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The annual e-auction for MPEG-2 slots on DD Free Dish witnessed strong competition from broadcasters, with leading Hindi general entertainment, movie and news channels securing positions for the 2026–27 allotment cycle. The 8th Annual MPEG-2 e-auction, corresponding to the 94th overall auction, was conducted on February 16 and 17, covering the allotment period from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027.
The auction process, conducted by Prasar Bharati, drew participation from major television networks competing across multiple buckets. The first two days saw intense bidding, particularly for premium Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs), movie slots and Hindi news channels, highlighting the continued demand for free-to-air distribution on India’s largest DTH platform.
Day 1 — Hindi GEC & Movies (Bucket A+ & A)
| Channel | Category (Bucket) | Winning Bid (Approx) |
|---|---|---|
| Sony PAL | Bucket A+ (Hindi GEC) | ₹16.55 Cr |
| Zee Anmol | Bucket A+ (Hindi GEC) | ₹16.40 Cr |
| Colors Rishtey | Bucket A+ (Hindi GEC) | ₹16.40 Cr |
| Sun Neo | Bucket A+ (Hindi GEC) | ₹16.40 Cr |
| Shemaroo TV | Bucket A+ (Hindi GEC) | ₹16.35 Cr |
| Star Utsav | Bucket A+ (Hindi GEC) | ₹16.25 Cr |
| Sony WAH | Bucket A (Movies) | ₹13.95 Cr |
| Zee Anmol Cinema | Bucket A (Movies) | ₹13.45 Cr |
The second day saw heightened competition in movie, music, regional and news categories. In the movies segment, Star Utsav Movies, Zee Action and Goldmines secured winning bids in Bucket A. The Bhojpuri and music segment under Bucket B featured winners such as B4U Music and B4U Bhojpuri, reflecting strong demand for regional and music content among free-to-air audiences.
Bucket A — Movies
| Channel | Winning Bid (Approx) |
|---|---|
| Star Utsav Movies | ₹13.45 Cr |
| Zee Action | ₹13.40 Cr |
| Goldmines | ₹13.35 Cr |
| Zee Anmol Cinema 2 | ₹13.30 Cr |
Bucket B — Bhojpuri/Music
| Channel | Winning Bid (Approx) |
|---|---|
| Zee Bioscope | ₹10.60 Cr |
| Bhojpuri Cinema | ₹10.50 Cr |
| Showbox | ₹10.25 Cr |
| Unique TV | ₹10.25 Cr |
| B4U Music | ₹10.25 Cr |
| B4U Bhojpuri | ₹10.20 Cr |
In the Hindi news category under Bucket C, several major networks secured slots
Bucket C — Hindi News
| Channel | Winning Bid (Approx) |
|---|---|
| News Nation | ₹8.65 Cr |
| ABP News | ₹8.65 Cr |
| NDTV India | ₹8.60 Cr |
| Aaj Bharat | ₹8.60 Cr |
| Zee News | ₹8.60 Cr |
| India TV | ₹8.60 Cr |
| News24 | ₹8.25 Cr |
| TV9 Bharatvarsh | ₹8.25 Cr |
| News18 India | ₹8.25 Cr |
| Good News Today | ₹8.25 Cr |
| Times Now Navbharat | ₹8.20 Cr |
| Aaj Tak | ₹8.15 Cr |
Bucket D — Regional/International
| Channel | Winning Bid (Approx) |
|---|---|
| RT | ₹9.75 Cr |
| GTC Punjabi | ₹9.20 Cr |
The auction also included a second round of bidding across key buckets.
Second Round Results
Bucket A — Movies (2nd Round)
| Slot | Channel | Winning Bid |
|---|---|---|
| 7th | All Time Movies | ₹13.30 Cr |
| 8th | Shemaroo Josh | ₹13.30 Cr |
| 9th | Colors Cineplex Bollywood | ₹13.25 Cr |
| 10th | Colors Cineplex Superhits | ₹13.30 Cr |
| 11th | Goldmines Movies | ₹13.35 Cr |
Under Bucket A+ (Hindi GEC) second-round results,
Bucket A+ — Hindi GEC (2nd Round)
| Slot | Channel | Winning Bid |
|---|---|---|
| 7th | Manoranjan TV | ₹16.35 Cr |
| 8th | Dangal | ₹16.30 Cr |
| 9th | Manoranjan Grand | ₹16.30 Cr |
| 10th | The Q | ₹16.30 Cr |
| 11th | Dangal 2 | ₹16.30 Cr |
| 12th | Nazara | ₹16.30 Cr |
| 13th | Shemaroo Umang | ₹16.30 Cr |
The results reaffirm the strategic importance of DD Free Dish as a key distribution platform for broadcasters seeking extensive reach, particularly across rural and semi-urban markets. With millions of households relying on free-to-air services, securing a slot on the platform remains crucial for expanding viewership and advertising opportunities.
The winning channels will be available on DD Free Dish for the 2026–27 cycle starting April 1, 2026, further strengthening the platform’s content portfolio across entertainment, movies, music, news and regional programming.
