DD Free Dish and D2M can reduce reliance on data-led content delivery: MIB Secretary

New Delhi: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is pushing a distribution model anchored in DD Free Dish and Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) broadcasting to expand access and reduce dependence on internet-led and platform-controlled delivery systems, said Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, MIB. 

Addressing the gathering at the BES Expo 2026, Jaju outlined how satellite and terrestrial broadcast systems can work together to expand reach and help create an indigenous manufacturing and technology stack with global potential.

“With DD Free Dish on one side and D2M on the other side, it would really help us create a good local manufacturing stack for the world to adopt,” Jaju said, urging broadcast technologists to support development in this segment.

He indicated that television sets are increasingly being sold with DD Free Dish tuners built in, which, in his words, will make consumption of broadcast services and public channels easier. The direction, he suggested, is to strengthen broadcast distribution alongside digital systems to ensure wider and more reliable access.

On technology priorities, Jaju stressed the need for efficient spectrum usage across broadcast services. “It's very important that we try and devise spectrum-efficient technologies for better quality, better resilience and obviously enhanced public value,” he stated.

Referring to digital radio, Jaju said regulatory recommendations and trials are already in place. “TRAI has recommended using the vacant spectrum in the FM band, and we need to move forward with introducing digital radio in major towns. Experimental trials have also been completed,” he said.

He placed these broadcast initiatives within the wider media and entertainment ecosystem, which he described as large and employment-intensive, spanning television, distribution platforms, radio, cinema, AVGC, OTT, advertising, and creator-led media. He estimated that at least 10 million people are directly or indirectly connected with the sector.

“I am told there are about 3 million people in India who are making stories; call them creators or influencers,” he said, highlighting the scale of the creator economy and the growing role of hyperlocal digital voices in brand outreach.

Jaju also emphasized that convergence will define the future of media businesses, with companies increasingly operating across broadcast, print, online, and digital video rather than in silos.

On regulation and compliance, he noted the government’s focus on predictability and process simplification. He cited the Broadcast Seva Portal, a single-window system for licensing and compliance for nearly 950 broadcasters, designed to reduce friction while safeguarding public interest.