DTH
4K UHD content protection: Irdeto’s solution completes Cartesian review
MUMBAI: Irdeto, a leader in digital platform security, has announced that its Cloaked CA solution has completed a review by Cartesian against the usage rules for 4K UHD premium content included in the Farncombe Security Audit.
The audit focuses on content security requirements, aligned with MovieLabs’ Enhanced Content Protection (ECP) requirements and industry best practices. The Farncombe Security Audit is recognized by studios and sports right holders worldwide as a measure of a solution’s suitability to protect premium content.
Irdeto Cloaked CA is anchored by a secure chipset and complemented with Irdeto’s software obfuscation and whitebox cryptography. Together, these features provide a secure, diversified and easily renewable CA solution. It is a key solution offered in the Irdeto 360 Security suite, which is designed to ensure future-proof end-to-end security that can quickly and easily react to changes in the market in a cost-effective fashion. The Farncombe Security Audit covers solution areas including end-to-end system design, messaging security and client content path security.
“For pay media operators and content rights holders, premium content such as live sports, early release movies and other 4K UHD content is a substantial and precious investment which needs the best possible protection,” said Irdeto SVP – content protection Andrew Bunten.
“Premium security today means 360-degree protection trusted by content owners, everything from protecting broadcast and OTT services to end-to-end piracy control. By completing the Cartesian review of the Irdeto Cloaked CA, we are demonstrating our commitment to robust security,” Bunten said.
Cartesian, an independent consultancy company for the communications and digital media industries, has been carrying out security reviews for over 15 years. The Farncombe Security Audit™ Mark was launched in 2016 to provide a publicly recognizable indication that a security audit has taken place, and that a report is available from the solution vendor.
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.
