Distribution
PC-TV interface maker DekTec appoints Bernie Rietkerken as sales & marketing director
MUMBAI: As part of DekTec’s expansion program for its growing range of OEM and test and measurement products, the company today announced the appointment of Bernie Rietkerken to the position of director of sales and marketing. In his new role, Rietkerken will be responsible for overseeing and maintaining DekTec’s worldwide distributor network, developing OEM sales, and contributing to the company’s overall marketing and sales strategy. He will take over these duties for vice president of sales Nilesh Mandalia, who will now focus on expanding the company’s United Kingdom branch.
Rietkerken brings 20 years of experience in the digital video domain to DekTec. He began his career at Philips Digital Video Systems, where he started as a systems architect before moving into product management and sales roles. Previously, he has also held management roles at Teleste and Irdeto. He comes to DekTec from SeaChange International, where he was responsible for sales and account management in Benelux, the Nordic region, the Baltics, and Ireland.
“With his proven track record in sales and project delivery at some of the main players in the industry, along with a deep understanding of broadcast technology, Bernie is an ideal addition to our management team,” said Sito Dekker, CEO of DekTec. “We look forward to leveraging his expertise and international experience as DekTec continues to grow in areas like enabling PCs in video-over-IP solutions.”
“Having seen DekTec grow into an established worldwide supplier to the digital video industry, it’s exciting to be joining the team as it strives to improve customer satisfaction, expand the company’s market presence, and increase sales volume,” said Rietkerken. “I look forward to leading DekTec’s sales and marketing efforts and working closely with its existing distributors and sales teams in the United States and the UK.”
Rietkerken is located in Hilversum, the Netherlands, and reports to Sito Dekker.
New Delhi: Prasar Bharati has thrown open applications for fresh capacity on DD Free Dish, signalling a timely opportunity for broadcasters looking to expand reach without long-term lock-ins. The public service broadcaster has issued a dual notice for its 95th and 96th online e-auctions, aimed at filling vacant MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 slots on a pro-rata basis for February and March 2026.
The two auctions are tentatively scheduled to begin on January 27, with allotments valid from February 1, 2026. Applications for both auctions close on January 21 at 3 pm, giving channels a narrow window to get their bids in.
The 95th e-auction will cover vacant MPEG-2 slots, while the 96th will focus on MPEG-4 capacity. Participation is limited to satellite television channels holding valid downlinking and uplinking permissions from the ministry of information and broadcasting. International public broadcasters cleared by the ministry are also eligible.
As with previous rounds, channels have been grouped into buckets based on genre and language, with sharply differentiated reserve prices reflecting reach and demand.
For the MPEG-2 auction, Hindi and Urdu general entertainment channels sit at the top of the pile. The starting reserve price for bucket A+ in the first round is Rs 2,63,48,000. Movie, music and sports channels in Hindi and Urdu follow in bucket A at Rs 2,10,14,000. Bhojpuri channels and other Hindi and Urdu genres, excluding devotional content, fall under bucket B with a reserve of Rs 1,78,62,000. Hindi and Urdu news channels in bucket C start at Rs 1,33,27,000, while bucket D, which includes regional language channels, English news and devotional or spiritual channels, begins at Rs 1,13,96,000.
The MPEG-4 auction comes in at a far leaner price point. News and current affairs channels in Hindi, English or pan-India languages, grouped under bucket G1, start at Rs 13,41,000. Non-news genres under bucket G2 have a reserve of Rs 8,80,000. Regional languages such as Marathi, Punjabi and Gujarati in bucket R2 begin at Rs 4,84,000. Southern language channels in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam, grouped under bucket R1, start at Rs 81,000, the same reserve price set for other scheduled 8 regional languages in bucket R3.
Prasar Bharati has underlined that compliance will be closely watched. Broadcasters must ensure that at least 75 per cent of their monthly programming, excluding advertisements, aligns with the declared genre and language. Any deviation could trigger show-cause notices or even removal from the DD Free Dish platform.
For channels chasing reach in a crowded market, the message is clear. The window is brief, the prices are set and the audience is waiting. On DD Free Dish, visibility still comes cheap, but only for those ready to move fast.
