DTH
Medialink launches broadband direct-to-consumer distribution platform
MUMBAI: Accelerating its expansion into broadband programming, Medialink Worldwide Incorporated launched a suite of consumer services that delivers client content in multiple formats to the public via the internet and a host of mobile media-playing devices. By offering direct-to-consumer content, Medialink greatly expands the reach of its traditional analog and digital satellite delivery to broadcasters.
The multimedia assets available on the Medialink network cover a broad range of topics including product launches, new developments in technology and medicine, as well as mergers and acquisitions on behalf of its nearly 3,000 communications clients at corporations, associations and not-for-profit organisations.
Medialink’s rich media content may now be accessed directly by the public via domestic and international video and audio podcasts on web directories such as Yahoo! Podcasts, searchable video segments on Google Video, satellite radio, and as streaming media that is syndicated on thousands of popular websites and specially distributed to top market local television station websites nationwide.
“Today’s multi-screen world creates breathtaking opportunities for professional communicators to instantly and easily share vivid images and sounds of a new car launch, a film premiere or a business leader’s insight directly with consumers. It is a very exciting era for Medialink, as we establish the editorial and production standards that empower our public relations and marketing clients to exploit modern technologies to tell their stories. Clients benefit from Medialink’s expertise in conveying news about products or issues in the brief, visually-evocative and informative model we have perfected over 19 years, which is the ideal format for this new generation of direct media and peer-to-peer communication,” said Medialink president, CEO and chairman Laurence Moskowitz.
“With broadband use achieving critical mass, Medialink now augments its offering to help our clients in PR, corporate communications and marketing extend their reach and increase their return-on-investment, while addressing the anticipated growth in consumer demand for high-quality multimedia content. Through Medialink’s suite of broadcast and
broadband distribution services, communications professionals can more fully leverage the value of their video, audio, print or images to achieve high-impact results with their target audiences in newsrooms, board rooms or living rooms” said Medialink chief operating officer Larry Thomas.
A video podcast featuring Tiger Woods that is currently available on the Medialink digital network is an example of the multimedia assets that can now be accessed directly by consumers. The segment was produced for Medialink’s client, General Motors, in support of a new promotion for its Buick brand.
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.
