Prasar Bharati OTT to be released on Nov 20, most content free, says Sanjay Jaju: Report

The Prasar Bharati OTT platform will be officially launched on November 20, at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), said a news report quoting the Secretary to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Sanjay Jaju.

Jaju was responding to a query by the media house on Prasar Bharati’s plans for its OTT site, during a media roundtable. He added that a small part of the platform will be subscription-based and the rest will be free for viewing.

The news report said that the ministry was hopeful that the OTT would take off on November 20 at the inaugural event for IFFI. He said that it will carry a lot of live channels and archival material like documentaries and photographs.

He also reportedly added that the 60 odd entertainment channels on the DD Freedish will be “more than willing to come and join the deal.”

In August, Prasar Bharati, India's public service broadcaster, invited TV channels to join its new OTT platform. The move represented an important expansion of its digital footprint, aiming to broaden its reach and offer a revenue-sharing model that stands out in the market. Under this model, broadcasters would receive 65% of ad revenue, while Prasar Bharati would retain 35%.

The major four television networks have chosen not to stream their linear channels on Prasar Bharati’s upcoming OTT platform, sources shared with e4m back in September. Despite the government's offer of a lucrative revenue-sharing model, these networks likely made this decision because they already have a strong presence on their own OTT platforms. While these top networks did not apply, sources familiar with the matter told e4m that the pubcaster received applications from 106 channels across genres. Out of these, 44 were selected, with 40 agreeing to join the platform.