DTH
Star India urges Airtel Digital subscribers to switch
MUMBAI: The slugfests were bound to happen in TV distribution. The time for agreement renewal is nigh between distribution platform operators and broadcasters with content contracts coming to an end. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) proposed tariff and interconnection agreements are being passed around from the High Court of Chennai to the Supreme Court and back without any resolution.
Earlier this month, the Star Network issued a disconnection notice to one of India’s better-managed DTH operators Airtel Digital in an announcement that made waves in TV distribution circles. Now, with the spat between the two continuing, India’s leading TV network has taken the fight to Airtel’s camp.
It has started a digital campaign-for now at least-asking the DTH player’s subscribers to switch to other distribution platforms. Says the network on its Twitter handle: “Attention Airtel Digital subscribers! Star has not increased channel tariffs. Airtel Digital TV is misleading you and unilaterally increasing the prices of Star channels. To continue watching high quality Star entertainment switch to new DTH/cable operator now.”
Attention Airtel Digital TV subscribers! Star has not increased channel tariffs. Airtel Digital TV is misleading you and unilaterally increasing the prices of Star channels. To continue watching high-quality Star entertainment switch to new DTH/Cable operator NOW. #MakeTheSwitch pic.twitter.com/ny8LmmDmdF
— Star TV Network (@starindia) March 23, 2018
The digital video, which is doing the rounds on social media, has a voiceover that states: “You used to pay Rs 200 for the HD pack on Airtel. Now why are you being charged Rs 1,000? You can still get the same price for the same HD channels at around Rs 200! Change to another service provider. To get Star channels in a packet, make the switch.
The video then lists operators like DEN, Fastway, SUN, Hathway, GTPL and Tata Sky that Airtel subscribers can opt for.
We will have to wait and watch how Airtel responds to this direct attack. Will it buckle and give into the rates that Star India is asking for? Or will it hold firm and wait to see if the broadcaster will blink first?
After all, Star has a lot at stake with the IPL coming up in the next fortnight. And it has to recover the humungous amounts it is pumping into the most prized cricketing property globally!
Keep reading indiantelevision.com for further updates!
Also Read:
Airtel Digital TV disconnects Star India channels
TDSAT tells Airtel DTH, Star to negotiate
Tata Sky woos new customers with free Star Sports channels
DTH
Free Dish serves fresh slots as Prasar Bharati rings in e Auction 97
MPEG 4 slots for 2026–27 open with bids from March 16 and applications due March 9.
MUMBAI- When the Free Dish menu changes, broadcasters sharpen their forks. Prasar Bharati has formally opened applications for vacant MPEG-4 slots on its DD Free Dish direct to home platform, setting the stage for the 97th e-auction, scheduled to begin on March 16, 2026. The allotment will cover the broadcast period from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027, continuing the public broadcaster’s annual auction cycle.
The notice, issued on February 9, 2026, lays out a familiar but finely sliced structure, with channels grouped into genre and language based “buckets”, each carrying its own reserve price and bidding dynamics. The aim is simple: widen content choice on DD Free Dish while keeping the playing field regulated and competitive.
At the premium end of the table, HD channels (Bucket H) will open with a reserve price of Rs 80 lakh, with bid increments of Rs 1 lakh.
Regional language channels are split across multiple rounds. Bucket R1, covering South Indian languages, and Bucket R2, which includes Marathi, Gujarati and Bengali, will both start at Rs 5 lakh in round one, moving up to Rs 15 lakh in the second round.
News and current affairs channels under Bucket G1 will begin at Rs 30 lakh, escalating to Rs 50 lakh in the next round, while the General Open round (GO) meant to mop up unfilled slots across categories carries a reserve price of Rs 70 lakh.
Eligibility remains tightly controlled. Participation is limited to satellite television channels licensed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, with international public broadcasters holding valid MIB licences also allowed to bid. Prasar Bharati has also reiterated strict content compliance norms, making genre and language declarations more than just paperwork.
To qualify as “predominant”, at least 75 percent of non advertising content must align with the declared genre and language. In overall terms, this means such content cannot fall below 60 percent of a channel’s total monthly telecast. Complaints will trigger a review by a designated committee, and persistent violations could result in the channel being taken off the platform.
Applications must be submitted online via the Prasar Bharati portal by 9 March, 2026, at 15:00 hours. Broadcasters will need to pay a non refundable processing fee of Rs 25,000 and a participation fee of Rs 3 lakh, along with submitting mandatory documents such as MIB permissions, channel logos and proof of carriage on other DTH or MSO platforms.
Successful bidders will be required to stick to a strict payment calendar. Delays will attract interest at 14.5 percent per annum, and repeated defaults could lead to forfeiture of the participation fee and removal from DD Free Dish.
As India’s only free to air DTH platform with massive reach, DD Free Dish continues to be a crucial gateway, especially in regional markets. With e-Auction 97, Prasar Bharati is once again reshuffling the platter and the industry is watching closely to see who gets served next.
