Two television channels, Saam TV and Skyama Daily Post News, have successfully acquired vacant MPEG-4 slots on the DD Free Dish platform through the mid-year 92nd e-auction conducted by Prasar Bharati. The auction, held on October 29, 2025, marks a continued effort by the public service broadcaster to expand the free-to-air (FTA) platform’s channel offerings for millions of viewers across India.
The successful channels will commence broadcasting on the allocated slots on a pro-rata basis starting from November 7, 2025, with the allotment period running until March 31, 2026.
To ensure a structured and diverse content offering for DD Free Dish audiences, the placement of the newly acquired channels will be categorized under designated genre and language-based buckets, including R1, R2, R3, G1, and G2.
Broadcasters interested in participating in the e-auction were required to submit their applications, including the processing fee and mandatory documentation, by October 27, 2025.
The e-auction was open to all private satellite TV channels that hold valid licenses and downlinking permission from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB). Foreign broadcasters were also eligible to participate, provided they obtained the necessary MIB approvals and complied with all Indian broadcasting regulations.
Prasar Bharati maintained strict adherence to transparency norms, emphasizing that all participating broadcasters were required to submit “clear and unambiguous proof” of their channel’s genre and language classification. Applications found with inconsistent or unclear information were deemed ineligible and summarily rejected, underscoring the platform’s commitment to quality and compliant content.
The mid-year e-auction reinforces Prasar Bharati’s ongoing initiative to optimize DD Free Dish’s transponder capacity and guarantee a rich mix of entertainment, news, and regional content for households utilizing India’s free Direct-to-Home (DTH) service.
This latest auction ensures that DD Free Dish continues to expand its reach, offering more choices to the free-to-air audience.
Key Highlights:
- Successful Channels: Saam TV and Skyama Daily Post News successfully acquired vacant MPEG-4 slots on the DD Free Dish platform in the 92nd mid-year e-auction.
- Auction and Tenure: The auction took place on October 29, 2025, and the channels will occupy the slots on a pro-rata basis from November 7, 2025, to March 31, 2026.
- Categorization: The new slots will be categorized under genre and language buckets (R1, R2, R3, G1, G2) to maintain a structured and diverse content mix for viewers.
- Eligibility: Participation was open to all private satellite channels with valid MIB licenses and downlinking permission, with strict adherence to submitting clear proof of the channel’s genre and language.