DTH
MTS Allstream partners with SPTV International for MTS Video On Demand library
MUMBAI:MTS Allstream signs on Sony Pictures Television International to further expand MTS Video On Demand library Stock Symbol: MBT
Canada based communication solutions provider MTS Allstream has inked a a multi-year distribution deal with Sony Pictures Television Canada.
In a bid to expanding the quality and selection of its MTS Video On Demand movie library, MTS Allstream air titles such as Rent, Zathura, The Legend of Zorro, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, and The Fog, as well as MGM’s Into the Blue.
“MTS has always been committed to delivering the best choice and the best value to its customers,” said MTS Allstream Inc president consumer markets Kelvin Shepherd.
“By signing this agreement with Sony Pictures Television Canada, we can now give MTS TV customers more choice from an expanded MTS Video On Demand library. With new MTS TV features being rolled out on an ongoing basis, MTS TV continues to be recognized as one of the best digital television services in North America.”
“We’re very pleased to partner with MTS TV and to bring this huge catalogue of television entertainment to more than 50,000 MTS TV subscribers in Winnipeg,” said Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) senior VP, pay television Mike Wald.
“MTS TV is widely recognized as setting the standard for quality of service and delivering choice and flexibility to customers, and we’re proud to be part of the exciting growth of MTS Video On Demand.”
With MTS Video On Demand, customers can use their remote control to order from a great selection of movie titles and other programs with the ability to watch them as many times as they want, whenever they want within a 24-hour
period.
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.
