DTH
HGS shines bright as Nxtdigital and One bag top honours at BCS Ratna 2025
MUMBAI: When it rains, it pours and for Hinduja Global Solutions (HGS), the shower has been of accolades. Its media and broadband arms, Nxtdigital and Oneott International LTD. (OIL), have walked away with top honours at the 11th BCS Ratna Awards 2025, one of India’s most coveted forums celebrating media and entertainment excellence.
Nxtdigital, HGS’ digital content distribution platform, snagged the ‘Most Innovative Technology Provider’ trophy. At the heart of its win is the Nxthub model, a first-of-its-kind framework that has reimagined last-mile delivery. From India’s only Headend-in-the-Sky (HITS) platform to broadband and OTT, Nxtdigital has stitched it all into one integrated ecosystem. The result? Satellite-powered digital connectivity that now stretches across 4,500 pin codes, powering Tier 2, Tier 3 and rural India with digital TV and high-speed broadband.
Meanwhile, One Broadband among India’s top internet service providers was named ‘Best ISP Delivering in Rural India’. Its formula is deceptively simple yet deeply effective: aggregating local cable operators and last-mile owners through its Strategic Alliance Partner (SAP) model. This has enabled the brand “One” to deliver not just broadband, but OTT-ready services and AI-enabled customer support into homes and businesses beyond the metros.
“This recognition is more than a feather in our cap, it’s a responsibility,” said Nxtdigital media businesses CEO and HGS whole-time director Vynsley Fernandes. “It reaffirms our mission to build platforms that simplify access, scale with ease, and solve real-world challenges through innovation.”
For HGS, the wins come as it doubles down on customer-first strategies and scalable tech investments, bolstering its footprint across both bustling cities and underserved villages. At BCS Ratna 2025, the message was clear: whether beaming via satellite or streaming via fibre, HGS is scripting a connectivity story that’s as inclusive as it is innovative.
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.
