E-auction for vacant MPEG-4 slots of DD Free Dish slated to be held on Aug 23

Prasar Bharati has invited applications for allotment of vacant MPEG-4 slots of DD Free Dish DTH platform for the period from September 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022 through the 55th online e-auction process, which is slated for August 23, 2021. Bidding in the e-auction of MPEG-4 slots will be open to all genre (language) channels at a starting reserve price of Rs 65.34 lakh for this period.

In a notice issued, Prasar Bharati stated that the slot(s) will be allotted in accordance with policy guidelines for allotment of DD Free Dish slots, notified on January 15, 2019 and as amended vide amendment notified on March 30, 2019, November 1, 2019 and February 22, 2021.

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Only satellite channels licensed by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) for downlinking in India would be allotted slots on DD Free Dish. Only license holder companies or their authorised distributor partners can apply for allocation of DD Free Dish slot. International public broadcasters licensed/ registered/ permitted by the MIB can also participate in e-auction.

The channel provider is required to notify viewers of the need to use the Prasar Bharati authorised Set-top-Boxes (STBs). Prasar Bharati can restrict access of MPEG-4 signals to unauthorised STBs at any point of time.

The applicants are required to pay a non-refundable processing fee of Rs 25,000, along with participation fee of Rs 10 lakh, which will be refunded to the unsuccessful bidders within three weeks after the declaration of the results of e-auction.