DTH
DishTV kick launches special offerings for Karnataka
MUMBAI: In order to cater to the needs of multilingual entertainment requirements for the Karnataka TV viewers/ subscribers; DishTV has come up with special offering in the state of Karnataka. These offerings will not only give maximum choice but will also offer them complete flexibility to choose the language of their choice. With this central theme, DishTV proudly stands for “Any language you speak, We have a pack for you.”
In order to bridge the language barrier in the state of Karnataka with respect to entertainment, DishTV is all set to offer new and exciting offerings. These offerings are available to all viewers/ subscribers over and above with the existing base packs of Rs.99/ Rs.139/ Rs.169.
Speaking on the addition, DishTV India CEO Arun Kumar Kapoor said, “Over the years we have observed the trend of the viewer preferences prevailing in the Karnataka market. They have an inclination for regional content. Karnataka being a highly multi-lingual state and keeping in mind the multi-lingual entertainment requirement in the state, DishTV has always been at the forefront to provide innovative solutions. In order to enhance the TV viewing experience for our subscribers in regional markets and to ensure that they enjoy seamless services with uninterrupted entertainment at cost effective rates DishTV has come with these special Kannada offerings.”
Kannada Special offerings at attractive price points are as follows:
Ø Kannada Special with kannada Language pack@ Rs.199 (Total 1 Language pack)
Ø Kannada Special with kannada and 1 other Language Pack @ Rs.209 (Total 2 Language packs)
Ø Kannada Special with kannada and 2 other Language packs @ Rs.225 (Total 3 Language packs)
The subscribers can avail these special Kannada offerings on a reasonable amount of Rs. 199 including all Kannada channels and services, which is further enriched with more content like Kids, Sports, Movies, English News and Infotainment. Further customers will have options to choose Kannada special offering with one more language pack along with Kannada at Rs.209 and two more language packs along with Kannada at Rs. 225. The subscribers can choose from different language packs such as Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Odia and Marathi.
On all new acquisition, subscribers can choose up to three language packs (one Kannada and 2 other language packs) till the offer period.
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.
