DTH
Videocon d2h appoints Saurabh Dhoot as executive chairman
MUMBAI: Direct to home (DTH) company Videocon d2h has named Saurabh Dhoot as executive chairman.
In this newly created position as executive chairman, Dhoot will continue to build the Videocon d2h brand and business model, overseeing all operations and strategic direction for the satellite Pay-TV provider, which has amassed more than 13 million digital subscribers since it launched in 2009.
Based in Mumbai, Dhoot joined Videocon d2h at its inception, serving as executive director.
In this position, he was responsible for overseeing the launch of the Pay-TV service and the initial $650 million investment. Through Dhoot’s leadership, Videocon d2h has achieved many “firsts” in the Indian DTH industry like the launch of 4K Ultra HD channel, the 1000 GB High Definition Digital Video Recorder, Wireless DTH headphones and Radio Frequency DTH Remote amongst others.
“I take great pride in all the success we’ve enjoyed at Videocon d2h, and I feel even more excited about what our terrific team and I will accomplish going forward. With 100 million homes expected to be digitalized in the next five years, Videocon d2h will play a leading role in the ‘Digital India’ campaign. We will continue to bring unique content, new mediums of delivery and innovative services to our consumers. With our new capital infusion from the US, it is time to begin the next wave of exciting growth and expansion,” said Dhoot
In April 2015, Videocon d2h became the first Indian communications and media company to be listed on the NASDAQ stock market. With this IPO, Videocon d2h is now the most valued Indian company on NASDAQ at a market capitalization of $1.2 billion.
Media investors Harry Sloan and Jeff Sagansky of Silver Eagle Acquisition Corp engineered the IPO. Silver Eagle contributed its $325 million cash, before payment for transaction expenses and warrant repurchases, and the Silver Eagle shareholders now own approximately 38 per cent of the equity in Videocon d2h.
“We have been impressed with both Videocon d2h’s rise in India’s DTH market and Saurabh’s talent, energy and vision in leading that charge,” Sloan said.
Sagansky added, “Videocon d2h is poised for growth, whether launching new dedicated channels and Services or increasing the level of advertising revenues. Under Saurabh’s guidance, the company is well positioned to maintain and expand its commanding market share.”
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.
