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Prasar Bharati's family-friendly over-the-top (OTT) platform WAVES has officially launched at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI). The app ‘Waves- Family Entertainment Ki Nayi Lehar’ will be available on Android, iOS, and as a website.

Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting during a media roundtable on 13th November, had addressed Storyboard18's query on Prasar Bharati's OTT plans. Jaju informed that only a small part of Prasar Bharati OTT will be subscription-based and the rest can be accessed for free.

Jaju had told Storyboard18 that the OTT is going to be a game-changer "because this is not just streaming material, but it also will carry a lot of live channels. It will also host archival material... so we are combining all this together."

When asked about which private or live channels have agreed to join the pubcaster's OTT, Jaju had said, "Obviously there are many who have agreed because we already run DD Freedish where there are close to 60 entertainment channels which are part of DD Freedish. They would be more than willing to come and join the deal...so it will be a very good service. We will have access to a lot of entertainment material, that is currently possibly not being enjoyed by them for various reasons. It's on the cards."

Waves also features a diverse range of content, including movies like Aarakshan, One Day, The Impossible, and Alice Darling, as well as TV shows, games, and a live events section. 

Prasar Bharati’s streaming platform will offer content in SD, HD, and 4K, initially supporting 10 million concurrent users with scalability to 100 million. The OTT app will also introduce features like integrated gaming for kids and online shopping via the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).

The launch, which was first announced in 2023, was earlier scheduled for September 15. It was then pushed to October 3 amidst the growing concerns from select broadcasters and streaming platforms.

Prasar Bharati's move into the OTT space not only is poised to stir up competition for the other OTT players but is also distressing linear TV channels in the market. For top broadcasters, it is the conflict of interests as they already run their own subscription-based or ad-based OTT platforms. Additionally, some seek holistic regulatory review because of the pubcaster’s ability to integrate its OTT with traditional TV offerings, potentially leading to market distortions.

In its letter to the MIB, dated September 2, All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF) has in fact urged the Ministry to withdraw Prasar Bharati's notice inviting TV broadcasters for its soon-to-be-launched OTT platform, as it believes the same disrupts uplinking and downlinking guidelines, and also disrupts the traditional TV distribution.

DTH operators too, reportedly are planning to write a similar letter to the information and broadcasting ministry on the placement of linear TV channels on Prasar Bharati's OTT platform.


Prasar Bharati launches its OTT platform Waves at IFFI in Goa

The News Broadcasters and Digital Association and Editors Guild of India will depose before a parliamentary committee to disclose their stance on curbing fake news in the country. The parliamentary committee will be headed by the BJP MP Nishikant Dubey.  

An official statement said the Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology will meet on November 21 on the subject of "Review of mechanisms to curb fake news." The panel will hear the views of the News Broadcasters and Digital Association (NBDA) and Editors Guild of India (EGI).

The committee had earlier decided to review the mechanism to curb fake news and issues related to the emergence of OTT platforms. With cryptocurrency making its presence felt in India, the committee will also examine the emergence of new forms of currencies and their impact.

The panel has selected the impact of the emergence of artificial intelligence and related issues as one of its subjects. It is mandated to examine the functioning of the ministries of information and broadcasting, electronics and information technology, and communications.

The committee has selected for examination a review of the implementation of laws related to all forms of media as well as a review of the functioning of public broadcaster Prasar Bharati. As hundreds of people fall victim to digital and cyber crimes every day, the panel will also look into regulation and monitoring in this regard.

NBDA to keep its stance regarding ‘fake news’ infront of Parliament panel

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s (MoHFW) draft amendment to the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) rules, requiring OTT platforms to stream 30 second non-skippable anti-tobacco advertisements, have faced strong opposition from stakeholders. Multiple stakeholders wrote  to MoHFW as their response during the consultation process. 

