Prasar Bharati has announced auctions for limited MPEG4 slots on its free DTH platform FreeDish for April 2025-March 2026 period, while clarifying that presently the MPEG4 streams are undergoing upgrades and more rounds of auctions would be held once the process is completed.

The seventh annual online process is likely to start March 4 and will be conducted in accordance with e-auction methodology 2025 for allotment of DD FreeDish slots to private TV channels, which were notified by Prasar Bharati on January 3, 2025, the public broadcaster said yesterday.

“The up-gradation of MPEG-4 streams on DD FreeDish is under progress. Hence, in the interim, slots for various bucket/rounds for 7TH annual e-auction will be as provided in Table-1…and e-auction for private HD channels and 2ND Round of R3 will be taken up once the up-gradation is completed,” the Prasar Bharati statement added.

In round one (where Bucket R1 is eligible), the reserve price is pegged at Rs 500,000. In round 2 (for bucket R1), the reserve price is Rs 15 lakh. The round one of Bucket R2, the starting reserve price is kept at Rs 5 lakh. The round two of Bucket R2 will have the price set at Rs 15 lakh.

Only satellite TV channels permitted and licensed by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) would be allowed to participate in the e-auction.

International public broadcasters permitted and licensed by the MIB can also participate in the e-auction for a slot on FreeDish.

Broadcasters desirous of allotment of slot on DD Free Dish are required to provide clear and unambiguous proof in support of genre and language classification of their channel. In case of lack of clarity, ambiguity or conflicting information, applications will be deemed ineligible and may be summarily rejected.