DTH
Videocon d2h adds Jai Hind on its platform
MUMBAI: Videocon d2h has added another Malayalam channel Jai Hind on its platform. Jai Hind is a Malayalam language News channel, and is available in the basic pack South Silver pack onwards. With this addition the DTH platform now offers 25 Malayalam channels and services.
The newly added channel is available on the d2h platform on Channel Number: 859. Videocon d2h offers 500 channels and services, 27 Asli “HD” channels and host of regional channels.
The platform now has 132 South channels and services on its platform. Videocon d2h offers 1000 GB High Definition Digital Video Recorder and claims to be the first DTH service provider to have Radio Frequency Remote for DTH service, which is available with High Definition Digital Set Top Box with unlimited recording. Powered by the MPEG-4 and DVB-S2 technology, Videocon d2h offers services like 12 PIP Mosaic, d2h Cinema, weather updates and multiple tickers to transform your TV into a hub of entertainment and knowledge. It offers High Definition channels in 1080p, HDD sound and 16: 9 aspect ratio. “Apart from these, the platform has Active Music which includes 41 Audio / Video active music channels, 24 hours a day,” says a statement from the DTH player.
Videocon d2h has a customer support system which offers services in eight languages from the customer care team present in six locations.
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.
