DD FREE DISH 79th e-auction For MPEG-2 slots for the period from 24.07.2024 to 31.03.2025

DD FREE DISH 79th e-auction For MPEG-2 slots for the period from 24.07.2024 to 31.03.2025

Notice inviting applications for allotment of vacant MPEG-2 slots of DD Free Dish Platform for the period from 24.07.2024 to 31.03.2025 through 79th e-auction process.

Prasar Bharati
India's Public Service Broadcaster
Prasar Bharati Secretariat
Prasar Bharati House
Copernicus Marg
New Delhi-110001

Dated: 08TH July 2024

Notice for 79TH e-auction of DD Free Dish slots

No.: DDFD /3 (1) / 2024/ P-VII /e-Auction

Subject: Notice Inviting Applications for Allotment of Vacant MPEG-2 Slot
of DD Free Dish Platform for the Period from 24.07.2024 to 31.03.2025

1. Prasar Bharati invites applications for allotment of vacant MPEG-2 slots of DD Free Dish DTH Platform for the period from 24.07.2024 to 31.03.2025 through 79TH online e- auction process to be tentatively held on 16TH July 2024.

2. The e-auction will be conducted in accordance with E-auction Methodology for allotment of DD Free Dish slots to private TV channels, notified by Prasar Bharati on 27.01.2023 and subsequent Amendment Dated 13.12.2023 which are available on the Prasar Bharati website, http://prasarbharati.gov. in.

3. Only satellite channels licensed by the Ministry of I&B would be allowed to
participate in the e-auction. Only companies holding valid permission from Ministry of I & B can apply for participation in e-auction for allocation of DD Free Dish slot.

4. International Public Broadcasters licensed by the Ministry of I & B can also participate in e-auction.

5. Categorization of TV channels in different buckets in accordance with genres and language of channel for the allotment period will be as below:

S. No. /Bucket / Genre/ Language
1. Bucket A+ GEC (Hindi / Urdu) Channels
2. Bucket Movie (Hindi / Urdu) Channels
3. Bucket B
a. Music (Hindi / Urdu) Channels
b. Sports (Hindi / Urdu) Channels
c. All Channels of Bhojpuri Language
d. All other remaining Genre of Hindi / Urdu

4.Bucket C
News & Current Affairs (Hindi / Urdu) Channels

5.Bucket D
a. Devotional /Spiritual / Ayush
b. All Genres of Marathi & Punjabi Channels
c. News & Current Affairs (English) Channels

6.Bucket R1
This bucket is for all Channels
in languages* not covered above

Table 1

Ramesh Kumar Karn
Dy Drector General (E

Page 1

*If a particular ndian language is represented on DD Free Dish by any channel(s) under Bucket R1 for 02 years continuously then that concerned language shall be deemed as
represented and it shall be shifted from Bucket R1 to Bucket D from next year.

6. Broadcasters desirous of allotment of slot on DD Free Dish are required to provide clear and unambiguous proof in support of genre and language classification of their channel. In case of lack of clarity, ambiguity or conflicting information, applications will be deemed ineligible and may be summarily rejected. For details, please refer checklist of documents provided with the application form. Such declaration for Genre and Language classification should be in accordance to the current norms and
as specified in the Table l of point 5 above. Further, the Channel shall contain content predominantly of Genre and Language as declared at the time of e-Auction application.

6.1 'Predominantly means, 75 percent of content telecast on channel shall be in
Genre and Language (audio), as declared by applicant Channel Provider at the time
of e-auction, excluding the limit of advertisements / promos on the channel as prescribed under rule (7) sub-rule (i) of Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 across a month. This means that the content of declared Genre and Language of a Channel shall not
be less than 60 percent of the entire content of the channel in a month.

7. The Reserve Price for MPEG-2 slots for the commencement of e-auction for different Buckets shall be as under:
8. Before, starting flling up of online application, please ensure that copies of all documents provided in Annexure-1, inchuding participation fee Demand Draft, are available in PDF format, not exceeding 1.0 MB, for uploading.

Round No. /
Starting Reserve Price (in INR) /
Buckets Eligible to Bid /
Buckets Not Eligible to Bid

Round 1 (Bucket A+)
Rs.14,61,31,000/-
A+, C, A, D, B, R1
---

Round 2 (Bucket C)
Rs.13,03,14,000/-
C, A, D, B, R1
A+

Round 3 (Bucket A)
Rs.12,58,44,000/-
A, D, B, R1
A+, C

Round 4 (Bucket D)
Rs.12,44,69,000/-
A+, C, A
D, B, R1

Round 5 (Bucket B)
Rs.12,37,81,000/-
A+, C, A, D
B, R1

Round 6 (Bucket R1)
Rs.9,14,61,000/-
A+, C, A, D, B
R1

9. Satellite TV channels participating in e-auction shall be required to furnish an
undertaking in the prescribed formats as per Annexure-2.

