DTH
Ericsson, Turner to develop international mobile services
MUMBAI: Ericsson and Turner Broadcasting System International have formed a collaboration under which the users of mobile services and mobile operators will benefit from the companies’ leading positions in mobility and global multimedia content.
The two parties are collaborating to develop Turner’s internet, broadcast news and entertainment content – including CNN International, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim material – for mobile multimedia environments. The offering combines the delivery of Turner news and entertainment content with hosting and content management technology, developed by Ericsson.
The first of these jointly developed services will launch in Europe on 12 February 2007 at the 3GSM World Congress trade fair in Barcelona, bringing a new CNN Mobile service to the users initially in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
The initial product launch – CNN Mobile – and subsequent launches in this collaboration will make technologically advanced multimedia content available to users in two ways. Firstly, mobile operators will be able to deliver simple access to Turner content through their own branded portals; additionally, end users will have access to content such as the CNN Mobile site directly on their mobile devices.
Turner Broadcasting senior VP, digital media Casey Harwood says, “With this deal, we will have for the first time a full portfolio of solutions – from SMS through to mobile television – that will scale and easily move across the world. This partnership is a logical fit where the customer and mobile operators benefit through Turner focussing on providing innovative news and entertainment content to its global audience and Ericsson providing the technology behind it.”
Ericsson senior VP, head of multimedia Jan Wäreby says, “Our service-provider customers throughout the world will greatly benefit from our partnership with Turner Broadcasting, as they will be able to provide popular mobile multimedia content from Turner’s vast catalogue and greatly enhance the multimedia experience for the consumer.
The CNN Mobile product will be the first example of a true ’off-deck’ portal for mobile users, providing a state-of-the-art news service. A searchable archive of 14 days and over 2000 stories will sit with breaking news alerts and video news updates through the hourly updated ’World News Now’. Available to CNN users in EMEA and Latin America subscription free, the service will be accessible through CNNmobile.com in all mobile browsers or through operator portals where deals are in place.
The mobile services being developed include intelligent software that enables devices to show only the actual content that is appropriate to the particular handset, resulting in a richer user experience. The services will be rolled out to further territories and both Turner and Ericsson have committed to further product launches throughout 2007.
The partnership also extends beyond content development, and will have on screen elements on CNN International in a campaign that positions Ericsson as the global leading communications technology company.
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.
