DTH
Tata Sky ShortsTV to premiere royal stag barrel select large short films
MUMBAI: Tata Sky ShortsTV will start showcasing the Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films (LSF) catalogue on its platform 9th March onwards. It marks the first time these shorts format films will be seen on TV along with mobile & laptop in India on Tata Sky.
LSF has established itself as one of the leading online short film platforms in India with some of the most original and inspiring short stories made by Indian directors. These include some of the most watched and talked about shorts in the country, created by young and aspiring directors and featuring big stars.
ShortsTV is the world’s first and only TV channel dedicated to short movies and is available in India exclusively on Tata Sky. Launched in India in November 2018, the service Tata Sky ShortsTV has about 600 hours of unique and captivating short format stories on a single platform and is available to subscribers 24X7 on their television, the Tata Sky Mobile App & their web version
Commenting on the initiative, Mr. Carter Pilcher, Chief Executive of ShortsTV We are thrilled to partner with Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films. Large Short Films have ushered in a revolution in the short film industry in India, and it is the perfect partner for ShortsTV in India. In the next 12 months, we will be showcasing amazing titles from short films by Royal Stag Barrel Select, bringing in a flood of India’s best shorts exclusively on”.
Commenting on the partnership, Kartik Mohindra, Chief Marketing Officer, Pernod Ricard India, said “We are delighted to partner with ShortsTV, the world’s first and only 24/7 TV channel dedicated to short films. The short film industry has been growing dramatically owing to the changing viewer habits. Our platform Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films has been at the helm of the evolving short film industry and has now become the torchbearer for original, powerful and perfect content. This partnership is a great opportunity for us to reach out to a wider audience”
The LSF catalogue to broadcast on Tata Sky ShortsTV includes acclaimed titles such as ‘Chutney’, starring Tisca Chopra and Rasika Dugal, ‘Juice’, starring Shefali Shah, and ‘Shunyata’, starring Jackie Shroff to name a few.
In addition, the films will be accompanied by exclusive interviews with the filmmakers behind the shorts, offering Indian audiences a glimpse into the making of these celebrated short stories.
The series will begin on 9th March at 9pm with ‘Juice’ and ‘White Shirt’ and will be followed by ‘The School Bag’ and ‘Ahyla’ at 9pm on 16th March. The rest of the catalogue and interviews will be broadcast in the same timeslot in the coming months.
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.
