DD Free Dish: 21 channels bag MPEG-2 slots on Day 3 of auctions
The public broadcaster has so far earned Rs 567 crore from sale of MPEG-2 slots in this round of auctions
The fourth annual 58th e-auction for DD Free Dish saw 21 channels secure MPEG-2 slots on the third day. These slots are spread across GEC, Movies and Music genres. The channels have won the slot for a period of one year from April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023. The public broadcaster has so far earned Rs 567 crore.
According to sources, 21 channels secured slots on the third day. Bucket A +, which is reserved for Hindi GECs, saw only one channel bidding for the slot - Azaad TV won the slot for Rs 15.25 crore.
Six channels that have already bagged slots in the category include Shemaroo TV, The Q India, Enter 10 GEC, Dangal and Big Magic.
Channels under Bucket A, reserved for Hindi movie channels, have been allotted 13 slots in three days. The reserve price for the Bucket was Rs 12 crore and eight channels secured slots on Day 3. While Color Cineplex Bollywood bagged the slot with a bid of Rs 12.75 crore, Dhinchak got it for Rs 12.65 crore, and Shemaroo Movies, Movie Plus and Rishtey Cineplex bid for Rs 12.70 crore each. ABZY Cool got it for Rs 12.55 crore, and Zee Rang and Dhinchak 2 for Rs 13 crore and Rs 13.05 crore respectively. Thus, a total of 13 channels have won slots in the category.
Under Bucket B, which is reserved for Music (Hindi), Sports (Hindi), Movies (Bhojpuri), GEC (Bhojpuri), and Teleshopping (Hindi) channels with a reserve price of Rs 10 crore, saw 11 new slots allotted to channels. The highest bid on day three in this category was Rs 11 crore by Zing. Other channels like My Cam bid for Rs 10.95 crore, Mastii for Rs 10.90 crore, Manoranjan Grand for Rs 10.95 crore, MTV Beats for Rs 10.90 crore, 9XM for Rs 10.85 crore, Manoranjan Prime for Rs 10.80 crore, Filmchi for rs 10.70 crore, Showbox and Goldmine Bhojpuri for Rs 10.80 crore each. So far, 16 slots have been allotted in this category.
Bucket D also saw one channel - Zee Chitramandir - bidding for the slot for Rs 7.05 crore. The bucket comprises all other remaining genres (language) channels for a reserve price of Rs 6 crore.
