Prasar Bharati invites applications for vacant MPEG-4 slots on DD Free Dish via 88th e-auction

The public broadcaster has invited applications for the allotment of vacant MPEG-4 slots on DD Free Dish platform for the period June 13, 2025 to March 31, 2026 through the 88th online e-auction process.

The auction is likely to be held from June 6, 2025, according to the pubcasters' latest circular,

The e-auction will be 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 would be allowed to participate in he e-auction. Only companies holding valid permission from the Ministry of I&B can apply for the participation in e-auction for allocation of DD Free Dish slots. Interntional public broadcasters permitted by Ministry of I&B can also particiapte in the e-auction.

Categorisation 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.

According to Prasar Bharati, 75% of content telecast on channel shall be in genre and language as declared by the applicant.

According to the circular, broadcasters desirous of allotment of slot on DD Free Dish are required to provide unambiguous proof in support of Genre and Language classification of their channel.

"Whenever any violation concerning content and language declared by the channel come to notice, the recording of the content broadcast by the channel shall be reviewed by a duly constituted committee," the circular read.