DTH
Tata Sky unveils its first batch of Make-in-India set-top boxes
New Delhi: DTH operator Tata Sky on Thursday unveiled its first batch of Made in India- set-top boxes which have been manufactured in partnership with Technicolor Connected Home and Flextronics.
Talking about this landmark milestone, Tata Sky’s MD & CEO, Harit Nagpal said, “The India-made set-top boxes will help generate employment while reducing lead time. The boxes have been tested and re-tested beyond the factory floor for quality assurance, and we hope this endeavor will help us to serve the Indian consumers even better.”
According to the DTH operator, the project builds further on the long-standing partnership between Tata Sky and Technicolor Connected Home, which provides set-top boxes and broadband access solutions for network service providers (NSPs) around the world. The mass production of the set-top boxes developed for Tata Sky by Technicolor Connected Home started in Chennai, in partnership with Flextronics in June 2021.
Technicolor Connected Home, president, Luis Martinez-Amago said the announcement marks the accomplishment of objectives outlined in August of 2020, in which Tata Sky and Technicolor Connected Home committed to shifting the production and distribution of STBs – including Android TV-based Binge+ set-top box – within India.
“This is another step in Technicolor Connected Home’s continuing investment in the growth of the important Indian market. The disruptions brought about by COVID-19 have illustrated the importance of having manufacturing and distribution operations that are as close to the subscriber base as possible. We remain committed to minimise risks and total cost of ownership of STB deployments,” he added.
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.
