DTH
Animax partners Sify for ‘Gaming Challenge 2007’
MUMBAI: Animax, the youth animation channel, in association with Sify Gamedrome, a gaming chain, has announced the first annual “Animax Grand Gaming Challenge 2007”, a gaming tournament to be conducted across 66 cities.
The event will feature top of the line games like Counter Strike, Fifa, NFS UG2, Defense of The Ancients and Gunz Online and aims to provide a platform to youth, recognizing the need take the passion of gamers to a competitive platform.
Trophies along with other prizes such as calendars, hiking bags, sippers, posters and DVDs from Animax, while one lucky winner will get a job as an actual game jockey aiding in the development process at Sify Gamedrome.
Gamers will be able to compete for prizes in several online game categories such as sports, racing, and strategy on-line and first person shooter. Research points to the huge potential of the gaming and animation industry in India. The gaming scenario in India is evolving from a nascent stage to that of a lifestyle hobby.
Participants can enter the competition by registering at any of the Sify Gamedromes or Sify iways across 66 cities by entering the “password of the day” which will be flashed on air on Animax and can also be accessed on-line or via the short messaging service on 2525. The registration kick off from 10 January 2007, informs an official release.
Following the preliminary elimination rounds which will end 2 February, the four zonal semi-finals will be conducted in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Bangalore beginning 8 February followed by the mega final showdown at the Atria Mall in Mumbai on 28 February.
Animax country head Sunder Aaron said, “Through the Animax Grand Gaming Challenge, Animax proudly supports a very important and growing activity for the wired generation: gaming. While the core mission of Animax is to entertain youth, we also want to reflect and support the developing interests and passions of India’s Wired Generation. Working with Sify on the AGGC will truly boost the competition as they are the nationwide leader in online gaming.”
Commenting on the initiative, Sify Ltd. Access Media president Pijush Kanti Das said, “We are delighted to partner with the Animax Grand Gaming Challenge ’07, the largest online gaming tournament across 220 Sify Gamedromes in 66 cities. Our successful association with Animax in the past has encouraged us to back this tournament with aggressive promotional activities across the country. This year, apart from the multiplayer games we have added single player games to the portfolio of the tournament to increase the number of gamers.”
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.
