DTH
TDSAT upholds Rs 5 tariff by Trai, imposes costs on ESPN Star and Set Discovery
NEW DELHI: The Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) today upheld the tariff of Rs 5 per channel fixed by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) against which three broadcasters had appealed. It also imposed a cost of Rs 50,000 for each of the broadcasters in favour of the sector regulator.
In its pronouncement on the appeal filed by Set Discovery, ESPN Star Sports (Singapore) and ESPN Software India, TDSAT held that the case was devoid of merit, and thus the appellants are liable to pay costs, totaling Rs 150,000, to Trai, which had proved its case.
In a related development, some of the respondents in the case that includes Trai, Indus Ind Media and Communications Limited, and Hathway Cable & Datacom Private Limited, have filed a Caveat in the Supreme Court, since the broadcasters are most likely to appeal against the TDSAT order in the apex court.
While giving its ruling, TDSAT said that the broadcasters had themselves said that 70 to 80 per cent of their revenues come from advertisements, and the bench noted that “at various fora”, it has been argued by the broadcasters that they also generate revenue through sub-licensing and through fees paid by consumers in sending SMSs to the channels.
It held that the same broadcasters had said that due to underdeclaration by LCOs and MSOs, they get only 20 per cent of the subscription revenue actually generated.
The tribunal noted that under the Cas regime, wherever Cas has been implemented, there is no longer a question of underdeclaration, and therefore, data on subscription revenue is 100 per cent.
In this situation, whereas the broadcasters were – as they themselves said – earning only 20 per cent from subscription, the Trai order on Interconnection gave them 45 per cent, which is a sea change.
Hence, going by the arguments of the broadcasters themselves, the case is devoid of merit and liable for dismissal, with a cost of Rs 50,000 per appellant.
The tribunal, comprising the full bench of chairperson Arun Kumar, and members DP Sehgal and Vinod Vaish, made the following observations:
“We have carefully considered the procedure undertaken by Trai for conducting the exercise. We have also considered the justification for the regulation. We find that the approach of Trai in regulating the CAS regime at its introductory stage in the notified areas is fully justified.
“We find nothing wrong in the process undertaken by the Authority. In this connection we note that the Trai was conscious of its difficulties and the problems which it had to face while conducting the exercise.
“It was a virgin field and the Chennai model could not serve as a good guide. The exercise was complex and it was made all the more difficult by the non-cooperative attitude of the broadcasters. In the given circumstances, Trai, in our view, has acted fairly by balancing the competing interests.
“The Authority has promised to revisit the issue, including consideration of deregulation if the circumstances so warrant. The experience to be gained after introduction of CAS would enable it to reconsider everything.
“This being a transitory phase, the appellants ought to have had patience and ought to have waited till Trai was able to revisit the issue. The hurry on their part to raise the issue before this Tribunal was not necessary.
“We also cannot help observing that the broadcasters are either unmindful of the fact that they stand to gain in the CAS regime or they are intentionally feigning lack of knowledge of this fact.
“To say the least, they have not been fair in placing their case before us. We find no merit in these appeals. They are liable to be dismissed. We order accordingly. Appellants will bear the costs of the Respondent, Trai which we quantify at Rs 50,000/- for each appeal. Costs are awarded only in favour of Trai,” the TDSAT order concluded.
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.
