DTH
Videocon d2h ropes in Himanshu Dhoreliya as content head
MUMBAI: Videocon d2h has appointed Himanshu Dhoreliya as content head. Reporting to CEO Anil Khera, he will be based in Videocon d2h’s Mumbai headquarters.
Himanshu Dhoreliya comes to Videocon d2h with an impressive track record and more than a decade of experience in content development, content management and channel distribution for leading media and entertainment companies.
Videocon d2h executive chairman Saurabh Dhoot said, “The expertise that Himanshu Dhoreliya brings to the table will definitely add to and strengthen our content management bandwidth. This is an especially vital role & I believe that with his extensive experience & leadership, he will bring the best for brand Videocon d2h.”
Videocon d2h CEO Anil Khera dded, “We are very pleased to welcome Himanshu Dhoreliya as content head, a role that will benefit greatly from his intuitive knowledge of the DTH industry. We are hopeful that he will help lead Videocon d2h in developing innovative content acquisition strategies while maximizing the use of our services to fulfil the needs of our valued customers – all, of course, keeping in sync with Videocon d2h’s goal of being the best in the industry.”
Dhoreliya former CEO and co-founder of TelevisionPost.com, has held positions with MSM Discovery Private Limited, the joint venture broadcast distribution company owned by Multi Screen Media and Discovery Networks, as well as ESPN Software.
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.
