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5 channels acquire vacant MPEG-4 slots of DD Free Dish in 88th e-auction
The 88th online auction for vacant MPEG-4 slots took place on June 6, 2025, for the period June 13, 2025 to March 31, 2026
Three new private South Indian channels—TV9 Telugu, Aastha Kannada, and Aastha Telugu—have been onboarded to DD Free Dish since April 1, 2025.
Prasar Bharati has released the list of channels that won vacant MPEG-4 slots for the period June 13, 2025 to March 31, 2026. According to the list, Dabangg, Sandesh News, Punjabi Hits, Argus and Tabbar Hits acquired the vacant slots.
The 88th online auction for vacant MPEG-4 slots took place on June 6, 2025,
The e-auction was conducted in accordance with e-auction methodology 2025 for allotment of DD Free Dish slots to private TV channels, notified by Prasar Bharati on January 3, 2025.
Only satellite channels permitted and licensed by the Ministry of I&B were allowed to participate in he e-auction. Only companies holding valid permission from the Ministry of I&B were eligible for the participation in e-auction for allocation of DD Free Dish slots. International public broadcasters permitted by Ministry of I&B can also participate in the e-auction.
Read more: Prasar Bharati invites applications for vacant MPEG-4 slots on DD Free Dish via 88th e-auction
Categorization of TV channels in different buckets in accordance with the genres and languages of channels for the allotment period:
Bucket R1 includes all genres of Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam that is in operation and available in the concerned language on the date of issue of notification for e-auction on at least one private DTH Platform/DD Free Dish and/or on (ii) at least one registered MSO.
R2 includes all genres of Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Odiya that is in operation and available in the concerned language on the date of issue of notification for e- auction on at least one private DTH Platform/DD Free Dish and/or on at least one registered MSO.
R3 includes all genres of other regional languages, as mentioned in schedule 8 of Indian Constitution (except Hindi & Urdu), not covered under Buckets Rl and R2 and is in operation and available in the concerned language on the date of issue of notification for e-auction on at least one private DTH Platform/DD Free Dish and/or on at least one registered MSO.
G1 includes news and current affairs TV channels and G2 includes all genres of non-news and current affairs TV channels.
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