DTH
British Telecom, Endemol team up for next-generation TV
MUMBAI: British Telecom (BT) has inked a deal with Endemol to license programming and develop cutting-edge interactive content for its next-generation TV offering.
Endemol will work with BT to deliver its distinctive and high-quality programming and interactive content, tailor-made for BT’s next- generation TV service. The two companies intend to build on Endemol’s experience at the forefront of developing interactive TV formats.
This agreement builds on the content deals already announced with companies including BBC Worldwide, Paramount and Warner Music Group, National Geographic Channel and with kids’ TV programming leaders Hit Entertainment and Nelvana.
BT will unveil further big name deals this year as it builds to a launch of the service later this year.
Customers of the service will be able to choose from a huge range of on-demand film, music and television programming as well as a groundbreaking interactive and communications service, all available through their TV sets.
The service will be a world-first, combining access to digital-terrestrial channels through the aerial with broadband-powered video on demand. This unique combination, delivered on a software platform powered by Microsoft and through a set-top box made by leading manufacturer Philips, will allow customers choice, control and convenience. Unlike other services, there will be no mandatory monthly subscriptions.
Endemol UK director digital media Peter Cowley said, “This deal with BT underlines our commitment to remaining at the forefront of digital media and developing new ways of entertaining people.”
BT Retail chief executive TV Services Dan Marks said, “We have already announced a number of content deals for next-generation TV and we are delighted to be working with Endemol. We intend to lead the way in the development of interactive services and we look forward to collaborating to bring their great programming to our customers and to add an interactive element enabled by our new and highly-advanced platform that we believe will extend its appeal and develop new commercial opportunities. Significantly, our next-generation TV service will be offered nationwide and not restricted to metropolitan areas, and customers will not be required to commit to a monthly subscription.”
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.
