DTH
Reliance ADA group to hive off DTH operations
MUMBAI: The Anil Ambani-owned DTH service Reliance Digital TV which claims to have a five million net subscriber base and an estimated two million active connections is likely to be hived off in to a separate company. For the past three or four years, Reliance Communications, the parent company has been seeking a buyer for the venture. It had spoken to Sun TV in the past but the valuations and expectations did not match what the former was willing to pay for Reliance Digital TV. Unconfirmed reports say that the company had inconclusive conversations with other potential partners too. Hence, it has decided to go for a spin off of its DTH service business which has been relatively stagnant.
Reliance Communications, the parent company of Reliance Digital, is being driven to do this to pare its debt-EBIDTA ratio. Speaking to investors yesterday RCOM CEO (consumer business) Gurdeep Singh said that the idea was to bring that number from 4.64 currently to about three in 18-24 months. Other assets that could be seeking buyers include equity stakes in its international operations at Reliance Globalcom, and in its tower unit Reliance Infratel.
“We are looking to bring down our debt-to-EBIDTA ratio to around 3 within 18-24 months and are looking at monetizing our non-core assets to deleverage the balance sheet,” Reliance Communications (RCom) CEO (Consumer Business) Gurdeep Singh informed PTI. He added: “For this, we are looking at hiving off the DTH business, stake sale in our international operations at Reliance Globalcom, monetization of our real estate assets, as well as a possible divestment in Reliance Infratel, which handles our towers portfolio.”
The group earlier this week announced the merger of its wireless business with another telco Aircel. It is also looking to raise $1 billion (approximately Rs 6,686.5 crore) in equity to expand the venture and make possible payments to the government for mobile spectrum use.
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.
