News Broadcasting
Prasar Bharati awards five DD Free Dish slots in mid-year e-auctions
NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati has wrapped up a swift mid-year monetisation drive, awarding five vacant slots on DD Free Dish after concluding its 95th and 96th online e-auctions, reinforcing the platform’s pull even for short-term carriage.
The public service broadcaster allotted the slots for a two-month period from February 1 to March 31, 2026, following the completion of the dual e-auctions covering both MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 categories, according to official results.
Regional entertainment and movies won MPEG-2
The 95th e-auction, conducted exclusively for MPEG-2 capacity, saw two channels clinch slots. Punjabi-language general entertainment channel GTC Punjabi and Hindi movie channel Movieplex secured carriage for the February–March window.
MPEG-2 slots continue to attract regional and movie broadcasters looking to tap DD Free Dish’s vast rural and semi-urban footprint. The free-to-air platform reaches more than 40 million households, making it one of the country’s largest DTH distribution pipes.
News takes centre stage in MPEG-4
The 96th e-auction, held for MPEG-4 slots, was dominated by news broadcasters. North East Live, focused on the northeastern states, alongside FM News and K News India, emerged as successful bidders.
Industry watchers say the tilt towards news in the MPEG-4 category underlines rising demand for sharper picture quality and deeper regional news penetration, particularly in underserved markets where DD Free Dish remains a primary television source.
Filling gaps, fast
Unlike the annual DD Free Dish auctions, the mid-year exercise was aimed at plugging vacant inventory on a pro-rata basis. Participation was restricted to satellite television channels holding valid uplinking and downlinking permissions from the ministry of information and broadcasting, including eligible international public broadcasters.
DD Free Dish has become a critical distribution lever for free-to-air channels, offering massive reach without the carriage fees charged by private DTH operators. The latest results underline sustained demand for its limited slots, even for brief allotment periods.
For Prasar Bharati, periodic auctions are proving to be a steady revenue tap. For broadcasters, the message is blunt: even two months on DD Free Dish is still worth the fight.
News Broadcasting
India Today Group sweeps top honours at Ramnath Goenka Awards
Journalists recognised for fearless investigative and civic reporting.
MUMBAI: India Today Group just turned the Ramnath Goenka Awards into its own trophy cabinet because when your reporters dig this deep, even the judges have to award a clean sweep. India Today Group journalists have secured multiple top honours at the latest edition of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards, reinforcing the network’s legacy as the gold standard of Indian journalism. The awards were conferred by vice president C. P. Radhakrishnan at a ceremony held on 27 March 2026.
Sreya Chatterjee won in the ‘Investigative Reporting – Broadcast’ category for her powerful India Today TV report ‘Operation Illegals: The Alarming Rise in Bangladeshi Infiltration Across India’s Fragile Eastern Frontier’. The investigation stood out for its depth, on-ground rigour and national relevance.
In the ‘Civic Journalism – Print/Digital’ category, Sreya Chatterjee along with Arvind Ojha were honoured for their indiatoday.in report on unregulated water extraction and the ‘Tanker Mafia’ in Delhi’s Bawana Industrial Area. The story exposed critical systemic gaps and environmental challenges affecting daily life.
Additionally, aajtak.in was recognised in the ‘Investigative Reporting – Print/Digital’ category for its hard-hitting exposé ‘The Surrogate Mother Market’, which highlighted the human, legal and ethical dimensions of the surrogacy ecosystem.
India Today Group emerged as the only network honoured in Investigative Journalism across both Print/Digital and Broadcast categories. The wins reflect the strength of its multi-platform newsroom and its unwavering commitment to credible, high-impact reporting that informs public discourse and drives accountability.
In an era when speed often trumps substance, these awards remind us that the most powerful stories are still the ones dug out with courage, told with clarity, and delivered with conscience, one fearless byline at a time.
