DTH
Reliance DTH application in order: I&B ministry
NEW DELHI: The Reliance magic is working on the DTH front. A clearance is expected soon, according to the government.
“A DTH proposal from the Anil Ambani group is being processed, which will make it the third licence to be handed out by this government,” information and broadcasting minister Jaipal Reddy told the Economic Editors’ Conference here today. Reddy, who dubbed DTH as a technology with “untold potentials,” said his ministry has been working to remove bottlenecks in this segment of the broadcasting industry. Contrary to the Tata Star joint venture, which got a green signal from the government for a DTH service after a long delay, Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Enterprise (ADAE)’s proposal seems to be sailing smoothly.
A senior I&B ministry official admitted today that the ministry has scanned the application from the Ambani company and has “found it to be in order.”
The I&B ministry is awaiting routine clearances from other government agencies, including the home ministry, before it hands out a letter of intent, signalling the start of a lengthy procedure of handing out the actual licence for a DTH service.
In the DTH company, which would start a service under the brand name Bluemagic, absence of any foreign investment or partner has simplified matters, government officials pointed out.
Anil Ambani, who’s awaiting completion of formalities relating to division of the Reliance empire amongst the children of Dhirubhai Ambani, recently changed the name of the DTH venture to Reliance Bluemagic from Reliance Skymagic, following objections by the Rupert Murdoch-owned News Corp to the word ‘Sky.’
ADAE has indicated to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) that it wants to start the service towards the second half of 2006 with six transponders on the Insat-4 series, which it plans to ramp up over a period of time.
Interestingly, government officials claimed that contrary to media reports, government controlled oil company BPCL is yet to apply for a DTH licence.
“At least I haven’t seen any application from BPCL,” a senior I&B ministry official said.
At present, DD Direct+ and Dishtv are the two existing players in the DTH space, while the Tata-Star combine and Sun TV group’s Sun Direct TV have been given a green signal by the government to start their services.
Reliance Bluemagic will be the fifth player in the market, which is expected to be approximately 15 per cent of the total TV market in India over a period of five to eight years.
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.
