DTH
Dish TV-Videocon d2h deal on course
MUMBAI: After a few hiccups, the merger deal between direct-to-home (DTH) operators Dish TV and Videocon d2h is on course again.
As part of the amalgamation scheme, Dish TV and Videocon d2h will file the relevant intimations/e-forms with the registrar of companies (ROC) and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) in the last week of February 2018.
In a filing to the BSE, Dish TV has said that it “intends to take further steps for effecting the said merger.”
The filing date shall be the effective date for the scheme.
On 11 January, Dish TV had said that it is evaluating whether insolvency proceedings against the promoters of the Videocon Group will have an impact on its rights and obligations under its agreement with Videocon d2h.
Dish TV had asked its advisors to the transaction to evaluate the position and advise the company with its findings within a period of 60 days.
Before this sudden development took place, the two DTH companies were expected to file the relevant intimation/E-Forms with the RoC, MCA, Maharashtra, Mumbai, by 27 December 2017. However, the filing got delayed after Dish TV got to know about the insolvency proceedings against Videocon d2h promoters.
Dish TV also said that the merger deal is being taken forward after receiving a go-ahead from the advisors. “Upon evaluation of the above circumstances by the Advisors to the Scheme, the Company shall be taking necessary steps for completion of the Scheme,” it added.
For the purpose of seamless integration of the businesses of Videocon d2h into Dish TV India and for synchronising the operations of two companies to derive the benefits and objectives of the scheme, Dish TV has nominated two Directors namely Amitabh Kumar and Raj Kumar Gupta on the board of Videocon d2h.
On 15 December, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) had approved the merger between the two companies.
Commenting on the merger deal, Dish TV India CMD Jawahar Goel said, “We acknowledge our shareholders’ growing impatience with respect to the merger. We would like to assure them that work around the completion of the deal is going ahead at full steam now and should be completed soon.”
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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.
