Prasar Bharati’s OTT App WAVES Breaches 1 Mn Downloads In A Month

Just a month after Prasar Bharati launched its own over-the-top (OTT) platform WAVES, minister of information and broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the app has surpassed more than 1 Mn downloads since its roll out.

WAVES was launched with a content slate spanning over 12 languages and features video-on-demand services, gaming, radio streaming, and 65 live TV channels. 

“WAVES OTT is more than a platform- it’s a celebration of India’s rich culture, vibrant stories and technological prowess,” Vaishnaw said in a post on X.

The streaming platform integrated e-commerce capabilities through the government’s Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) for offering the platform to content creators and film schools.

In the streaming space, WAVES would compete against the likes of heavyweights, including Netflix, Amazon and Disney+ Hotstar among others.

Besides streaming shows, WAVES offers an infotainment ecosystem with features like on-demand video and gaming. The platform also partnered with content providers like Lionsgate and secured gaming partnerships with Mud Games and Tag Labs.

Notably, several central government ministries and states have also partnered with WAVES for content development, to codevelop content from docudramas to reality shows. The platform also features a cyber security awareness campaign in partnership with CDAC, MeitY, supported by programs like ‘Cyber Crime ki Duniya’ and ‘Cyber Alert.’

The OTT streaming market in India reached an all-time high last year, with about 707 Mn internet users having been actively engaged in OTT audio and video services, as per ‘Internet in India Report 2023’.

It is pertinent to note that the Indian subscription video on demand (SVOD) market in India is projected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.1% to become a $2.77 Bn opportunity by 2027.

A few days ago, regional OTT platform Stage announced raising INR 84.61 Cr (around $9.9 Mn) from a clutch of investors via issuance of preference shares.

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