DTH
DishTV ties up with Shemaroo; launches Miniplex
MUMBAI: DishTV has expanded its gradient of value added services by tying up with Shemaroo Entertainment, one of India’s leading entertainment content houses, to launch a new premium service called ‘Miniplex”.
Miniplex is a cross platform subscription-based movie premiere service that provides the audiences a unique opportunity to view premiere and also premium movie content for a nominal monthly subscription fee.
Speaking to the tie-up, DishTV CEO Arun Kumar Kapoor, “Being a pioneer and market leader DishTV has always stood up to its promise of providing maximum Width and depth of content. We have always taken the lead in enhancing the value proposition and believes in providing the maximum and the best in entertainment to its subscribers. We are glad to announce our partnership with Shemaroo to launch Miniplex on our platform. The experience of watching latest movies at a click of a button has redefined the way consumers watch movies today. With this latest addition to our value added service we take the entertainment quotient a notch higher and allow movie buffs to watch latest blockbusters in the comfort of their home at relatively much reasonable cost.”
This premium movie service will premiere latest blockbuster movies every Friday. Additionally, it’s is an ad free subscription based service which will also showcase other recent movies.
Shemaroo Entertainment Limited director Hiren Gada too shared his thoughts on the occasion: “We are glad to now launch Miniplex on DishTV. This tie up will enhance our reach across the country. A number of movies get released in theatres but go missing on TV. Miniplex intends to bridge this gap through premium ad free viewing experience. The service is already doing well on other platforms and we are happy to offer it to DishTV audience now.”
With Miniplex, customers can avail premium movie content for a subscription fee of Rs 60 per month. This premium movie service will be available on channel number 212 on DishTV & Zing. Customers can easily activate this service by giving a missed call on 18002741100 or through SMS
The service offers an un-paralleled experience to the movie viewers with ease of consumption as movies are scheduled at fixed timings throughout the day. Hence the viewers have the option of watching the movie at their convenience and leisure. The service is designed such that it gives the audience theatre-like-feel at home.
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.
