DTH
DD Free Dish now in 40 million households
NEW DELHI: Public broadcaster Prasar Bharati's free-to-air DTH platform DD Free Dish has continued its strong growth trajectory and the service’s subscriber base has crossed an estimated 40 million, according to the EY FICCI Media Entertainment Report 2021.
The growth has been attributed to less expensive television sets, economic issues, launch of the DD Retro Channel and return of big broadcasters to the Free Dish platform, said the ministry of information and broadcasting in a statement. DD Free Dish has also become a second set-top box within the home, used when there are no large events on television in some cases. Free Dish distributors have mentioned year-on-year growth in sales as well as the inability to keep up with demand due to a shortage of China-manufactured chipsets.
The report also estimates that television households will continue to grow at over five per cent till 2025, driven by connected TVs which could cross 40 million by 2025 and DD Free Dish could cross 50 million.
The multi-channel free-to-air Direct to Home (DTH) service of Prasar Bharati, presently hosts 161 TV channels including 91 Doordarshan channels (comprising 51 co-branded educational channels), 70 private channels and 48 radio channels. With effect from 1 April, DD Free Dish private TV channel bouquet would comprise of 10 Hindi GEC, 15 Hindi movies, six music, 20 news, eight Bhojpuri, three devotional and two foreign channels.
It is presently under upgradation and is expected to add another few channels in its bouquet by May 2021. Recently, an online web app was released that aids consumers in finding DD Free Dish set-top box dealers based on their nearest location.
The recent e-auctions for both MPEG2 and MPEG4 slots on DD Free Dish also saw robust bidding. Prasar Bharati earned nearly Rs 10 crore through the 53rd e-auction of MPEG-4 slots of DD Free Dish and 11 channels were successfully allocated MPEG-4 slots post the auction. "The new highs in individual bids breaching earlier levels in a sign of optimism in the broadcast sector overcoming Covid2019 shock," Prasar Bharti CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati had said, post the results.
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.
