DTH
Dish TV launches dynamic AV vans for ‘Zing Super Offer’ across HSM
Mumbai: Dish TV, a prominent DTH service provider, has launched a strategic outreach initiative targeting Hindi-speaking market (HSM) regions across Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh East & West, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar to popularise its Zing Super offering through on-ground activities, tailored for tier-2, tier-3 towns, and deep rural areas. The company is using all decked-up dynamic interactive audio-video (AV) vans to promote its special ‘Zing Super offer’ and provide entertainment avenues to the HSM market, with the aim to attract potential customers towards the evolved entertainment experience of pay television.
Dish TV provides both pay-TV channels and free channels on its platform to offer customers a choice between pay-TV and Free TV viewing. The Dish TV van activity has been instrumental in directly connecting with customers by demonstrating both pay-TV and FTA through live programming demos and on-the-spot resolution of complaints of existing subscribers. The vans will also showcase educational channels and distribute stationery to children to build an emotional connection with families.
Dish TV India Ltd CEO Manoj Dobhal said, “At Dish TV, we’re committed to delivering top-notch entertainment to our valued customers. Our ‘Zing Super’ offer provides 300+ channels for an extended period of time with the flexibility to add pay channels on an à la carte basis whenever required. With our unique initiative, using interactive dynamic AV vans, we aim to highlight the content quality of pay-TV vis-a-vis FTA through live programming on the spot, which helps in converting FTA customers by bringing them onto the pay platform at a reasonable entry price.”
As part of the campaign, dynamic vans will traverse these targeted markets, generating awareness, facilitating on-the-spot new sales and resolving customer complaints.
Customers can avail the exclusive offer during the campaign period and receive exciting gifts with every purchase, ensuring a delightful experience for all customers.
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.
