Prasar Bharati Invites Channels for New OTT Platform with Revenue Share

The state-run public broadcaster Prasar Bharati has invited TV broadcasters to have their linear channels streamed on its soon-to-be-launched OTT platform for a period of one year. Provided, channels that have been issued a license by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for downlinking in India for distribution throughout the country alone would be eligible to apply.

Applications from interested applicants can be received up to August 12. According to the plan proposed by the public broadcaster, the proposed OTT app is going to split TV channels into four groups using language and genre: English news channels, Hindi news channels, non-news channels of all languages, and non-news channels of regional languages.

It has also mooted taking a 65:35 revenue share with TV channels for the same, with 65% coming to the channel and the public broadcaster retaining the rest. Prasar Bharati will also insert ads on the OTT stream based on the availability of the SCTE-35 marker at the appropriate juncture. Unsold commercial time will be used for running promos of Prasar Bharati and its partner channels.

The successful channels, Prasar Bharati will issue a letter of allotment to those; these channels have to sign an agreement within 15 days of receipt of the same. They will also use the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity rate card for ranking all applicant TV channels. The channels with the highest rates of DAVP in their respective categories would be permitted to place their channels on the OTT platform.

It was a few months back that Prasar Bharti declared it is all set to launch an OTT platform that shall promote Indian culture and values, and broadcast family-friendly content.