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The Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation (IBDF), which represents the country’s top broadcasters, has urged Prasar Bharati to adopt a more transparent and predictable system for auctioning slots on its free direct-to-home (DTH) service, DD Free Dish.
Expressing concern about lack of fair competition, IBDF told the pubcaster while responding to a July 25 consultation on auction methodology, that the existing process creates uncertainty that complicates business decisions.
The body has suggested that before each auction, Prasar Bharati should release key details such as the total number of slots on offer, how many remain unsold after every round, and a bucket-wise list of applicants along with the final roster of eligible and ineligible participants.
According to IBDF, eliminating mid-auction rejections is crucial as such decisions undermine the integrity of the process. Instead, all eligibility checks should be completed in advance.
DD Free Dish, which reaches about 49 million homes as of 2024, brings in nearly over Rs 600 crore annually through slot auctions.
IBDF stressed that equal access to essential information is critical to ensure a fair playing field, arguing that clear disclosures will enable broadcasters to make better-informed bids and foster a genuinely competitive environment.
Alongside auction reforms, IBDF also highlighted structural concerns in the platform’s operations. It called on Prasar Bharati to commission an independent, scientific survey of DD Free Dish’s actual viewership. Reliable data, the group said, would give both broadcasters and advertisers greater clarity for strategic and investment decisions.
To ease pressure on slot availability, IBDF further proposed that more than 25 unused MPEG-4 slots be converted into MPEG-2, which is supported by all set-top boxes. It also recommended creating new transport streams to expand capacity until MPEG-4 technology becomes more widely adopted.
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