DTH
MSN survey reveals softer side of male gamers
MUMBAI: According to a recent survey commissioned by Microsoft’s MSNGames, a casual gaming site, Americans are feeling more stressed out and starved for time than ever.
56 per cent of men (age 18 to 34) and 71 per cent of women (age 18 to 34) spend less than an hour on themselves a day engaged in activities that provide downtime or alone time and are pampering or relaxing to them.
Once considered a simple leisure pursuit, playing casual games – including action and arcade, puzzle, word and trivia, and card and board games — is among the activities men and women said they like to engage in when they have just 20 minutes to ‘recharge’ during the day.
Although stress reduction and mental dexterity are often cited as reasons people of all ages play casual online games, males in the 18 to 34 age bracket are most likely to list playing games as a daily escape – a chance to indulge in some “me time.” Men are also more likely than their female counterparts to play a game at work, with males age 18 to 34 most likely to sneak in a quick game during their day.
With many people indicating they have a mere 60 minutes a day to spend on relaxing activities, it is no wonder U.S. men and women are seeking easy, quick stress-reduction techniques. As a result, MSN Games has teamed up with Dr. Kathleen Hall, the founder of the Stress Institute, to urge Americans to resolve to “Take Back Your Time” this year and engage in activities that help reduce stress and give the brain a boost.
Dr. hall says, “Reclaiming just 10 minutes of ‘me time’ each day can greatly improve your sense of well-being. Stress can have a catastrophic effect on our mental, physical and spiritual health. In today’s harried and hectic world, taking time out for stress-reducing activities is no longer a luxury, but a 21st-century necessity.”
More than 13 million people each month play ‘brain food’ games on MSN Games, such as the numeric logic game “Sudoku,” virtual aquarium “Fish Tycoon,” gem-swapper “Bejeweled 2” and the family favorite card game “UNO.”
“There is a growing body of medical research that shows stress can cause the memory to become impaired. But playing online casual games, such as brainteasers, crossword puzzles, trivia titles, and any variety of mentally challenging and fun games, can actually stimulate the brain and stimulate new connections between cells” says Dr. Hall.
The MSN Games survey found that nearly two-thirds of US adults who have played a quick, fun online game in the past 12 months say that they feel less stressed afterward, indicating that arcade-style games are an excellent destination on the road to wellness.
“We know that ‘play’ de-stresses the body and actually lowers our blood pressure and heart rate. Taking a break to solve a brain-teasing puzzle or take on a fun vocabulary challenge on MSN Games is a perfect way to clear your mind of the clutter and stress that can pile up during the day,” Dr. Hall adds.
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.
