DTH
Samsung launches TVs with inbuilt Airtel Digital TV smart card
MUMBAI: In a tie up with leading electronics giant Samsung, the direct to home (DTH) service from Bharti Airtel: Airtel Digital TV, has launched Integrated Digital TV (iDTV). Through this agreement, Samsung’s range of SmartDirect TVs will come designed with an in-built Airtel Digital TV smart card.
By doing so, the TV will be enabled with DTH signal reception without the need for setting up an external set top box (STB). According to a statement by the company, this iDTV will deliver viewing experience with minimal signal loss and maximum audio and video clarity.
“We at Airtel Digital TV are always looking for new ways to deliver an experience for our customers that is truly innovative and world class. In line with this commitment, we are today excited to announce our collaboration with Samsung to launch the Integrated Digital TV and introduce the Indian market to its next phase of TV viewing experience,” said Bharti Airtel CEO-DTH and media Shashi Arora.
Samsung Electronics chief marketing officer Ranjivjit Singh said, “We are thrilled to partner with Airtel to launch India’s first smart direct TV with an in-built iDTV technology in India. The clutter free, convenient and ultimate viewing experience offered by iDTV showcases Samsung’s commitment to provide consumer-centric products.”
The TV will be powered by a single remote and supports HD. The iDTV set includes the Samsung SmartDirect TV and Airtel Digital TV’s smart card and is available starting at Rs 44,900.
It also has a four month introductory offer of free subscription of Airtel DTH services. Airtel will give two extra months of HD subscription, over and above the one month HD subscription on regular DTH. Samsung will give one month free subscription to all SmartDirect TVs purchased during the launch period (20 August to 31 October) and activated before 15 November as a Diwali promo. Airtel customers can save 10 per cent each month by using Airtel broadband on buying this TV and will get a WiFi router too. The TV however does not restrict users to Airtel DTH. Customers can opt for other services as well.
The TV can also support ultra HD content, if available. The launch comes just in time with Diwali sale, wherein Samsung is doing the distribution from its end for the TV.
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.
