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Big media houses dominate Third Batch of FM Radio Phase III auction; Bids touch Rs 7.83 cr in Ludhiana
DB Corp, Sapphire Media, Malar Publications, and Mathrubhumi among top winners as Ministry of I&B allocates new frequencies across 43 cities
The Phase III expansion of private FM radio aims to deepen radio penetration, especially in tier-II and tier-III cities, while offering advertisers new markets to tap into.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has announced the results of the e-auction for the third batch of Private FM Radio Phase III channels, with bids running into several crores in key markets.
According to the official notification issued on August 13, 2025, prominent media players including DB Corp Ltd, Sapphire Media Ltd, Malar Publications Ltd, The Mathrubhumi Printing & Publishing Co. Ltd., and The Malayala Manorama Co. Pvt. Ltd. emerged as major winners, securing prime frequencies across multiple cities.
The highest winning bid in this round was placed by Sapphire Media Ltd, which paid Rs 7.83 crore for the 92.3 MHz frequency in Ludhiana, underscoring the market’s potential in large urban centers. Other high-value bids included Rs 2.80 crore by HT Media Ltd. for Moradabad, and Rs 1.93 crore each by Malar Publications Ltd. and Kal Radio Ltd. for frequencies in Nagercoil/Kanyakumari.
DB Corp Ltd., one of the largest print and radio network owners in India, bagged multiple frequencies, including Rs 1.49 crore each for Bhuj and Gandhidham, and Rs 1.28 crore for Daman. Similarly, Malar Publications made strong gains in Tamil Nadu with winning bids in Coonoor, Dindigul, Karur, Neyveli, Rajapalayam, Thanjavur, Tiruvannamalai, and Vaniyambadi, with prices ranging from Rs 1.31 crore to Rs 1.68 crore.
The Mathrubhumi Group and Malayala Manorama expanded their southern footprint, notably securing high-value Palakkad frequencies for Rs 1.69 crore each. Sapphire Media Ltd. also diversified its reach with wins in Bathinda, Haridwar, Kaithal, Panipat, and Mathura, with bid amounts ranging between Rs 73 lakh and Rs 1.36 crore.
New entrants and regional players also marked their presence. AM Television Pvt. Ltd. acquired licenses in Dibrugarh, Jorhat, and Silchar for amounts between Rs 29 lakh and Rs 41 lakh, while Setwell Coatings (India) Pvt. Ltd. secured frequencies in Badaun, Etawah, and Mathura.
The Phase III expansion of private FM radio aims to deepen radio penetration, especially in tier-II and tier-III cities, while offering advertisers new markets to tap into.
The MIB said the auction results were compiled from the “Final Round Result Report” and “Frequency Identification Report” generated by the auction system.
This auction follows two earlier batches under Phase III, which collectively expanded FM coverage to new cities while encouraging competition.
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