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India’s free-to-air satellite platform DD Free Dish has concluded its latest auction round, with leading general entertainment and movie channels securing slots across different buckets. The auction results reflect steady competition among broadcasters to retain or expand their presence on the public broadcaster’s direct-to-home platform.
The auction, conducted by Prasar Bharati today, saw strong participation from major networks in the general entertainment category, with several channels securing slots in the MPEG-2 bucket, which typically caters to free-to-air viewers across India.
In the MPEG-2 General Entertainment Category (GEC), Sony Pal secured the highest bid at Rs.16.55 crore for the first slot. Star Utsav followed with a bid of Rs.16.25 crore for the second slot. Shemaroo TV secured the third slot at Rs.16.35 crore, while Zee Anmol and Colors Rishtey each won slots at Rs.16.40 crore. Sun Neo also secured a slot with a bid of Rs.16.40 crore, reflecting close competition among broadcasters in the segment.
In Bucket A of the MPEG-2 category, which largely includes movie and niche entertainment channels, Sony Wah emerged as the top bidder at Rs.13.95 crore for the first slot. Zee Anmol Cinema and Star Utsav Movies secured the second and third slots respectively at Rs.13.45 crore each. Zee Action won the fourth slot with a bid of Rs.13.40 crore, followed by Zee Anmol Cinema-2 at Rs.13.30 crore for the fifth slot. Goldmines secured the sixth slot with a bid of Rs.13.35 crore.
The results indicate continued demand for DD Free Dish carriage, especially in the MPEG-2 segment, which remains a key distribution platform for free-to-air broadcasters seeking deeper reach in non-pay TV homes. The auction also highlights the platform’s significance for general entertainment and movie channels targeting mass audiences across Hindi-speaking markets.
Prasar Bharati conducts periodic e-auctions for DD Free Dish slots, allowing broadcasters to secure placement based on category and technology format, including MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 streams. The latest auction reinforces the platform’s role as a critical distribution channel in India’s television ecosystem.
