DTH
Videocon d2h plans Rs 700 crore IPO by Diwali
MUMBAI: It has been seeking to make a public offering over the past two years, but market conditions have forced it to delay it time and again. But with the new Modi government generating a bullish sentiment in both the economy and the stock markets, the Videocon group’s direct to home operation Videocon d2h has finally decided to take the public listing route once again.
Videocon Industries chairman &MD Venugopal Dhoot told a couple of business news channels late last week that the DTH operator’s IPO is planned for sometime during Diwali this year and it has filed a fresh prospectus with the Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI), as the earlier one has lapsed.
Dhoot pointed out to one of the business news channels that “Videocon d2h has been No1 in customer acquisition since it began. We have around 11 million subscribers today and we are wanting to take that up to 20 million. Hence we require some Rs 600 crore to Rs 700 crore which we will raise from the public to fuel expansion, growth and deliver value added services to consumers.”
His view is that around 15 per cent or so of Videocon d2h’s equity might be diluted to raise the funds, though the premium for public offering has not yet been decided. He, however, expects the d2h IPO to do well, as organic demand for DTH is only going to grow with the government mandated digitisation gathering pace, especially in rural areas.
He emphasised that the DTH operator is on course to report a positive EBIDTA in Q1 2015, following planned losses over the past few years. “When you begin DTH you have losses in the beginning. But once you start generating positive EBIDTA, it continues,” he said.
Dhoot also spoke highly about the first mover advantage Videocon d2h has in announcing its 4K or ultra HD service for Indian customers which it hopes to launch by Diwali too. Tata Sky, too announced last week that it will roll out its 4K transmission by early 2015.
But Dhoot is confident about Videocon d2h’s success. Said he: “Our DTH quality has been very good, service is very prompt and people across India have liked it because our brand is very popular and at low cost we can distribute the same. In India and across the globe, DTH has been very successful and we are already getting a good response from the market for our IPO.”
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.