10. The applicant company desirous of participating in the e-auction will be required to submit a duly filled and signed Integrity Pact, in the format provided in Annexure-4.

11. Change of name and or logo of a channel placed on DD Free Dish may be allowed subject to necessary permissions from Ministry of I & B.

2 (page 2)

12. Interested broadcasters may apply online at https://fdslots.prasarbharati.org and upload all requisite documents as prescribed in the application. Please note that it is mandatory to pay the non-refundable processing fee of Rs.25,000/- online at above portal to submit the application. The participation fee of Rs. 1,50,00,000/- (Rupees one Crore Fifty Lakhs) only is to be paid only through Demand Draft. A copy of the participation fee demand draft is to be uploaded online.

13. After submission of online application, the original demand draft for participation fee along with printout of acknowledgement for submission of online application, which will be sent to you on your authorized e-mail, is to be submitted in sealed cover either in person or by Speed/Registered Post addressed to Deputy Director (Platforms), Room No. 601, Tower-A, Directorate General: Doordarshan, Doordarshan Bhawan, Copernicus Marg, New Delhi-110001 latest by 15TH July 2024 (Monday) by
15.00 Hrs.

14. Online training will be provided to all eligible participants before the
commencement of actual e-Auction.

18. If required, Prasar Bharati can extend e-Auction to the next day or as the case may be
16. For details like e-auction process, terms & conditions and paymnent schedule etc. on he website
please refer to E-auction Methodology
available http://prasarbharati.gov. in.

17. Prasar Bharati reserve the rights to accept/reject/cancel/amend the e-Auction/slot at any time during the e-Auction or after e-Auction.

18. For unsuccessful bidders, participation fee will be refunded within three weeks after the declaration of the results of e-auction.

19. After the successful conduct of e-auction, a 'Letter of Allotment' will be issued by Prasar Bharati to the successful bidder along with the Payment Schedule' for payment of bid amount and prescribed format of agreement to be signed between Prasar Bharati & bidder.

20. Every successful bidder will be required to sign an 'Agreement' with Prasar Bharati in two original copies within 15 days of issue of 'Letter of Allotment'. The prescribed format of the 'Agreement' is available on the website https://prasarbharati.gov.in.

21.Successful channels will be placed on vacant Logical Channel Numbers (LCNs) of DD Free Dish. After completion of e-auction, successful channel may apply giving three options in the order of preference for allotment of LCN. However, this does not guarantee for placement of successful channel on preferences given for LCN. Al such requests shall be considered by Prasar Bharati in accordance with prescribed procedure for allotment allotment/change of LCN to private TV channels, which is available on the website https://prasarbharati.gov.in. Prasar Bharati's decision in this regard shall be final.

22. Successful channels shall be required to make payments as per 'Payment Schedule' prescribed in Letter of Allotment' and clause (5) of the E-auction Methodology for allotment of DD Free Dish slots which will also be part of agreement to be signed between Prasar Bharati & successful bidders.

23. In case of any installments not paid within the scheduled dates, a notice to this effect shall be issued to the defaulter to deposit the payment due along with interest @ 14.5% per annum, as provided in clause 5.3 of E-auction Methodology, within seven days. Interest @ 14.5% per annum shall be charged from the due date of payment on the outstanding amount. In case the installment due along with the interest is not paid within seven days from its scheduled due date, the 'Participation Fee' along with any
installment already deposited by the Broadcaster/Channel till that date, will be
forfeited and the channel will be discontinued from DD Free Dish Platform without any further notice and the channel will have no right to be carried on DD Free Dish on vacated slot.

24. Successful channel will be placed on DD Free Dish after receipt of payment for 1ST installment of carriage fee, as provided in allotment of letter. In case the 'Channel Provider' fails to place its channel on its allocated slot within one month of the allotment commencement date, the allotment shall stand cancelled automatically and the Participation Fee along with any installment already deposited shall be forfeited.

25. In case the 'Channel Provider' withdraws its channel prematurely or terminates the contract prematurely, the 'Participation Fee' shall be forfeited along with any installment already deposited.

26. Successful Channels will be required to arrange their own IRD Box in advance at DTH Earth Station, Todapur, New Delhi, to place their Channel on DD Pree Dish Platform.

27. The Last Date for submission of applications and original Demand Draft is 15TH July 2024 (Monday) by 15:00 Hrs.

R.K.Karn DD GE. (Platforms)