Prasar Bharati to hold DD Free Dish MPEG-4 auction on Sep 24

Prasar Bharati has invited applications for its mid-year 102nd e-auction of vacant MPEG-4 slots on the DD Free Dish platform, with the public broadcaster set to auction carriage capacity for the six-month period from October 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.

The e-auction is tentatively scheduled for September 24 and will be conducted under the E-auction Methodology 2025 for allocation of DD Free Dish slots to private satellite television channels. 

The latest auction categorises channels into five buckets based on genre and language, with Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam placed in the R1 regional category. Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali and Odia channels have been placed in R2, while other regional languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, except Hindi and Urdu, fall under R3.

The remaining two categories are G1 for news and current affairs channels and G2 for non-news and current affairs channels.

The auction notice sets different reserve prices and bidding eligibility across these categories. The starting bid for a G1 slot is ₹39.83 lakh, the highest among the five categories, while G2 has a starting bid of ₹36.40 lakh.

The R2 category has a starting bid of ₹21.56 lakh, while R3 and R1 have starting bids of ₹3.31 lakh and ₹3 lakh, respectively. The minimum bidding increments have been fixed at ₹1 lakh for G1, G2 and R2, ₹80,000 for R3 and ₹50,000 for R1.

The auction methodology also determines which categories can bid for slots in each round. G1 is open to G1, G2, R2, R1 and R3 bidders, while G2 is open to G2, R2, R1 and R3 bidders but not G1. R2 bidders can bid for R2, R1 and R3, while R3 bidders can bid for R3 and R1. R1 is restricted to R1 bidders.

Regional language classification tightened

Prasar Bharati has prescribed detailed documentation requirements for broadcasters seeking to participate, particularly around genre and language classification.

Channels already operational on the date of the notification have to provide documentary evidence of their presence on an MSO or DTH platform, along with the genre and language under which they are carried. 

The notice also allows supporting evidence from government or regulatory authorities such as the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting or TRAI, as well as television rating agencies such as BARC. Channels seeking slots under the R1, R2 and R3 categories are specifically required to provide evidence from a DTH operator or MSO.

For channels that are not on air when the auction notification is issued, Prasar Bharati will accept a certified copy of the application submitted to MIB for permission to downlink the channel in India. 

Applicants can additionally provide publicly available material, including newspaper or media reports, supporting their stated intention to launch within a declared timeframe, or other documentation relating to their distribution plans.

The public broadcaster has also asked applicants to provide content schedules to support their declared genre and language. Operational channels must submit their programme content schedule or fixed point chart for June, July and August 2026, while all applicants have to submit proposed content schedules for October, November and December 2026.

75% content requirement

Broadcasters are required to undertake that their channels will carry content predominantly in the genre and language declared during the DD Free Dish allocation period. Prasar Bharati defines “predominantly” as 75% of content telecast being in the declared genre and language, excluding the prescribed advertising and promotional limits under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act.

The notice further states that the declared genre and language content should not fall below 60% of the channel's entire monthly content.

If a channel is found to be violating its declared genre or language, its broadcast recording can be reviewed by a committee. A defaulting channel can receive a show-cause notice and may seek a change in genre or language within the prescribed timeframe. If it does not seek such a change, Prasar Bharati can issue a notice for discontinuation of the channel from DD Free Dish.

₹3 lakh participation fee

Broadcasters seeking to participate will have to pay a non-refundable processing fee of ₹25,000 through the DD Free Dish auction portal. They must also deposit a participation fee of ₹3 lakh through demand draft or electronic payment.

However, the notice provides a separate formula for R1 and R3 buckets, under which the participation fee will be 60% of the starting reserve price or ₹3 lakh, whichever is lower. Applicants must submit proof of payment along with their online applications.

The application process requires broadcasters to submit MIB downlinking and, where applicable, uplinking permissions, the approved channel logo, PAN and GST registration documents, genre and language evidence, content schedules, an authorised signatory certificate and a signed Integrity Pact.

The last date for submission of applications and, where applicable, the original demand draft is September 22, 2026 at 3 pm. Online training will be provided to eligible participants before the actual auction.

Strict payment and carriage conditions

Successful bidders will receive a Letter of Allotment and payment schedule from Prasar Bharati and will have to sign the prescribed agreement within 15 days of the allotment letter.

Successful channels will be placed on vacant slots or logical channel numbers on DD Free Dish in accordance with the prescribed LCN allotment procedure. They will have to make payments according to the schedule specified in the allotment letter and agreement.

The notice provides for a 14.5% annual interest charge on overdue payments. If an instalment and applicable interest remain unpaid after the prescribed notices and timelines, the participation fee and instalments already deposited can be forfeited and the channel discontinued from DD Free Dish. The vacated slot can subsequently be offered through another e-auction.

There are also conditions governing the commencement and continuation of carriage. A successful channel will be placed on DD Free Dish after payment of the first instalment of the carriage fee. 

If it fails to place the channel on its allocated slot within one month of the allotment commencement date, the allotment will automatically stand cancelled and the participation fee and any instalment already paid will be forfeited.

Similarly, premature withdrawal or termination by a channel will result in forfeiture of the participation fee and instalments already deposited.

Successful bidders must also provide an IRD box with dual IP multicast and SDI output at least one week before placement, along with satellite parameters and other technical details, to Doordarshan's DTH station at Todapur, New Delhi.