DTH
Sun Direct provides enhanced web experience
MUMBAI: Sun Direct, the leading DTH player in the South has been at the forefront in delivering value for money services. Adding to their plethora of services, Sun Direct has re-designed their website which provides ease of usage. Customers can log on to www.sundirect.in to get updates about on-going offers, new connections and recharge options.
With the revamped website, Sun Direct goes a step closer to users by offering them quick and intuitive access to all the packages. The redesigned website alsoenables users to skim through the range of packages available and helps them to select best packages for their taste. Not stopping at this, the website alsofeatures the content available on HD channels.
Sun Direct has enhanced the look and feel of the new website. Now subscribers can also use the ‘My Account’ page to add any channels of their interest which is available in Sun Direct in just few clicks. The website has more intuitive user-focused design that presents the important information in one place.
Commenting on this initiative Mr. Mahesh Kumar, Managing Director of Sun Direct, said “The revamped website is a part of our on-going effort to make TV viewing, a truly personal and enhancing experience. We are on a constant drive to provide better services and achieve higher level of customer satisfaction”.
About Sun Direct: Sun Direct is one of the leading DTH players in the country with a current subscriber base over 9 million. Sun Direct has the best offering of south regional channels and provides best value for money with world class entertainment. Sun Direct, now also offers the best of Movies & Sports with the new Cinema + Sports packs which boasts of 4 popular sports channels and nonstop movie services in the 4 south Indian languages . Furthermore, Sun Direct offers unlimited video recording on all its SD + and HD connections at no extra cost. Sun Direct value for money pricing, attractive bundling of products and services that appeal to every segment of the customer chain makes it a category leader in the DTH industry. The Brand Equity, Most Trusted Brands Survey, has also named Sun Direct as one of the top 50 service brands in India.
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.
