DTH
StarHub, Visiware to bring triple play gaming to Asia
MUMBAI: Singapore based pay-TV operator StarHub and French company Visiware, provider of interactive TV games channels, announced the launch of Playin’TV Triple Play -the first triple-play gaming offer in Asia that will be made available to customers of StarHub from 1 February 2007.
Games like Sudoku or Carrot Mania on Ice are some of the interactive games that customers can subscribe to through StarHub’s mobile platform and the Internet for free due to Visiware’s Playin’Code technology.
This means that they will be able to enjoy the games anytime, anywhere, on any of StarHub’s media platforms -TV, mobile and online. They can pick up from where they ended a game, without having to start from scratch. The company is also exploring ways to enhance the Playin’TV service by incorporating contests, real-time leaderboards and multiplayer games that will allow gamers to pit their skills against other players.
StarHub vice president Cable TV services Patrick Lim said, “StarHub’s advantage as a fully integrated information, communications and entertainment provider is its ability to offer customers access to a converged suite of services across different product lines. We have consistently worked to incorporate new technologies that allow us to present our customers more breadth and depth in content applications, and Playin’TV Triple Play is an example of the fruit of such efforts. Customers can certainly expect more of such innovations from StarHub.”
“We are delighted that Playin’TV Triple Play is now making its entry into the Asian market. StarHub’s efficient and advanced network provides us with the opportunity to effectively deploy true triple-play content, to allow fans of Playin’TV to enjoy the games even when they’re on-the-go,” said Visiware executive chairman Laurant Weill.
Playin’TV, a 24-hour interactive games channel, was launched on StarHub Digital Cable in August last year.
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.
