DTH
Tata Sky ties-up with NDS Systems to create interactive service
MUMBAI: Tata-Sky has teamed up with NDS Group Plc in order to deploy NDS solutions to support and provide range of digital and interactive TV services, ahead of launch, which is slated in the mid-2006.
Tata-Sky is aiming to offer a superior television viewing experience to its subscribers.
NDS systems will play a key role in the end-to-end system architecture and launching the nationwide digital service. The NDS VideoGuard conditional access solution provides superior broadcast security, and enables Tata Sky to offer multiple programming and pricing packages. NDS is working with Tata Sky to build a world-class broadcast infrastructure, states an official release.
NDS’s MediaHighway middleware and Value TV interactive infrastructure will enable Tata Sky to offer interactive services to subscribers. NDS engineers in Bangalore will be key in the design, delivery and service support of the end-to-end solution.
The service will enhance the choice for viewers looking for the best of pay television services in the country. Tata Sky states that the platform will offer its subscribers a wide array of programming choices with interactive features and superior picture and sound quality.
Tata Sky Ltd CEO Vikram Kaushik said, “We are committed to building a state-of-the-art DTH operation in India for which we have selected NDS to provide end-to-end solutions. This will enable us to transfer control and choice into the hands of subscribers”.
NDS Asia Pacific VP and GM Sue Taylor said, “We are delighted to be selected by Tata Sky. This is an endorsement of the NDS position as the leader in conditional access systems. As systems integrator, NDS is uniquely capable of delivering the complex platform in the aggressive timescale set by Tata Sky.”
The digital technology of Tata Sky DTH service will eliminate many recurrent problems that consumers face while watching television in India. The DTH satellite signal is always on and will eliminate instances of service downtime caused by power cuts and cable cutting. The Tata Sky service will have fixed channel positions and pre-tuned audio levels, informs the official release.
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.
