DTH
ShortsTV now on Tata Play Binge
Mumbai: Shorts TV, a short entertainment destination, is available on Tata Play Binge. For the discerning audiences, this latest addition will bring the best of short format content – films, series & documentaries from across the world under the Tata Play Binge unified platform.
ShortsTV has more than 300 titles featuring renowned and critically acclaimed artists across the globe. It hosts over 1000 hours of content across genres including star-studded, award-winning short films, with subtitles in English. The platform, in collaboration with top short film production houses, will bring short-format movies with star cast such as Devi, Harvie Krumpet, Out of Darkness, Spam, Gadhedo, Caroline, and many more.
Commenting on the addition of the new partner app, Tata Play’s Chief Commercial and Content Officer, Pallavi Puri, said, “We want to provide diverse content choices to our viewers and create experiences that are varied. ShortsTV’s popularity has grown in India over the years, and we are happy to be bringing them onboard Tata Play Binge. With a total of 23 popular apps under one roof, we have created a platform that makes content accessibility and discovery easy and convenient for all.
Adding to this, Carter Pilcher, CEO of ShortsTV “ShortsTV is thrilled to be strengthening our partnership with Tata Play, bringing our addictive Short movie experience to Binge. Short format content consumption is exploding and ShortsTV is a one-stop destination for crazy animations, amazing stories, big stars, and deep dive documentary shorts that bring our Binge audience the biggest variety of films from around the globe.”
ShortsTV will join the band of 22 other popular OTT platforms on Binge like Disney+ Hotstar, ZEE5, MX Player, SonyLIV, ReelDrama, Voot Select, hoichoi, Planet Marathi, NammaFlix, Chaupal, SunNxt, Hungama Play, Eros Now, ShemarooMe, Voot Kids, manoramaMAX, Koode, Tarang Plus, Curiosity Stream, EPIC ON and DocuBay. Content from all these platforms is available to viewers of Tata Play Binge through a single subscription and single user interface. Free gaming is also available on Tata Play Binge as another point of engagement. Netflix and Amazon Prime Video plans are available for Tata Play DTH subscribers. Viewers can enjoy all the 23 apps on large-screen connected devices through Tata Play Binge+ Android Set Top Box, Tata Play edition of the Amazon FireTV Stick and www.TataplayBinge.com.
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.
