DTH
Prasar Bharati invites applications for allotment of MPEG-4 Slots on DD Freedish DTH platform
Mumbai: Prasar Bharati has announced the opening of applications for the allocation of vacant MPEG-4 slots on the DD Freedish DTH platform for the period from 1 August 2024, to 21 March 2025.
The 80th e-auction for these slots is tentatively scheduled for 24 July 2024.
The e-auction will be open to channels of all genres and languages, with a reserve price set at Rs 1,34,49,000. This auction will follow the e-auction methodology for the allocation of DD Freedish slots to private TV channels, as outlined by Prasar Bharati on 27 January 2023, and amended on 13 December 2023. Details can be found on the Prasar Bharati website.
Prasar Bharati has stated in its notice that interested broadcasters should apply online at https://fdslots.prasarbharati.org, where they must upload all required documents as specified in the application.
Applicants must pay a non-refundable processing fee of Rs 25,000 online through the portal. Additionally, a participation fee of Rs 10,00,000 is required, which must be paid via demand draft.
Unsuccessful bidders will receive a refund of the participation fee within three weeks following the e-auction results. Successful bidders will be issued a ‘Letter of Allotment’ by Prasar Bharati after the auction.
The e-auction for the vacant DD Freedish MPEG-2 slots, initially scheduled for 16 July 2024, has been rescheduled to 24 July 2024, according to sources close to the development who informed BestMediaInfo.com.
Applications for these slots were opened by Prasar Bharati on July 8, 2024, for the period from 24 July 2024, to 31 March 2025. The deadline for submitting applications, initially set for 15 July has now been extended to 23 July 2024.
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.
