DTH
Tata Sky unboxes #BachpanKaPitara
MUMBAI: On the occasion of Children’s Day, Tata Sky promoted their special service for kids – Tata Sky Fun Learn on its digital platforms in a nostalgic way. This feature comprised foundational learning for kids across different age groups. Tata Sky, along with their digital marketing partner, Chimp&z Inc sent out #BachpanKaPitara boxes filled with 90s games and activities.
The leading content distribution platform successfully executed this integrated offline campaign with an unboxing activity across all platforms. The box contains fun-learning elements like a bricks video game, spinning top, jigsaw puzzles, and toys.
Tata Sky surprised influencer moms and dads with the #BachpanKaPitara boxes. The influencers expressed their gratitude and appreciation for the brand with videos, that were later reposted on the brand social media pages.
The brand revealed a contest for its users on its Instagram and Facebook Page. The contest gave its users a chance to win a similar #BachpanKaPitara box by solving the mystery of what’s inside the box. Users could participate in this contest via Instagram and Facebook that went live on Children’s Day.
Chimp&z Inc is a dynamic multi-dimensional marketing agency that has carried out numerous online and offline campaigns for its partner brands. Its association with Tata Sky has been going strong for 4 years.
Chimp&z Inc CEO & Co-founder Angad Singh Manchanda said, “Our aim was to reach the target audience for the Tata Sky Fun Learn service that includes the kids as well as their parents. This campaign reiterates that playing games and being creative can also be a learning experience for kids. Not only this, but it also ignites a sense of nostalgia in the adults. We at Chimp&z Inc enjoyed the process of designing and executing this campaign and hope that Tata Sky followers experienced the same joy.”
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.
