PANAJI: ‘WAVES, the OTT platform of the public broadcaster Prasar Bharti was launched on Wednesday during the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa.Initially, 65 channels offering content in 10 languages including 40 live channels; news and entertainment networks, movies, TV shows, and games are available. “We are planning to add programmes in in all Indian languages gradually,” said chief executive officer (CEO), Prasar Bharti Gaurav Dwivedi. The platform will function on revenue-sharing model, as reported by this newspaper earlier this month.The application can be downloaded on Android and iOS.Besides fresh content and live streaming, services being offered by the Prasar Bharti including DD and All India Radio (AIR) and archival material of the publication and photo division have been integrated with the application. Besides consuming news and entertainment content, users will also be able shop for products like books through the application. The public technology initiative–Open Network for Digital Commerce– (ONDC) launched by the Government to promote local business sectors has also been integrated with the WAVES. It will facilitate the consumers and sellers so that they can communicate for better experiences.”When the viewers are consuming content digitally today, it was imperative for us to shift to this mode,” Dwivedi to TNIE. In August, Prasar Bharti issued bids for Application-in-Application integration of OTT, gaming, educational or other applications on a ‘revenue share model’. As per the tender notice for on-boarding of linear satellite channels for streaming on broadcaster’s OTT service, only those channels which are permitted or licensed by the ministry for downlinking or distribution could apply. Preparations to introduce the digital service started last year as Prasar Bharti invited bids to design, develop, commission, operate and maintain its own OTT streaming platform.
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