MPEG-2 slots are lying vacant in DD Free Dish for a long time, in which new TV channels are yet to be selected through the next 54th e-auction.
Recently, after I love Music Studios channel left the MPEG-4 slot of DD Free Dish, now two slots (Test 621, Test 615) have become vacant in the MPEG-4 slot as well. So at present, there is a total of 8 vacant slots on DD Free Dish in which the vacancies will be filled through the 54th e-auction.
Let us tell you that the next 54th e-auction process will be according to PRO-RATA as Prasar Bharati conducts annual e-auction on 1st April every year only. The selected TV channels in the annual e-auction are available on DD Free Dish throughout the year. Whereas TV channels selected as per pro-rata are available only for as long as any private TV channel continues to pay rent/subscription for that slot.
At present, there are about 950+ TV channels in the country which are pay and free. In which there are around 800 free TV channels. But only a few channels participate on DD Free Dish.
Therefore, the next 54th e-auction of DD Free Dish will be an opportunity for all these channels, through which those channels will reach every nook and corner of the country.
You can understand that even after having 800 free-to-air private TV channels in the country, the number of private TV channels available on DD Free Dish is only around 100+.
However, Prasar Bharati is soon planning to expand to 250 slots on DD Free Dish, after that more and more TV channels will be able to participate.
At present 6 vacant slots (Test 419, Test 420, Test 517, Test 518, Test 519, Test 520) are available in MPEG-2 on DD Free Dish and two slots (Test 621, Test 615) are vacant in MPEG-4 out of which 54th TV channels to be filled through e-auction.
Recently 53rd e-auction was completed on 1st April, you can check the results from here.