DD Free Dish MPEG-2 e-auctions for 2026–27 to begin on Feb 16

New Delhi: Prasar Bharati has issued a notice inviting applications for allotment of MPEG-2 slots on the DD Free Dish DTH platform for the period from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027.

The e-auctions will be held from February 16, 2026. 

The notice fixed February 9, 2026, at 3.00 pm as the deadline for submission of applications.

Prasar Bharati has tightened the DD Free Dish e-auction rules with its first amendment to the 2025 methodology, effective January 9, 2026. 

The modification removes the separate “Bucket R” previously designated for certain regional language channels, folding all Schedule 8 regional languages (except Hindi and Urdu) into Bucket D, thereby simplifying the bucket structure and raising the minimum entry price for those regional players from an Rs 3 crore floor to Bucket D’s Rs 6 crore starting reserve. 

The amendment also shortens the auction ladder by eliminating the final round that was exclusive to Bucket R bidders and tweaks eligibility language related to operational requirements, while keeping core reserve prices for the main buckets unchanged.

For the allotment period, channels will be categorised into buckets based on genre and language. The notice listed the buckets as follows:

• Bucket A+ will include GEC (Hindi/Urdu) channels. Bucket A will include Movie (Hindi/Urdu) channels.
• Bucket B will include Music (Hindi/Urdu) channels, Sports (Hindi/Urdu) channels, all Bhojpuri language channels, and all remaining Hindi/Urdu genres except Devotional/Spiritual/Ayush.
• Bucket C will include News and Current Affairs (Hindi/Urdu) channels.
• Bucket D will include Devotional/Spiritual/Ayush channels, all regional language channels (as mentioned in Schedule 8 of the Constitution of India) except Hindi and Urdu, and News and Current Affairs (English) channels.

Prasar Bharati said broadcasters seeking a DD Free Dish slot must provide clear proof supporting the declared genre and language classification. Applications may be deemed ineligible and rejected if there is a lack of clarity, ambiguity, or conflicting information.

The notice also specified “predominantly” content requirements for the declared genre and language. It said 75% of content telecast on the channel should be in the declared genre and language (audio), excluding advertisements and promos within the prescribed limits. 

It also stated that the declared genre and language content should not be less than 60% of the entire content of the channel in a month.

The notice announced starting reserve prices for the commencement of e-auction for different buckets.

• For Round 1, the starting reserve price is Rs 15 crore for Bucket A+, Rs 12 crore for Bucket A, Rs 10 crore for Bucket B, Rs 7 crore for Bucket C, and Rs 6 crore for Bucket D.
• For the remaining rounds, the notice set Round 2 (Bucket A+) starting reserve price at Rs 16 crore, with Buckets A+, A, B, C and D eligible to bid.
• Round 3 (Bucket A) has a starting reserve price of Rs 13 crore, with Buckets A, B, C and D eligible to bid, and Bucket A+ not eligible.
• Round 4 (Bucket B) has a starting reserve price of Rs 11 crore, with Buckets B, C and D eligible, and Buckets A+ and A not eligible.
• Round 5 (Bucket C) has a starting reserve price of Rs 8 crore, with Buckets C and D eligible, and Buckets A+, A and B not eligible.
• Round 6 (Bucket D) has a starting reserve price of Rs 7 crore, with only Bucket D eligible to bid.

Prasar Bharati said interested broadcasters can apply online at the DD Free Dish portal and upload documents as prescribed in the application.

It said applicants must pay a non-refundable processing fee of Rs 25,000 online on the portal to submit the application.

Participation fee for the e-auction has been set at Rs 1.5 crore, to be paid through Demand Draft, RTGS, or electronic modes as per the details provided in the notice.