Slots to be alloted to Private Channels on DD Direct Plus DTH Platform
Total Revenue expected to be Rs.46 Crores from the Auction of 21 Channels

            In order to optimally utilize available slots on DD Direct Plus platform and maximize its revenue, Prasar Bharti today conducted an e-auction for the available slots on its DTH platform. The purpose of the e-auction was to select the channels on DD Direct Plus Platform in a transparent and objective manner. Conducted through e-tender process, the entire mechanism was facilitated by M/s NCDEX SPOT Mumbai, the agency selected for conducting the proceedings.

Prior to conducting the e-auction mechanism, Doordarshan undertook a detailed exercise to fine tune the mechanism to suit the professional requirements. It issued letters to all the channels who had applied to be placed on DD Direct Plus DTH platform and all those existing channels on DD Direct Plus platform that were completing their Annual Agreements upto 30th June 2011, inviting them to participate in the auction process by submitting a Bank Guarantee of Rs.1.5 crore within 15 days of the issuance of the letter. Open public Notices were issued in leading National News Paper on an all India level. Thirty seven channels applied with a Bank Guarantee of Rs 1.5 Crore and necessary Downlinking/Uplinking permissions from Ministry of I & B . Out of the 37 channels, 32 participated in the final e-auction process.

As part of the orientation, the channels were given thorough training and also participated in a series of mock auctions to give them complete familiarity with the process. Each service provider was issued individual IDs and passwords to all the channels to enable them to log onto the defined website to participate in the closed e-auction process using their unique Digital Signatures. Through the auction, 21 successful bids have been received ranging from Rs 2.17 crore to Rs 2.25 crore. All 21 vacant slots on DD’s DTH platform have been auctioned through this transparent e-auction process.

The bidding details that have been received from different channels as per the price bands are as follows:

• Rs. 2.25 cr- Sadhana News (Uttarakhand/Himachal), Aastha Bhajan, B4U Movies, Sanskar.

• Rs. 2.22 cr- RK News (Sadhana), Sahara Samay.

• Rs. 2.21 cr-Enter 10 music, TV 24, Day& Night News.

• Rs.2.20 cr- B4U Music, Time TV, Divya, Katiani.

• Rs. 2.19 cr-Sahara Aalmi (Urdu), Sahara Firangi.

• Rs. 2.18 cr-Zee Salaam, Zee Smile, Etc music, 9X, Zee Jagran.

• Rs. 2.17cr-Enter 10 Movies.

As per the computation by Prasar Bharti under the given e-auction process, it is expected that revenue earned from today’s auction will be more than Rs.46 crores. It may be mentioned, that prior to this e-auction process, Doordarshan was earning Rs.16.8 crores @ Rs.80 lakhs per channel.

The e-auction process initiated today was approved in the 103rd meeting of the Prasar Bharati Board held recently. As on date, there are 59 channels on DD Direct Plus bouquet, of which 19 are Doordarshan channels (including Lok Sabha)

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