DTH
Askew gung-ho on fast take-off once Tata-Star DTH file cleared
HONG KONG: Waiting to exhale. That could well describe the story for the Star Group’s having to exercise Buddha-like patience over the Indian government’s lack of urgency (an understatement if ever there was one) in clearing the long pending Tata-Star DTH file.
Quizzed by indiantelevision.com over whether the long wait would ultimately prove worth Star’s while considering the relatively slow uptake that rival Zee’s DTH venture Dish TV had despite a nearly one and a half year head start, Star Group COO Steve Askew would not be drawn into comparisons.
Askew, however expressed confidence that the product offering that Star has in the pipeline had three key ingredients that would make for a sure shot win-win for both Star and the consumer – competitive pricing, wide choice and quality of both content and service.
The Star group COO, who was speaking on the sidelines of a joint announcement with John Lau’s Focus Films Ltd for the production of Chinese-language feature films in high definition (HD) technology, used the film analogy to drive home his point. What Space TV would be offering was akin to the multiplex experience “direct-to-home”, he averred.
Askew promised 200-plus channels would be available on the DTH offering from Day 1 of launch and that the subsequent channel ramp-up would be at a fast clip.
Asked to comment on the imminent arrival of the Amitabh Bachchan-hosted game show Kaun Banega Crorepati II, Askew, who had to rush off citing a packed schedule, said Star had high expectations for the show.
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.
