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.
