DTH
RC Venkateish’s top 5 predictions for 2015
MUMBAI: The direct to home (DTH) industry is looking forward to an exciting year ahead. The sector, which saw some improved subscriber numbers and Average Revenue Per User (ARPU), is hoping to improve it further this year, while continuing to add more innovative services to its kitty.
According to The DTH Operators Association president and Dish TV CEO RC Venkateish, the overall additions in subscribers, for all the DTH players in the year 2014, were higher in magnitude of 25-30 per cent than 2013.
While the industry faced some challenges in the previous year, with regards to high taxation and DTH licence fee issue, it hopes to have some clarity on it in 2015.
The year 2014 saw some positive growth in Dish TV, as it regained its share leadership for about last three to four quarters. The DTH operator also launched a significant and tactical product in Zing which has helped it to capitalise in the phase III and IV areas.
Indiantelevision.com asks Venkateish to list down his top five predictions for the year 2015:
• 2015 will be an interesting year. It starts off with the ICC Cricket World Cup, which is a very high profile event. This will give a lot of momentum and boost to all the DTH operators, who could also gain traction in the phase III and IV markets. This is also being supported by developments like the new channel launches and talks of rational regulations coming in to keep the supply prices of high definition (HD) under control, so that’s one reliever.
• The year will also see a few operators showcasing some new technologies like 4K, though it’s still very far away.
• One might also see the launch of online consumption media. This trend has started picking up, but currently is at a nascent stage.
• For Dish TV, we will continue to strengthen the share leadership in all the segments. We will expand Zing to other geographies during the course of the year. We will push new technologies and there will be a couple of new products which will be launched around these new technologies.
• Overall, we go in to the New Year on a very positive note, and with the kind of plans we have, we hope we can sustain the kind of growth we gained in 2014.
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.
