DTH
Zindagi, Tata Sky tie up for contest; winners to celebrate New Year in Turkey
MUMBAI: Zindagi, a leading premium entertainment channel, has always offered viewers unique experiences and presented the best stories from across the world.
Taking this value proposition a step ahead, the channel has associated with one of India’s leading content distribution platform providing Pay TV and OTT services, Tata Sky. The ‘Zindagi New Year in Turkey Contest’ will start on 21 November and end on 5 December 2016.
Zindagi will offer Tata Sky subscribers a chance to win an all-expense paid holiday for two to Turkey in January 2017. Five lucky winners along with a companion each will get a chance to visit Turkey by answering few simple questions on the blockbuster primetime series, ‘Fatmagul’ that airs on Zindagi Monday to Saturday at 9:00 PM.
Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL) chief business officer Sunil Buch said, “Our Turkish shows have acquainted viewers with a country that is known for its beautiful locations, good stories, great talent and people whose sensibilities and values are similar Indians. Our partnership with Tata Sky allows us us an opportunity to delight viewers with a memorable holiday to Turkey for the appreciation they have given to Turkish shows on Zindagi.”
Tata Sky chief communications officer Malay Dikshit said, “The co-marketing initiative with Zindagi is a win-win for all. Imagine that one can be rewarded for watching good quality TV – something that they enjoy!.”
Tata Sky subscribers can answer questions based on Fatmagul by pressing the Red Button on their Tata Sky remote while watching the show on Zindagi. This will lead them to a landing page where they need to answer few simple questions. The contest will be LIVE on Zindagi only during the original episode airing i.e. from 9: 00 PM to 10: 00 PM, Monday to Saturday. The contest will be promoted heavily through promos on the Default Landing Channel, Search & Scan Banner & Guide Banner across all TATA Sky households.
Zindagi presents finite world stories with bold narratives that unveil universal emotions. Tata Sky, a JV between the Tata Group and 21st Century Fox, was the first to launch multiple products and services that redefined the subscribers viewing experience in the country.
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.
