New Delhi: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has announced the winners of the third batch of e-auctions for Private FM Radio Phase-III channels, revealing a fiercely competitive round that saw Malar Publications, Sapphire Media, and DB Corp emerge as the top bidders.
Malar Publications took the crown as the highest overall spender, committing ₹17.23 crore to secure 11 licences across Tamil Nadu. Its haul included premium frequencies in Karur (₹1.68 crore), Nagercoil / Kanyakumari (₹1.93 crore), Neyveli (₹1.57 crore), Rajapalayam (₹1.59 crore), Thanjavur (₹1.57 crore), Tiruvannamalai (₹1.31 crore) and Vaniyambadi (₹1.54 crore), in addition to licences in Karaikudi, Coonoor, Pudukkottai, and Dindigul.
Sapphire Media followed closely with a total outlay of ₹16.29 crore across nine cities, bagging the single costliest slot of the auction—Ludhiana’s 92.3 MHz—for ₹7.83 crore. Other notable acquisitions included Bathinda (₹1.36 crore), Haridwar (₹1.08 crore), Kaithal (₹95 lakh), Faizabad/Ayodhya (₹73 lakh), Panipat (₹1.13 crore), Mathura (₹87 lakh) and Rohtak (₹1.10 crore).
DB Corp, however, proved to be the most geographically expansive winner, securing 14 frequencies with a combined bid value of ₹15.29 crore. Its new network footprint now extends across Bhuj (₹1.49 crore), Gandhidham (₹1.49 crore), Daman (₹1.28 crore), Panipat (₹1.13 crore), Rohtak (₹1.10 crore), Ganganagar (₹1.21 crore), Pali (₹1.06 crore), Sikar (₹1.08 crore), along with Alwar, Bhilwara, Ratlam, Rewa, Rewari, and Ambala.
High-value one-off wins also marked the auction. HT Media clinched Moradabad’s 93.7 MHz frequency for ₹2.80 crore, while the Palakkad market saw three players—Ahalia Healthcare, The Mathrubhumi Printing & Publishing Co., and The Malayala Manorama Co.—each paying ₹1.69 crore.
Smaller and regional players made their presence felt as well. Setwell Coatings (India) picked up Badaun (₹62 lakh), Etawah (₹77 lakh), and Mathura (₹87 lakh), while AM Television acquired some of the lowest-priced licences, including Silchar (₹29 lakh), Dibrugarh (₹39 lakh), and Jorhat (₹41 lakh).
According to the ministry, the results were derived from system-generated reports of the final bidding round and frequency allocations. Winning bidders must make 25% of their payment via Bharat Kosh by August 18, 2025, with the balance due by August 28, 2025.
Launched on October 14, the Phase-III Batch-III auction process covered 730 channels across 234 cities not yet served by private FM. The initiative is part of the government’s ongoing strategy to boost private investment in the sector and expand radio coverage to untapped and underserved markets nationwide.
