DTH
Epic On app now on DishSMRT Hub & d2h Stream
KOLKATA: Dish TV India has now made available OTT platform Epic On on its DishSMRT Hub and d2h Stream android set-top box. DishTV & D2H users can now access Epic On’s massive content library including over 2,000 hours of factual and fictional series, movies, talks, and documentaries.
This partnership will enable Dish TV customers to have access to Epic On’s engaging short-format content especially customised for digital audiences. DishTV and D2H users will now be able to stream an exciting slate of 5,000 hours of inspiring and entertaining podcasts, 1,000-plus casual multiplayer and interactive games, along with e-sports and over 1,000 E-books for bibliophiles.
Dish TV India executive director and group CEO Anil Dua said, “We have been continuously working on expanding our content basket based on the tastes and preferences of our subscribers. Our partnership with Epic On is another step in the same direction, making it easy for our Android box users to access their vast content library including, short-form versions of its flagship and popular TV shows. At Dish TV India, we strive to bring the best for our customers with all our associations as well as through exclusive content, taking the entertainment quotient higher each time.”
EPIC ON COO Sourjya Mohanty said, “While tier-2 and tier- 3 audiences are getting used to consuming OTT content, a strategic partnership with Dish TV would help us in accelerating our national presence through its strong distribution network across India. We are delighted to associate with Dish TV for this exciting offering and believe that this opportunity would help further ease the content consumption experience of our users. With our recent launch, we are devoted to the idea of an India-centric OTT platform and are exploring every opportunity that helps us to reach our audience more effectively.”
In addition to Epic On, the android box offers a host of features like built-in Google Assistant, Chromecast, Google Play, and access to all popular featured OTT platforms like Watcho, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Zee5, Voot, Eros Now, ALTBalaji, and many more. Coupled with the ease of using voice commands via Google Assistant, the Android-based set-top box is compatible with any television set.
Dish SMRT Hub and d2h stream are internet-enabled android-based HD set top box, available for Rs 3,999 for new subscribers and Rs 2,499 for existing subscribers.
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.
