DTH
Cetma appeals for quick roll-out of CAS
NEW DELHI: Consumer Electronics and TV Manufacturers Association (Cetma), an apex body of electronics goods makers in the country, today exhorted the government to ensure a quick roll-out of conditional access system (CAS), as it would enable the viewers to pay less for their monthly cable bill.
“CAS implementation would put India on the world map of digital television – for what may probably be the largest digital roll-out in the world,” Catma secretary general Suresh Khanna said in a press release issued here.
Cetma has also appealed to the state and central governments to lessen the burden on consumers by waiving service and entertainment taxes for those who opt only for basic tier at Rs 72 (excluding local taxes) per month.
Further making a case for CAS rollout, Khanna was quoted in the statement as saying, “In the end, consumers get what they want at a reasonable rate. It is a transparent system, where by all the stakeholders – that is, the broadcasters, multi-system operators (MSOs) and cable operators get their fair share.”
Cetma had strongly lobbied for CAS when the issue was being debated last year and had also assured the then information and broadcasting minister Sushma Swaraj that once addressability became common and demand for set-top boxes picked up, local manufacturers would be able to supply the boxes at cheap rates. The rates could be as low as Rs 1,500, they had stated.
Cetma had also given a working paper to Swaraj, who had used the data very effectively to have the necessary amendments related to CAS steam-rolled through the Parliament, last year.
Many Cetma members, notably Thomson Electronics India, have been on various panels set up for CAS and also on a panel of the Bureau of Indian Standards where the technical specifications and standards for boxes for CAS and KU-band direct-to-home (DTH) television service were discussed.
However, contrary to Cetma’s assertions, very few companies operating in India have come out with plans to manufacture the boxes locally. All of them had cited reasons of uncertainty over CAS for deferring their plans, if any.
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.
