DTH
Harris Broadcast Communications to provide end-to-end broadcast system to Tata Sky
MUMBAI:The battle for supremacy between Dish TV and Tata Sky has gone up by one more level with Harris collaborating with Tata Sky Ltd., to deliver its satellite television service via an end-to-end system that converts, processes, synchronizes and distributes digital program content.
Tata Sky is the satellite television service for the Tata Group and Star Network in India.
Designed to support 120 channels, Tata Sky’s facility uses Harris’ Integrator router for station routing, asserts an official release.
“At Tata Sky, we continuously invest in state-of-the-art infrastructure to provide Indian audiences with a world-class satellite television service, offering unparalleled entertainment with pristine picture quality and sound,” said Tata Sky Ltd managing director and CEO Vikram Kaushik. “The Harris broadcast equipment will help us boost the quality of our digital transmission, enabling us to deliver top-of-the-line services to our customers.”
According to the release, Tata Sky’s facility houses Harris NEXIO servers, for use in their test center; integrator router for station routing; a panacea router for clean switching; 6800+ and NEO modular interface products for video processing; the NEO MTG-3901 master timing generator system; the IconLogo modular branding solution; an IconStation master control graphics and channel presentation system; Videotek test and measurement products; the NEO SuiteView multi-source display processor; and the CCS Navigator software application and NUCLEUS user-configurable network control panel for control and monitoring.
Harris Broadcast Communications division president Tim Thorsteinson said, “Tata Sky promises to revolutionise home entertainment in India, and we are extremely pleased to work with them in this venture.”
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.
