DTH
Afghanistan asks India for transponder for DTH
MUMBAI: After being allocated a transponder from the South Asia Satellite, Afghanistan has requested India for another one that it could use for direct-to-home (DTH) television services, the Press Trust of India quoted an official from the Department of Space anonymously.
However, unlike the South Asia Satellite or G SAT-9, which was a “gift” from India to its neighbours and one transponder was allocated to the participating SAARC countries for free, Afghanistan may have to pay for the services this time, the official said.
“They have asked for another transponder and we are looking into it. Unlike in the case of the South Asia Satellite, Afghanistan may be charged for the second transponder. However, no decision has been made in this regard,” the official said, requesting anonymity.
The second transponder may not be from the South Asia Satellite.
In 2014, Afghanistan had launched its satellite AFGHANSAT-1 for wide-ranging services including DTH, broadcasting and internet services. The satellite was launched by a French company. But as demand increases, it looks to augment its supply side.
During the 2014 SAARC Summit in Kathmandu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced India would be launching a satellite as a gift to its South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) neighbours. Pakistan did not join the project, stating it was working on its own satellite, but offered monetary and technical support, which was rejected by India.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched the South Asia Satellite in 2017. The 2,230-kg communication spacecraft, with a mission life of 12 years, will support effective communication, broadcasting and internet services in a region that is geographically challenging, economically lagging and has limited technological resources.
The satellite provides significant capability to each of the participating countries in terms of DTH services, besides linking the countries for disaster information transfer.
The satellite has 12 Ku band transponders that the six nations—Afghanistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan—could utilise to enhance communications. Each South Asian country will get access to one transponder through which it will be able to beam its own programming.
As part of its commitment, India also assisted several countries to build ground stations and other infrastructure-related work to receive signals sent from transponders.
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.
