DTH
Tata Sky partners Irdeto to secure content
MUMBAI: Tata Sky has signed a deal with Irdeto to ensure the safety of the DTH operator’s content relayed to any device across its satellite and over-the-top (OTT) platforms. The company will be implementing Irdeto’s Cloaked CA and middleware technologies for better customer experience.
Tata Sky MD and CEO Harit Nagpal said, “At Tata Sky, we are committed to providing our customers with the most innovative video services across satellite and online platforms in India. To provide consumers with greater choice and convenience, we need a security partner that gives us the freedom to innovate without fear. In Irdeto, we are working with a strong security partner with a forward-looking approach and future-proof solutions. This enables us to continue innovating our solutions and services while giving us the peace of mind that our content is secure.”
Irdeto will manage the planning and deployment of the project for Tata Sky to seamlessly integrate security technology with third-party solutions. Cloaked CA is a conditional access system for broadcast and IPTV operators. It reduces the need for a smart card and reduces cost and complexity.
“We are honoured to be selected by Tata Sky as their long-term security partner for Conditional Access and Middleware,” said Irdeto CEO Doug Lowther.“This deal further reinforces Irdeto’s commitment to the dynamic and fast-growing media market in India and we are excited to continue working with Tata Sky to help them meet their business goals.”
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DTH
DD Free Dish e-auction heats up with 26 MPEG-2 slots sold in two days
Hindi movies, GEC and news dominate; Star Utsav Movies tops Day 2 at Rs 213.45 crore
MUMBAI- The bidding war on DD Free Dish is turning into a blockbuster and the slots are selling faster than popcorn at interval. Prasar Bharati’s 8th annual MPEG-2 e-auction delivered another strong day on Tuesday, with 18 more channels securing spots across movies, regional music and news buckets, taking the two-day total to 26.
Day 2 belonged to the movies and news categories. In Bucket A (Hindi Movies), Star Utsav Movies led the pack at Rs 213.45 crore, pipped only narrowly by Zee Action at Rs 213.4 crore. Goldmines landed at Rs 13.35 crore and Zee Anmol at Rs 13.3 crore, showing razor-thin price bands and fierce competition. Bucket B saw Zee Bioscope top at Rs 10.6 crore, Bhojpuri Cinema Rs 10.5 crore, B4U Bhojpuri Rs 10.2 crore, while Showbox, Unique TV and B4U Music each closed at Rs 10.25 crore.
News channels in Bucket C stayed tightly bunched: NDTV, Aaj Bharat, Zee News and India TV all secured slots at Rs 8.6 crore, with News Nation and ABP News slightly higher at Rs 8.65 crore. Bucket D rounded out with Russia Today at Rs 9.75 crore and GTC Punjabi at Rs 7.92 crore.
Day 1 had already set a premium tone, with eight slots snapped up – six in Bucket A+ (Hindi/Urdu GEC, starting reserve Rs 15 crore) and two in Bucket A (Hindi/Urdu Movies, starting Rs 12 crore). Sony PAL topped Day 1 winners at Rs 16.55 crore, Star Utsav Rs 16.25 crore, Shemaroo TV Rs 16.35 crore, Zee Anmol, Colors Rishtey and Sun Neo at Rs 16.40 crore each. Sony WAH took a Bucket A slot at Rs 13.95 crore and Zee Anmol Cinema at Rs 13.45 crore.
The surge reflects broadcasters’ hunger for DD Free Dish’s estimated 43–45 million rural and semi-urban households, where Hindi GEC and movies remain advertising goldmines.
The auction runs under the revised E-auction Methodology 2025 (amended 9 January 2026), with escalating reserves – Round 2 Bucket A+ at Rs 16 crore, Round 3 Bucket A at Rs 13 crore – and stricter eligibility to weed out speculative bids. Channels must be operational, available in the relevant language, and already carried on at least one private DTH, DD Free Dish or registered MSO.
With premium genres flying off the shelf, the coming rounds will test how deep pockets really are as reserves climb and tactical down-bidding gets harder. In India’s largest free-to-air universe, these auctions aren’t just about slots – they’re about who gets to stay on the screen that reaches deepest into the heartland.
