DTH
MIB clears path for Dish TV Videocon
MUMBAI: Even as a new global media powerhouse was created in the US yesterday with Disney’s buyout of Fox’s entertainment assets for $52.4 billion, India’s ministry of information & broadcasting (MIB) has cleared the decks for Dish TV and Videocon d2h paving the pathway for the creation of a mammoth DTH company.
The companies had received the green signal from the Mumbai division of the national company law tribunal some months ago after which the ministry’s approval was pending. Dish TV and Videocon d2h reported separate revenue and EBITDA numbers which at a pro-forma level add up to Rs 60,862 million and Rs 19,909 million for FY17. Following the amalgamation, the combined entity will be renamed as Dish TV Videocon Limited.
As on 30 September 2017, the duo together serve more than 29 million customers.
Dish TV CMD Jawahar Goel says, ““It has been a long journey since the announcement of the agreement between the two companies a year back. We would like to thank the ministry of information and broadcasting, the national company law tribunal, the competition commission of India, the securities and exchange board of India, the stock exchanges and all other stakeholders for showing their trust in us. I would also like to express our gratitude to our shareholders for standing by us through the transaction and believing in us to take the combined entity to the next level going forward.”
Dish TV group CEO Anil Dua says, “Together, Dish TV and Videocon d2h are going to write history as we embark on this journey of delighting our 29 million and growing customer base. It is an exciting way ahead as we get this opportunity to leverage the individual strengths of the two organisations. I feel reassured looking at the formidable combination of these two talented teams that are now going to be working together towards a shared vision and common goals.”
Dish TV Videocon is expected to provide better synergies and growth opportunities through enhanced after-sales, distribution and technology capabilities. Aon, Deloitte and PwC have been roped in to help it with project management for seamless integration of core functions, processes and technology infrastructure.
It has been a year-long journey for Dish and Videocon since they announced the intent to merge last November. The scheme will take effect in the coming weeks.
For the quarter ended 30 September 2017, Videocon d2h saw PAT of Rs 168 million and an addition of 0.21 million subscribers, taking its total to 13.25 million. On the other hand, Dish TV’s PAT for the same quarter was Rs 689.6 million while subscribers increased by 0.188 million to hit 15.9 million.
The new year is expected to be a good one for the dynamic duo. And they have every reason to celebrate.
Also Read: Dish TV reports improved operating profits for second quarter
Videocon d2h reports another profitable quarter
Dish TV–D2H merger gets NCLT approval
DTH
Free Dish serves fresh slots as Prasar Bharati rings in e Auction 97
MPEG 4 slots for 2026–27 open with bids from March 16 and applications due March 9.
MUMBAI- When the Free Dish menu changes, broadcasters sharpen their forks. Prasar Bharati has formally opened applications for vacant MPEG-4 slots on its DD Free Dish direct to home platform, setting the stage for the 97th e-auction, scheduled to begin on March 16, 2026. The allotment will cover the broadcast period from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027, continuing the public broadcaster’s annual auction cycle.
The notice, issued on February 9, 2026, lays out a familiar but finely sliced structure, with channels grouped into genre and language based “buckets”, each carrying its own reserve price and bidding dynamics. The aim is simple: widen content choice on DD Free Dish while keeping the playing field regulated and competitive.
At the premium end of the table, HD channels (Bucket H) will open with a reserve price of Rs 80 lakh, with bid increments of Rs 1 lakh.
Regional language channels are split across multiple rounds. Bucket R1, covering South Indian languages, and Bucket R2, which includes Marathi, Gujarati and Bengali, will both start at Rs 5 lakh in round one, moving up to Rs 15 lakh in the second round.
News and current affairs channels under Bucket G1 will begin at Rs 30 lakh, escalating to Rs 50 lakh in the next round, while the General Open round (GO) meant to mop up unfilled slots across categories carries a reserve price of Rs 70 lakh.
Eligibility remains tightly controlled. Participation is limited to satellite television channels licensed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, with international public broadcasters holding valid MIB licences also allowed to bid. Prasar Bharati has also reiterated strict content compliance norms, making genre and language declarations more than just paperwork.
To qualify as “predominant”, at least 75 percent of non advertising content must align with the declared genre and language. In overall terms, this means such content cannot fall below 60 percent of a channel’s total monthly telecast. Complaints will trigger a review by a designated committee, and persistent violations could result in the channel being taken off the platform.
Applications must be submitted online via the Prasar Bharati portal by 9 March, 2026, at 15:00 hours. Broadcasters will need to pay a non refundable processing fee of Rs 25,000 and a participation fee of Rs 3 lakh, along with submitting mandatory documents such as MIB permissions, channel logos and proof of carriage on other DTH or MSO platforms.
Successful bidders will be required to stick to a strict payment calendar. Delays will attract interest at 14.5 percent per annum, and repeated defaults could lead to forfeiture of the participation fee and removal from DD Free Dish.
As India’s only free to air DTH platform with massive reach, DD Free Dish continues to be a crucial gateway, especially in regional markets. With e-Auction 97, Prasar Bharati is once again reshuffling the platter and the industry is watching closely to see who gets served next.
