DTH
With 350 astro experts & 500 hrs of programming, Dominiche SVoD launches on Airtel Digital TV
MUMBAI: Airtel Digital TV, the DTH arm of India’s largest telecommunications provider, and Dominiche, India’s first MCN catering to the DTH & OTT ecosystem, has announced the launch of Astrovaani, a 24X7 ad-free, subscription-based video on demand (SVOD) astrology channel. This is the first time that Indian viewers will have access to on-demand, round the clock, cable content focused on astrology.
The service is available to Airtel DTH users at an introductory price of Re 1 for first 15 days. After which subscribers can access the channel for a nominal Rs. 39 month. To activate the service, Airtel DTH subscribers can give a missed call to 9109121114.
Astrovaani will showcase a variety of astrology techniques and practices including Tarot, Vastu, Feng Shui, Palmistry, Numerology, Healing, Face reading, Aura reading as well as Runes. Also, the programming will cover astrological accessories such as gems & precious stones, rudraksh, yantra, and lal kitaab, among other things. Predictions on Astrovaani will be made by prominent names in the field of astrology including the likes of Munisha Khatwani, Bejan Daruwala, Roop Lakhani, Neel Choksi, Swami Jaganath, Eeishaa Nisha, Ssanket Jayant Popat, Bhavesh Dave, Payal Agarwal, Pooja Shirasi, Amit Lamba, Shiv Prakash, Sharmila Mohanan, Smita Mehta, Hittesh Morjaria, Kashmira Elavia, Kirti Seth, Rasesh Shah, Smriti Panchal, Tamana C Bhatia, Biindu Khuraana, Dimple Luniya, Dr. Jyoti Jhangiani, Sarmistha, Neeta Singhal, Naqqiya Jarwalla, Dr. Prem Gupta, Sangeeta Jhangiani, Jyotsna Kapoor & many more.
Airtel Digital TV CMO Sriram Sundresan said, “Indians have shown an appetite for content related to astrology and this service will offer them easy access to the latest related in the genre and will go a long way in answering their questions on the subject.”
Dominiche MD Utpal Vaishnav said, “As part of our endeavor to constantly make unique and compelling content available to the DTH ecosystem, we have curated and produced the Astrovaani channel. The genre has the capability to drive a lot of viewership in India. The Astro genre also fills a significant void. Astrovaani features the best Indian astro experts, Dominiche has covered this genre most comprehensively by exclusively signing up over 350 top experts and creating over 500 hours of program content.”
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.
