Prasar Bharati Invites Satellite TV Channels on Its OTT Platform “WAVES”

New Delhi – Prasar Bharati has opened applications from permitted/licensed linear satellite television channels to join its OTT platform, WAVES, under a one-year streaming partnership. 

Which TV Channels can apply? -

• Only channels that hold valid permissions or licences from the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) for downlinking/distribution in India are eligible to apply, and the applying company must itself hold the licence (channels cannot be applied via third parties). 
• Broadcasters must provide a “clean feed” of the channel with an SCTE-35 / ad-marker-enabled signal so that Prasar Bharati can dynamically insert advertisement slots into the OTT stream. 

The revenue-sharing model -

65 % of net ad revenue will go to the channel, and 35 % to Prasar Bharati (net revenue meaning after deduction of costs such as transcoding, CDN charges, ad-agency commissions). 

Channel selection -

Channel selection will be done via ranking based on the official DAVP (Directorate of Advertising & Visual Publicity) rate card across genres/languages. Channels with the highest DAVP rates in each category will be given priority. 

Last Date for Application -

The deadline for submitting applications is 1 December 2025 (by 5:00 PM). Applications must be submitted in the prescribed form along with supporting documents, including licence, genre/language proof, DAVP empanelment, etc

Why does it matter? -

This move signals Prasar Bharati’s intent to expand the reach of its OTT platform WAVES by bringing in licensed linear TV channels, thereby strengthening its digital presence and monetisation potential. For broadcasters, this offers a new digital avenue under defined commercial terms. Media industry sources say the structured model (clean feed, ad marker, clear revenue split) reflects an attempt to bring more rigor into OTT channel-onboarding. 

This initiative falls under Prasar Bharati’s Content Sourcing Policy 2024, aiming to position WAVES as a major aggregator of live television content in India's competitive streaming market. Successful applicants will be issued a "Letter of Allotment" and must sign a formal agreement within 15 days.

You can find more details on Prasar Bharati's official website of Waves OTT.