DTH
Airtel DTH becomes first player to release a feature film on digital TV
MUMBAI: Airtel Digital TV consumers have reasons to rejoice now. The direct to home (DTH) player has become the first operator in the country to release a feature film on its digital platform on the same day of the film’s theatrical release. Telugu movie titled Minukumanna Minugurulu (The Fire Flies) will release on both DTH and theatres using the pay per view (PPV) platform. The move will help Airtel Digital TV consumers experience an innovative opportunity packed with convenience.
Releasing on 24 January, 2014 on Airtel Digital TV at 00.30 hours, the movie will be available to customers for five days until 28 January on channel number 157 enabling them to enjoy the movie with an exceptional viewing experience with an unmatched picture quality and sound on MPEG4 DVB-S2 technology in the comfort of their home along with family and friends.
Customers can book the movie by sending the SMS <BOOK 157> to 54325 from their registered mobile number for just Rs 100 per day and can watch any or all the eight shows of the movie airing on the particular day.
Directed by Ayodhyakumar Krishnamsetty, the film’s cast includes national award winning actors Ashish Vidyarthi and Suhasini Maniratnam along with internationally acclaimed actor Raghubir Yadav. The movie portrays the lives of 40 visually impaired and orphaned children and seeks to inspire people to contribute to improving the lives of the visually impaired. The movie was showcased at the 18th International Children’s Film Festival India (ICFFI) held in the country in November, 2013 and received a great response from the audience. It has also been selected for six other international film festivals.
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.
