DTH
DishTV launches Cartoon Network games, with Visiware tie-up
MUMBAI: DishTV, Asia’s largest direct-to-home (DTH) brand, has strengthened their partnership with Visiware International, the leader in games for interactive television to launch Cartoon Network games in partnership with Cartoon Network India, the most loved kids’ channel in India.
Cartoon Network TV games, accessible on channel no. 967 within “PlayZone Active” on the DishTV platform, offers 8 games branded under the much loved and immensely popular major cartoon characters amongst kids, who lead the Cartoon Network portfolio–Ben10, Powerpuff Girls and Roll No. 21. A variety of games will be available under each of these characters to enhance the player’s experience and get them to engage closer with their favorite toons.
Elated with the promising tie-up, DishTV CEO Arun Kapoor said; At DishTV, we have always believed in providing the best entertainment to our subscribers. Being India’s most trusted DTH brand, we ensure that our subscribers from all age groups get entertained. Keeping this in mind, we are glad to strengthen our partnership with Visiware International to launch a whole new set of Cartoon Network games on our platform. We are delighted with this launch, since this service will offer games with India’s favorite characters such as Ben10, Powerpuff Girls, Roll No. 21 and more to mass audiences residing in smaller towns also. This strengthens our portfolio by penetrating not only the larger cities, but also the Tier II-Tier III cities and small towns.”
Visiware International COO Frederic Fellague remarked, “We are delighted to partner with Cartoon Network India and DishTV for this product. We are strong believers in partnerships with TV channels and Pay-TV providers to create new kind of interactivity on Set Top Boxes. Our track record in that area is significant internationally and we hope to develop these in the near future.” Adventure Time* with Jake, the old dog Finn and the human boy.
. Ben 10 * with Ben Tennyson and his brand new avatar as the feisty 10 year old and his new by-the-book rookie partner.
. Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy* with the Grim Reaper as their forced best friend.
. Roll no 21* with Kris stranded in a school run by a demon principal.
. Powerpuff Girls* with Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup, three super-powered little girls,
. Regular Show* with Mordecai and Rigby, the two best of friends.
The games will be rotated on a monthly basis with one game refreshed every month. What more, the player can resume playing at any level using the access code provided at the end of each level on a selection on games. The service is available from May 2017 to all Dish TV subscribers on Channel 967. This service will be available for free preview to all DishTV subscribers for one month post which the service will be charged Rs.40 (including taxes) per month.
Visiware International, whose services have been deployed on 50+ networks worldwide, has for the last 20 years, been developing games for satellite, cable, IPTV and fiber networks as well as connected TV sets and OTT boxes. It’s partnership with Cartoon Network will enable Visiware International to put out high quality, premium content that is all set to redefine the casual gaming in interactive television for pay TV operators. Cartoon Network IPs and its much loved characters bring in that extra fun and thrill to gaming, like never before.
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.
