DTH
India leads HDTV boom on DTH in SAARC region
NEW DELHI: India, which had just three true high-definition television (HDTV) channels in 2010, now leads in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) region with 50 HDTV channels in Q1 2015.
What’s more, the SAARC countries will see a boom for HDTV segment over the next three years.
According to a new research report by Dataxis, the steady increase in HDTV subscribers and the number of HDTV channels in the region, driven by the digitisation drive could lead to robust growth in the segment.
This steady increase in HDTV penetration in the SAARC region is therefore mainly due to India, which accounts for more than 90 per cent of the total HD subscribers in the SAARC countries – Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – covered in the report.
The HDTV penetration in India is primarily driven by DTH players, who are aggressively promoting HDTV set top boxes (STBs) in the country. Dataxis report finds that DTH operators in India have seeded about four million STBs in Q1-2015 as compared to less than 0.3 million HD STBs seeded by multi-system-operators (MSOs) during the same period.
HDTV segment, both in terms of HDTV STB penetration and HDTV channels have witnessed steady growth in the last four quarters, with HDTV penetration in the SAARC countries reaching 4.2 million in the quarter ended March 2015, says the new Dataxis report titled “SAARC: HDTV Market Q1-2015.”
Although, MSOs in India had a slow start in seeding HD STBs mainly due to the delay in implementing gross billing, cable operators have begun pushing HD STBs to customers in metros and other Phase II cities where gross billing is in place. HD STB seeding by MSOs is expected to gain traction by the fourth quarter of 2015.
“DTH players are expected to lead the HDTV penetration in India for the next couple of years, however, MSOs are also expected to come on board as the demand for HDTV and UHD content is on the rise in the Phase II cities where cable TV dominates the Pay-TV market,” said Dataxis media analyst Sreeja VN.
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.
