DTH
eBay India celebrates Cricket Mania with Mandira Bedi
MUMBAI: Online marketplace eBay India, and Mandira Bedi have announced the launch of the eBay Cricket Mania campaign.
This is a campaign for the two million strong eBay India community toexpress their support to Team India as they prepare for the World Cup by wearing trendy “Go India Go!” bands in the Indian tricolours and win rare cricket collectibles.
eBay India is donating Rs. 5 to the NGO Mouth and Foot Painting Artists (MFPA) on behalf of every eBay member who sports the patriotic and colourful bands.
The eBay India Cricket Mania rewards all buyers on eBay India with cricket collectibles through the World Cup. One can shop on eBay India and win cricket gifts. Every buyer who hits a single (completes one transaction) wins a eBay India “Go India Go!” band.
If the buyer scores two runs (completes two transactions), he gets a special 100 years of cricket VCD compiled by David Gower. If the buyer scores 4 runs (completes four transactions), he is rewarded with a cricket ball autographed by Mandira Bedi. For all buyers hitting a sixer or completing six transactions, they get an original Sachin Tendulkar autographed biography – The making of a cricketer.
Bedi said, “I am thrilled to be associated with eBay which is one of the most exciting online brands and the India’s leading online marketplace. eBay Cricket Mania gives millions of Indians the opportunity to demonstrate their cricket passion by actively participating in the World Cup campaign and winning rare cricket memorabilia.”
eBay India country manager Rajan Mehra says, “At eBay India, we believe in engaging with the youthful online shopper by providing a shopping experience which is fun and exciting. As cricket is the national passion, we wanted to provide an opportunity for the Community to express their support for Team India at the World Cup. The eBay Cricket Mania initiative helps to build on the cricket fervor and additionally supports the noble cause of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists Association.”
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.
