Additional channels for DD viewers in India

Doordarshan (DD) viewers in India will be delighted. Premiere Cinema, RT Movies and Sony Wah (all movie channels), Vision Shiksha (educational channel), 9X Jalwa (Hindi music channel) will all be made available on DD, state broadcaster. Five channels have been added by DD, the subscription-free direct-to-home (DTH) service Freedish, last month during the 27th e-auction.

While Sony Wah (Sony Pictures Networks India’s FTA Hindi movie channel) was prorated, the other channels’ slots were renewed. Actually, DD Free Dish counts up to 80 channels on its platform. There are three slots still vacant at DD free dish. Slots will be available monthly to different private channels and on pro-rata basis. However, the auction does not reserve the regional language channels the rights for slots.

In the next three months, DD Free Dish is planning to add 24 new channels. This will hence expand its number from 80 to 104. Free Dish actually has 25 Doordarshan channels, not excluding official channels of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Other channels available are ABP news, News 24, Aaj Tak (all news channel) and channels like Star Utsav, Rishtey Cineplex, Sony Pal, Viacom18’s Rishtey which are all of entertainment origin.