DD free dish expands regional footprint, adds more South Indian language channels

The Government’s free-to-air DTH platform, DD Free Dish, continues to expand its reach and regional representation, particularly in South India. As per industry estimates, DD Free Dish now reaches approximately 49 million households nationwide, up from 33 million in 2018, reflecting significant audience growth.

Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. L. Murugan, shared the update in the Lok Sabha today, outlining recent measures taken to enhance regional content and accessibility on the platform.

To strengthen the presence of South Indian language content, Prasar Bharati has reserved dedicated slots for Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam channels during its 2025 e-auctions. The eligibility criteria were also simplified to encourage broader participation from private broadcasters in the region.

Three new private South Indian channels, TV9 Telugu, Aastha Kannada and Aastha Telugu, have been onboarded to DD Free Dish since April 1, 2025. Doordarshan's own regional channels, including DD Tamil, DD Saptagiri, DD Chandana, DD Yadagiri and DD Malayalam, have also been added and are undergoing technological upgrades to improve their visibility and impact.

In addition, DD Free Dish now carries 27 educational channels broadcasting content in various South Indian languages, supporting inclusive education and public awareness.

The platform continues to play a key role in disseminating government flagship schemes and public information campaigns across both national and regional Doordarshan channels, with a focus on reaching remote, border, and otherwise underserved areas.

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