What started with limited coverage in a handful of states where broadcasting services coverage was below the national average, DD Free Dish, today has a reach to more than five crore people. In fact, “almost 25% of the broadcasting is now happening through the DD Free Dish,” said Sanjay Jaju, Secretary of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. Speaking on the sidelines of an informal meeting with the media, Jaju mentioned that Free Dish is not only completely free but covers around 300 channels, of which around 200 are educational.
“Free Dish is serving a large audience today in entertainment, news, education, and sports,” he said.
Prasar Bharati started the DTH service of DDDirect+ in December 2004, which was later re-named DD Free Dish in 2013. At present, coverage of DD Free Dish services is throughout the Indian territory except Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Prasar Bharati does not charge any monthly or annual subscription fee from viewers for this service— this free-to-air model has made DD Free Dish the largest DTH platform.
Storyboard18 earlier reported that Prasar Bharati is set to increase DD Free Dish slots next year, with the number of slots to go up by 40. The pubcaster is getting a new transponder to increase the number of slots as the demand remains high. In the last online auction of DD Free Dish MPEG-2 slots in February 2024, 64 slots were sold for a total of approximately Rs 1157 crore, marking an 8 percent increase in revenue compared to last year’s auction of Rs 1071 crore.
Further, while sharing how DD will telecast the T20 World Cup this year, which is being organised in West Indies and USA, on DD Free Dish platform, Jaju highlighted how DD stands apart despite heavy competition from private players.
“It is said that the mutual co-existence of the public and private sectors is an integral part of the development of any industry, especially in broadcasting. Within the diverse and vibrant broadcasting segment, there are around 950 electronic channels and then there are online channels — amidst all this, all major and main feed still happens through DD. It is even present through the regional channels where there is no commerce involved. It has its look and feel, and professionalism,” he said.
This year, Doordarshan will follow up the high-profile coverage of not only the T20 World Cup but several major global international sporting events including live/ deferred live and highlights of the Paris Olympics Games 2024, Paris Paralympic Games, International Cricket Series between India Vs Zimbabwe and India Vs Sri Lanka and Ladies and Men’s finals of the French Open 2024 and Wimbledon 2024. Additionally, it has reached an understanding with leading global sports bodies like NBA and PGTA for showcasing their content on DD Sports.