DTH
DD looks to launch DTH in third week of June
NEW DELHI: India’s pubcaster Doordarshan, looking at launching a direct-to-home (DTH) television service in the third week of June, is hopeful that most of the popular free to air channel would join the platform as it would give them additional reach.
What’s more, according to Prasar Bharati CEO KS Sarma, the private satellite channels that join DD’s proposed KU-band venture would also be allowed to carry the advertisements booked by them without any financial obligation to DD.
Speaking to indiantelevision.com, Sarma said that formal letters from Prasar Bharati, that manages DD, would be going out in a day or two to the free to air channels. He is also hopeful that private satellite channels would come on board to get additional reach as DD proposes to distribute set-top-boxes for the DTH service free in those areas where cable or terrestrial TV’s penetration is low.
However, Star is not a likely candidate to be part of DD’s DTH service, despite the fact that it is launching a new FTA channel later this month, called Star Utsav.
Star has not been party to (initial) meetings (on DTH), Sarma was candid enough to admit, but pointed out that Zee Telefilms had offered some channels for the DTH service.
DD is setting up a DTH service at a total cost of Rs 5 billion to be spent over a period of five years. The Planning Commission-sanctioned project is primarily aimed at covering those areas of the country that cannot be reached through terrestrial TV transmission of DD. Moreover, had DD gone in for such a terrestrial transmission, it would have been a heavily costly affair. Compared to that investment, the project cost for DTH is almost peanuts.
Pointing out that DD would be unable to go in for a revenue share at the moment with those private satellite channels that come on board the DTH platform, Sarma said, “As our subscription management system gets established over a period of time, we may work out financial arrangements with private TV channels.”
This has been necessitated, as ISRO does not have additional and adequate transponder capacity on its exiting satellites, which are marketed under the brand name Insat. NSS is a Netherlands-headquartered satellite company and in recent times has been targeting the Indian market aggressively.
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.
