DTH
Tata Sky customises sports-viewing with Star alliance, in talks with Sony
MUMBAI: Pushing the boundaries of innovation in sports viewing this sports season, Tata Sky and Star Sports launched the ‘Star Sports Select Experience’with the Premier League.
This kind of service, which has been prevalent in the UK, US and Europe, promises to take the fans straight to the heart of their favourite sport in a fully-immersive experience, offering more live matches and the option of multi-camera and stadium view. This service can be accessed via the red button on the Tata Sky remote which will be visible on Star Sports Select 1 and Star Sports Select 1HD, Star Sports 1 (SD & HD), Star Sports 1 Hindi (SD & HD).
Tata Sky has introduced the add-on service, experimenting with Roland Garros – The French Open, followed by Wimbledon. Also exclusive to all Tata Sky subscribers are the options of watching Wimbledon highlights and an “Inside Wimbledon” experience with expert analysis and player interviews. The service has taken the consumer experience to a different level.
The official channel of Wimbledon came to India for the first time through this add-on service.
Talking to Indiantelevision.com, Tata Sky chief content officer Arun Unni said, “The service is customised for each sports differently and improvement is done based on the feedbacks we got from our viewers. The innovation requires a close partnership between the platform and the broadcaster. We have approached Sony (Pictures Network India) as well for the same service.”
For the cricket fans, Tata Sky has introduced its add-on service for India versus Australia matches which started on 17 September, 2017. Beyond viewing the main match, the consumer has two additional choices.
Sports fans in India largely follow the game closely and observe the additional information constantly. Unni stated, “The service is free; the main idea behind launching it was to enhance the consumer experience. We started experimenting with tennis, and the objective was to go to a high viewership sports such as cricket. We believe that the enhancement and the experience can be maximised for the consumer, and ‘sports’ made sense.”
“Tata Sky believes in going beyond the conventional entertainment platform. At no additional cost to Tata Sky subscribers, the feature gives its sports fans wider choices on camera angles, highlights and in-depth information on the sport at their convenience. Tata Sky, in partnership with Star Sports, has been able to empower subscribers by giving them freedom of watching multiple live simulcast matches,” Unni added.
With the new complimentary viewing extravaganza, Tata Sky is surely wowing its Star fans!
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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.
