WAVES OTT expands public broadcasting with 1.2 crore users and creator platform

NEW DELHI: Public broadcasting is getting a digital makeover, and WAVES is riding the wave. Prasar Bharati’s WAVES OTT has emerged as a broader digital public-service ecosystem, combining live television and radio, on-demand content, archives, education, publications and creator-led programming.

Launched in November 2024, WAVES OTT now has 1.2 crore registered users, more than 1.5 crore downloads and over 24,000 titles, according to information released by the government on 23 September. The platform reaches audiences in more than 130 countries and is available across mobile devices, websites and connected televisions.

The shift reflects how public broadcasting is adapting to audiences that increasingly consume content through smartphones, smart TVs and digital platforms rather than relying solely on conventional television and radio.

For decades, Doordarshan and Akashvani have served as key public broadcasting platforms for news, culture, entertainment and information. WAVES OTT extends that legacy into an on-demand environment, bringing archival and contemporary content together with live services.

The platform offers more than 15,000 hours of content, including films, television programmes, web series, documentaries and archival material. It also carries more than 140 television channels and 220 radio services, along with live coverage of national events, sports, cultural programmes and devotional streams.

Its offering extends beyond entertainment. Educational programming includes PM eVidya channels, while the platform also provides e-books, magazines, photo collections and publications such as Yojana and Kurukshetra. Games and ONDC-linked shopping add further services to the platform.

WAVES supports more than 10 interface languages, while its content is available in over 26 languages. It also carries all 35 Doordarshan satellite channels and draws on Akashvani’s national and regional radio network.

The combination of regional content, subtitles and archival programming is designed to make India’s broadcasting heritage more accessible to younger and digital-first audiences, while also extending its reach to Indian communities overseas.

The next step in the evolution is participation. MyWAVES, launched within WAVES OTT on 23 March 2026, allows citizens to create, upload and share original content through the platform.

The creator-focused initiative supports short-form, vertical and episodic videos, with a multilingual interface aimed at widening participation among creators across India. It also provides a route for participation in national initiatives such as the Create in India Challenge.

That makes MyWAVES more than a content-uploading feature. It creates an institutional route for emerging creators, particularly those outside established media networks, to showcase local stories and talent to wider audiences.

The Gems of India Challenge offers an early example of how the MyWAVES ecosystem can work on the ground.

Its pilot was launched on 21 July across six States and Union Territories, with creators invited to submit one-to-three-minute videos through MyWAVES. The pilot submission window ran from 1 to 31 August.

The initiative focuses on stories around local culture and heritage, tourism, nature, folk traditions, festivals, performing arts, handicrafts, handlooms and regional cuisine. It also highlights local personalities, innovations and achievements.

Prasar Bharati, My Bharat and State and district administrations are involved in the initiative, with cultural and educational institutions supporting participation. YouTube and Meta are also supporting outreach through their creator communities.

The programme is intended to expand across States and Union Territories, creating a wider network of grassroots digital creators while building a digital record of India’s diverse local identities.

WAVES OTT is also opening its ecosystem to external content through its Pay-Per-View Content Sourcing Policy, which provides a mechanism for producers and rights holders to offer content on the platform.

The platform has also introduced ONDC integration and railway-related digital distribution initiatives, creating additional routes for content partnerships and distribution.

These measures point to a broader shift in the way Prasar Bharati approaches digital content, moving beyond scheduled broadcasting towards a model that combines public-service programming, archives, creator participation and external partnerships.

The OTT platform sits within the larger WAVES ecosystem, anchored by the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit.

The inaugural WAVES Summit was held in Mumbai from 1 to 4 May 2025, bringing together creators, businesses, investors, policymakers and technology leaders across broadcasting and infotainment, AVGC-XR, digital media and films.

The 2025 edition recorded participation from more than 100 countries, 10,000 delegates, 1,000 creators, 300 companies and 350 start-ups, with more than one lakh participants overall.

Its ecosystem includes the Global Media Dialogue, CreatoSphere, Create in India Challenges, WAVES Bazaar, WaveX and the Bharat Pavilion. These platforms connect creators and businesses with buyers, investors, technology companies and international markets.

The first summit also saw the WAVES Declaration adopted by 77 countries. The Create in India Challenges received nearly one lakh registrations from more than 60 countries, while WAVES Bazaar recorded Rs 1,328 crore in business transactions through more than 3,000 meetings.

Together, WAVES OTT and MyWAVES broaden the role of public broadcasting from simply distributing programmes to preserving archives, expanding access and creating avenues for citizen participation. The larger WAVES ecosystem adds a commercial and international layer, linking India’s broadcasting heritage and emerging creative talent with audiences and opportunities beyond the traditional broadcast screen.