DTH
Iamai to organise digital summit later this month
MUMBAI: The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) is organising the India Digital Summit 2007 on 18 and 19 January 2007 in New Delhi. This will look at the progress the internet and mobile are making.
The organisation notes that the internet has ushered in a quiet but definite revolution at homes, offices and cyber cafes in India and changed the way we look for content, communicate or undertake commercial transactions. Whether it is through the PC or the ubiquitous mobile device, internet and wireless based technologies are transforming the socio-economic fabric of India in ways that we never thought of before.
The combination of technologies and devices have for the first time thrown open the possibility of acting as a great leveler making it possible to ‘walk the talk’ on empowerment and inclusiveness. Communications, availability of content and commercial transactions are much more efficient. cost effective and pervasive due to these technologies.
The speakers at the seminar will include People Group chairman Anupam Mittal, eBay India chairman Avnish Bajaj, On Mobile CEO Arvind Rao, ACL Wireless persident Atanu Mandal and Connecturf MD and CEO Neville Taraporewala.
The first day looks at the internet. The topics are the driving forces of the Internet in India, how businesses can use it, what the net can offer and the role of the youth in driving net uptake. The second day looks at the mobile in terms of value added services. The speakers will look at what makes a successful mobile marketing company in India. then theer is the issue of forces that are driving adoption beyond metroplolitain cities.
The panellists will also look at whether the policy environment is right for mobile value added services industry.
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.
