DTH
Nielsen’s new service to offer insights, services from TV STB data
MUMBAI: US media research firm Nielsen is consolidating its initiatives involving digital television set top box data into a new service offering named Nielsen DigitalPlus.
Nielsen DigitalPlus will work with set top box (STB) data from cable system operators (MSOs) and satellite providers to create new insights and services for clients by integrating set top box data with other Nielsen information.
Nielsen DigitalPlus will draw upon the resources and information assets of numerous Nielsen businesses including: the television measurement services of Nielsen Media Research, commercial activity data from Nielsen Monitor Plus, retail and scanning information from A.C. Nielsen, as well as the modeling and forecasting capabilities of Claritas, Spectra and BASES.
Initially, Nielsen DigitalPlus will focus on several high-potential client initiatives:
– Exploring how set top box data can contribute to Nielsen’s Anytime Anywhere Media Measurement (A2/M2) goal of bringing electronic measurement to all local television markets
– Providing measurement of advanced advertising applications such as interactive, targeted advertising
– Bringing insights on advertising effectiveness through granular reporting of commercial activity
– Providing analytics to support MSO Customer Relationship Management (CRM) by combining television viewing data with other data sets to provide new insights to MSOs and satellite providers about their subscribers’ activity.
Nielsen DigitalPlus senhior VP Jed Meyer says, “With our wide array of media and marketing information services, expertise in advanced technology, and experience working with large volumes of data, Nielsen is uniquely positioned to help clients unlock the potential of set top box data.
“As the industry begins to analyze and use the vast amount of information available through these devices, Nielsen will work with clients to develop comprehensive solutions to this new frontier of measurement. We are intensely focused on using all our resources to succeed at this challenge.”
Nielsen DigitalPlus will build on Nielsen’s long history of set top box data projects going back to Warner Amex’s QUBE system in the 1980s. More recently Nielsen has worked with Comcast to process and develop insights from their Video On Demand server data. Nielsen also worked with Tivo to establish a joint panel of TiVo subscribers whose set top box data Nielsen processed on a daily basis. Nielsen is currently working on research projects with several MSOs and satellite providers to study set top box data for potential analytical and audience measurement purposes.
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.
