DTH
Napster mobile launches ‘Over-The-Air’ music service in Japan
MUMBAI: Napster , the digital music pioneer, has announced the launch of Napster Mobile on iMode, NTT DoCoMo’s mobile internet platform currently used by over 40 million of its over 52 million mobile subscribers across Japan.
DoCoMo customers can use Napster Mobile to access full-length songs and ringtones that can be delivered Over-The-Air (OTA), directly to their mobile handsets including the N902iX, the SH903i, the F903i, the D903i and other soon to be released models in the 903i series for immediate listening and downloading, asserts an official release.
Napster Mobile subscribers in Japan pay a monthly access fee of approximately $3 per month, and can acquire individual songs and ringtones for mobile delivery and download using a credit-based system. Subscribers receive 300 credits per month to procure individual songs and ringtones, and they can purchase additional credits at any time.
Using a compatible DoCoMo handset gives Napster Japan’s Napster To Go portable subscription customers the power to transfer their favorite music from their PC directly to their mobile phone.
Napster chairman and CEO Chris Gorog said, “With analysts projecting that mobile music will become a multi-billion dollar business in Japan over the next few years, we are very pleased and excited by Napster Japan’s deep partnership with DoCoMo, Japan’s number one wireless carrier. DoCoMo’s aggressive promotion of our offerings in Japan both the PC subscription service and the over-the-air mobile service will enable Napster to deliver on our commitment to helping music fans everywhere enjoy the best digital music experience possible.”
iMode customers can subscribe to Napster Mobile for unlimited access to Napster Mobile’s music programming features, including personalized recommendations, featured artists and new releases, exclusive music and chart information, and to browse Napster Mobile’s vast catalog of full-length songs and ringtones, adds the release.
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.
