DTH
Airtel Digital TV introduces Bengali SVOD service
MUMBAI: Leading Indian DTH player Airtel Digital TV is increasingly going to subscription video on demand (SVOD) way. Adding to its range of offering, the company announced the launch of Bangla Hitz a Bengali SVOD service. The DTH operator already offers language services in Gujarati, Tamil and Punjabi.
This ad free service is available at f Rs 39 per month and can be accessed on channel number 702 on Airtel Digital TV. The new service will offer a whole new range of exclusive entertainment options in Bengali for Airtel DTH customers. This includes, a showcase of seven unique Bengali movies in a day, totaling up to 15-20 unique titles per week. A company press release says that the frequency will gradually be increased to four new premieres every month.
Additionally, customers also get access to some of the finest musical performances from the region via the huge music catalog that comes with the service.
“We are delighted to announce the launch of our subscription video on demand services in Bengali.,” said Airtel Digital chief marketing officer S. Siram,. “This service will give our users access to exclusive local entertainment content, right from the comfort of their homes. We will continue to focus on delivering compelling content for our customers and change the way customers view entertainment in India.”
Airtel Digital TV customers will have to give a missed call to 9109121232 or SMS ADD 702 to 54325 to activate the service.
Airtel Digital’s DTH business grew 20 per cent plus in Q2 2017 to register top line revenues of Rs 854.5 crore
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.
