iDevotion and Sajda to special service tailored to fulfill the needs of bollywood buffs like Miniplex and Sadabahar Hits. It also includes regional services like Relamchhel and Punjabi Tadka.
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.
