I&B Ministry
Waves anti-piracy challenge sparks digital security revolution
MUMBAI: Piracy is the digital equivalent of sneaky pickpocketing—except here, it’s entire films, shows, and creative works vanishing into the dark web. But India has decided to put an end to this digital thievery with the Waves anti-piracy challenge, an ambitious initiative aimed at safeguarding digital content in an era where technology evolves faster than your favourite streaming algorithms. Organised as part of the Create in India Challenges, this competition has drawn a staggering 1,296 registrations, proving that fighting piracy is not just a noble cause—it’s an urgent one.
The challenge, backed by the ministry of information and broadcasting in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), zeroes in on fingerprinting and watermarking technologies to combat unauthorised distribution, piracy, and content manipulation. And it’s not just a contest; it’s a digital battleground where individuals, research teams, startups, and established organisations are vying to create the ultimate piracy-proof tech.
A core segment of the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (Waves), this anti-piracy initiative is set to unfold in Mumbai from 1-4 May 2025, where the global media & entertainment (M&E) industry will converge to witness the next wave of content protection. With four key pillars—Broadcasting and infotainment, AVGC XR (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, Extended Reality), digital media and innovation, and films—this summit is India’s bold declaration that it’s ready to lead the fight against digital piracy.
Why does it matter? Because piracy is no longer just about grainy bootleg DVDs or sketchy torrent sites—it’s an evolving beast that threatens content creators and industries alike. The Waves Anti-Piracy Challenge is a clarion call to India’s brightest minds, encouraging them to develop indigenous solutions that will protect digital content integrity.
The create in India challenges have already attracted over 73,000 registrations, a testament to the country’s booming interest in media security. With a clear focus on fingerprinting and watermarking, this initiative aims to:
. Provide a launchpad for homegrown companies to showcase their security solutions.
. Foster novel techniques that improve digital content traceability and protection.
. Ensure seamless integration of anti-piracy technologies into media workflows.
. Support the development of cutting-edge solutions addressing both current and future piracy challenges.
Piracy has evolved from sneaky DVD sellers at traffic signals to sophisticated cyber operations threatening billion-dollar industries. India’s response? Unleashing an army of innovators through Waves. This initiative ensures that content creators—from Hindi cinema studios to indie game developers—can secure their intellectual property with robust, state-of-the-art technologies.
As the Waves summit approaches, anticipation builds for the groundbreaking ideas that will emerge. Supported by industry leaders, policymakers, and tech pioneers, this challenge doesn’t just showcase innovation—it paves the way for real-world applications that will safeguard India’s digital future.
I&B Ministry
Prasar Bharati sets EPG standards for DD Free Dish platform
New specs define 7-day guide, LCN mapping, and device compatibility.
MUMBAI: Your TV guide just got a backstage pass structured, scheduled, and far more in sync. Prasar Bharati has released detailed technical specifications for Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) services on DD Free Dish, laying down a standardised framework for how channels and programme information are organised and delivered. At the core of the update is a defined EPG data structure, covering genre-based categorisation, scheduling formats, and Logical Channel Numbering (LCN). The aim is simple: make navigation less guesswork and more guided experience across the platform’s over 40 million households.
The specifications also introduce a seven-day programme guide window for each channel, alongside clear rules for channel grouping and LCN mapping effectively deciding not just what you watch, but how easily you find it.
On the technical front, the document outlines requirements for Program Specific Information (PSI) and Service Information (SI), including descriptor usage across tables such as PAT, BAT and NIT. It further details service lists and network linkage parameters, giving OEMs and developers a clearer blueprint for integration.
Importantly, the framework is designed to work seamlessly with television sets equipped with in-built satellite tuners, enabling users to access DD Free Dish directly without additional hardware, an incremental but meaningful step towards simplifying access.
The platform will continue to operate on GSAT-15 transponders, using MPEG-4 compression and DVB-S2 transmission standards, ensuring continuity even as the interface evolves.
While largely technical, the move signals a broader push towards standardisation and user-friendly discovery in India’s free-to-air ecosystem because sometimes, the real upgrade isn’t what’s on screen, but how easily you get there.
