Mumbai: Prasar Bharati has initiated the next phase of capacity allocation on DD Free Dish, India’s largest free-to-air DTH platform, by inviting applications for vacant MPEG-2 slots through its upcoming e-auction. The slots will be allotted for a tenure beginning April 1, 2026 and running through July 31, 2027.
The e-auction is scheduled to be conducted on February 16 and forms part of Prasar Bharati’s 85th round of DD Free Dish slot allocation. The public broadcaster has issued a detailed notification outlining eligibility conditions, participation guidelines, and documentation requirements for television channels seeking carriage on the platform.
A key highlight of the revised framework is the introduction of a comprehensive Integrity Pact, aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability in the auction process. The pact establishes binding obligations for both Prasar Bharati and participating broadcasters, reinforcing commitments to fair play and ethical conduct.
Under the pact, Prasar Bharati has pledged equal treatment of all applicants and a strict avoidance of favouritism or solicitation. Broadcasters, in turn, are required to certify that they will not offer inducements, engage in collusion, or attempt to influence the auction outcome through unethical practices. Any breach may result in disqualification, forfeiture of fees, cancellation of allotted slots, and legal action under Indian law. Independent monitors may also be appointed to oversee compliance.
The notification further specifies an extensive list of documents that must accompany online applications. Channels are required to submit valid uplinking and downlinking permissions issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, proof of approved channel logos, and documentation supporting the declared genre and language of the service.
Additionally, broadcasters must provide programme schedules and furnish an undertaking that at least 75 percent of their content during the licence period will adhere to the declared genre and language, excluding advertisements and promotional material.
Industry observers view the updated notification as an effort to strike a balance between commercial expansion of DD Free Dish and stronger governance standards, as Prasar Bharati continues to refine its auction-led distribution model for free-to-air television.
