Prasar Bharati invites bids for vacant MPEG-4 slots on DD Free Dish

New Delhi: Prasar Bharati has invited applications for the 92nd online e-auction of MPEG-4 slots on its free-to-air direct-to-home platform, DD Free Dish.

The auction will tentatively be held on October 29, 2025. Applications must be submitted along with the processing fee and requisite documentation by October 27, 2025, by 3 PM. 

According to the notification, successful channels will be placed in appropriate buckets based on genre and language. They will be allotted slots on a pro-rata basis from November 7, 2025, until March 31, 2026. 

The auction is open to private satellite television channels licensed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), subject to downlinking permission in India. Foreign channels licensed by governments outside India are also eligible, provided they obtain MIB permission and adhere to Indian regulations.

The notification also noted, “Broadcasters desirous of allotment of slot on DD Free Dish are required to provide clear and unambiguous proof in support of Genre and Language classification of their channel. In case of lack of clarity, ambiguity or conflicting information, applications will be deemed ineligible and may be summarily rejected.” 

The auction of the vacant slots placed the channels in the R1, R2, R3, G1, and G2 buckets. Only satellite channels permitted and licensed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting were allowed to participate. The pubcaster also mentioned that only the companies holding valid permission from the I&B ministry would be allowed to participate in the e-auctions. 

The detailed guidelines and bucket rates are available on the Prasar Bharati and DD Free Dish websites.