DTH
Dish TV asks Yes Bank to get MIB go-ahead on its share acquisition
MUMBAI: Last Friday, YES Bank informed the stock exchanges that it had acquired 24.19 per cent stake in direct-to-home (DTH) operator Dish TV India Ltd. The latter said on Monday that the disclosure filed by the bank regarding the acquisition contains certain incorrect facts.
Moreover, it has highlighted another important aspect as per DTH License guidelines which clearly prohibit any change in equity structures of licensee company without prior approval from the ministry of information & broadcasting (MIB). Hence, it has stated that the acquisition of shares by Yes Bank without the ministry’s consent is against the DTH guidelines and has requested Yes Bank to obtain the green signal from the MIB prior to effecting their transfer.
"We would like to mention that your statement, ‘shares acquired on invocation of pledge subsequent to default/breach of terms of loan to Dish TV India Limited’ is an incorrect statement," Dish TV said in a filing to the BSE.
It also clarified that as on the date of the communication, the DTH platform was not in default of any payment obligations to Yes Bank under the financing facility availed from the lender.
“Further, you are also well aware that ‘no shares have been pledged by the promoters of Dish TV or any other entity for the loans availed by Dish TV from Yes Bank Ltd. Therefore, there cannot be any question of invocation of any pledged shares in relation to the loans availed by Dish TV from Yes Bank,”’ the DTH company's official added in the note filed with the BSE yesterday.
The bank had earlier in a note to the exchange informed that it had acquired 44,53,48,990 equity shares having a nominal value of Re 1 per share. “Shares have been acquired pursuant to invocation of pledge of the shares subsequent to default/breach of terms of credit facilities sanctioned by Yes Bank to Essel Business Excellence Services Ltd, Essel Corporate Resources Private Ltd, Living Entertainment Enterprises Private Ltd, Last Mile Online Ltd, Pan India Network Infravest Ltd, RPW Projects Private Ltd, Mumbai WTR Private Ltd,” Yes Bank had said.
Dish TV has also requested Yes Bank to issue corrigendum to its earlier statement and inform the stock exchanges of the same.
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.
