Mumbai: Prasar Bharati has invited applications for vacant MPEG-2 slots on free DTH platform DD Free Dish in the 58th e-auction process. The slots will be allowed for the period between 1 April and 31 March 2023, and the e-auction will be tentatively held from 7 March. 

The public broadcaster has categorised different language/genre channels into six buckets and published their starting reserve price for the bidding process.

Starting reserve price/annum for Hindi GECs (bucket A+) is Rs 15 crore, while Hindi movie channels (bucket A) will have to start the bid at Rs 12 crore. Hindi, English, and Punjabi news and current affairs channels (bucket C) will have to bid starting at Rs seven crore.

For bucket B comprising all Hindi music and sports channels, Bhojpuri GECs and movies and Hindi teleshopping channels, the starting reserve price is Rs 10 crore. For all other remaining genre (language) channels in bucket D and devotional (spiritual/AAYUSH channels) in bucket R1 the starting reserve price is Rs six crore and three crore, respectively.

Only satellite channels licensed by the MIB can take part in the e-auction. Only companies holding valid permission from the ministry or their authorised distributor partners can apply for participation.

In case the applicant company is other than the licensee, the document/agreement signed between the license-holder company and the applicant company authorising the applicant/bidder for distribution of the channel and bidding on behalf of the licensee must be submitted.

International public broadcasters licensed by the MIB can also participate in the e-auction.