DTH
Star TV India senior executive quits
Urmila Gupta, one of the last executives brought in by former Star TV India head honcho R. Basu, has quit the company. Gupta was in charge of Star TV’s IndiaSkyB, direct to home project, when the government placed a ban on the sale of Ku-band reception equipment in December 1996.
Star TV continued to support ISkyB for nearly two years before deciding to pull the plug on it in 1999 and she was put in charge of strategic initiatives.
Her resignation comes at a time when the government is making all the noises about allowing multiple DTH operators.
In a note to her colleagues she says, “The last few years have seen dramatic changes both within Star and the external operating environment. It gives me a particularly great sense of satisfaction to see that a number of issues we fought for fiercely at different fora have finally been achieved. The draconian and restrictive Broadcasting Bill of 1997 has been replaced by the enlightened ICE bill which finally recognises technological convergence. The liberalisation in the IT and Telecom sector will surely get reflected in the Broadcasting sector. One can also see the end of the DTH tunnel. “
“Thanks to intensive “lobbying” in the last 3 years. The first Indian team had to bear the burnt of deep hostility and suspicion in those early pioneering years but at least now the company can get on with its business including perhaps DTH now . I am sure that the way in which KBC and Star under Peter’s dynamic leadership dominates the Indian TV scenario today, is only the start of greater things to come. “
She adds that she is hoping to pursue one of her long-cherished career goals “with a more hands on role in the creative aspects of production and media management.”
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.
