Mumbai: Public service broadcaster Prasar Bharati has announced the commencement of its 7th Annual e-auction for the allocation of vacant MPEG-2 slots on the DD Free Dish DTH platform. The auction process, set to begin on February 10, 2025, will allocate slots for the period from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, according to the official notice issued by the broadcaster.
The e-auction will follow the E-auction Methodology 2025, which outlines the framework for allotting DD Free Dish slots to private TV channels.
“Only satellite channels permitted and licensed y the Ministry of I&B would be allowed to participate in the e-auction. Only companies holding valid permission from Minsitry of I&B can apply for participation in e-auction for allocation DD Free Dish slot. International Public Broadcasters permitted and licensed by the Ministry of I&B can also participate in e-auction,” the notice said.
As per Prasar Bharati’s guidelines:
- Satellite Channels: Only channels permitted and licensed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) are eligible to participate.
- Valid Permissions: Companies must hold valid permissions from the Ministry of I&B to apply for slot allocation.
- International Broadcasters: International public broadcasters licensed by the Ministry of I&B are also eligible to participate.
Categorization of Channels
To ensure systematic and equitable allotment, channels will be categorized into the following buckets based on genre and language:
- Bucket A+: General Entertainment Channels (GEC) in Hindi and Urdu.
- Bucket B: Music and Sports channels in Hindi and Urdu, Bhojpuri channels, and other Hindi/Urdu channels not categorized elsewhere.
- Bucket C: News and Current Affairs channels in Hindi and Urdu.
- Bucket D: Devotional, Spiritual, or AYUSH channels; Marathi and Punjabi channels; and regional language channels (excluding Hindi, Urdu, Marathi, and Punjabi) that meet specific criteria, including newly launched or re-launched channels.
- Bucket R: Regional language channels other than Hindi, Urdu, Marathi, and Punjabi that satisfy operational and platform eligibility requirements.
This categorization ensures fair representation of diverse genres and linguistic groups on the DD Free Dish platform, India’s largest free-to-air direct-to-home service.
The e-auction is expected to attract significant participation from broadcasters, including private TV channels and international public broadcasters, looking to leverage DD Free Dish’s extensive reach across urban and rural India.
Prasar Bharati’s DD Free Dish platform plays a pivotal role in ensuring access to diverse content for millions of households, offering a robust selection of entertainment, news, and regional programming.