Stakeholders argue that MoHFW is infringing on the authority of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), which oversees OTT platforms. Stakeholders have pointed out that the draft COTPA Amendment Rules cite Section 31 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply, and Distribution) Act, 2003 (COTPA Act), which grants the Union Government the power to make rules regarding anti-tobacco warnings.

A key stakeholder stated, “The draft COTPA Amendment Rules directly regulate OTT platforms and their published content. According to Rule 8, Part III of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, publishers of online curated content fall under the MIB’s jurisdiction.”

The stakeholder added, “Additionally, the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961 specify that ‘Films and Audio-Visual programs/content made available by online content providers/publishers’ are under MIB’s purview. By issuing the draft COTPA Amendment Rules, the MoHFW has bypassed the nodal ministry for OTT platforms and overstepped its authority.”

According to a recent report by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the number of internet subscribers in India increased from 936.16 million in December 2023 to 954.40 million in March 2024, reflecting a quarterly growth rate of 1.95%. This growing internet penetration positions India as a highly attractive market for OTT video streaming services. The revenue of India’s video OTT market is projected to rise from $1.8 billion in 2022 to $3.5 billion by 2027.

Stakeholders have also expressed concern over the heavy compliance burden on OTT platforms. To meet the amendment's requirements, platforms would need to edit extensive amounts of content. They plan to challenge the amendment’s validity in court, arguing that OTT platforms fall solely within MIB's regulatory scope.

A research report titled The Effectiveness of Tobacco Disclaimers on OTT Content Services by Koan Advisory Group, published in May 2023, found that OTT content does not significantly influence smoking habits in India. Instead, factors like peer pressure and stress are the main drivers.

Another stakeholder, speaking anonymously, emphasized the unique nature of OTT platforms and their audiences. “The draft COTPA Amendment Rules fail to account for binge-watching habits. Non-skippable tobacco health spots before every episode or content block would result in viewers repeatedly seeing the same ads during a single session.”

The source further highlighted, “The draft rules do not specify the language of the tobacco health spots. Since OTT platforms host content in multiple languages, it would be impractical to customize health spots for each one.”

The draft amendment rules propose that if an OTT platform fails to comply, an inter-ministerial committee, including representatives from MoHFW, MIB, and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, can take suo moto action or respond to complaints.

MoHFW infringing powers of MIB, OTT platforms oppose non-skippable anti-tobacco ads

Balaji Telefilms Limited on Tuesday clarified to the stock exchanges that the company is co-operating with Mumbai Police regarding the case registered under relevant sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) against Producer Ekta Kapoor and her mother Shobha Kapoor for allegedly showing inappropriate scenes involving minor girls in an episode of the ALT Balaji's web series 'Gandi Baat'.

The case is related to season 6 of the web series 'Gandi Baat' on the OTT platform 'Alt Balaji'.

Balaji Telefilms Limited in the statement to exchanges said, “With  reference  to various  media  reports regarding  the Web Series  - "Gandi Baat",  ALT Digital Media  Entertainment Ltd. ("Company") hereby clarifies that  it is fully  compliant with  all applicable  laws  including  the POCSO  Act and any references to engagement  of minors by the Company  is entirely  incorrect.”

The statement further said, “It is further clarified  that Mrs.  Shobha  Kapoor and Ms. Ektaa R Kapoor are  not  involved  in the day-to-day  operations  of the Company  and  the same are managed  by separate  teams,  including its content  strategy.”

The  Company  has complete  faith  in the  judiciary  and  is fully  co-operating  with the authorities in the investigation. Since  the matter  is sub-judice,  the Company  refrains  from  commenting in detail, the company stated. 

According to Mumbai Police, a case has been registered against Balaji Telefilm Limited, Ekta Kapoor and her mother Shobha Kapoor at MHB police station in Mumbai under section 295-A of IPC, IT Act and sections 13 and 15 of POCSO Act.

It is written in the complaint that this series, which streamed on 'Alt Balaji' between February 2021 and April 2021, showed obscene scenes of minor girls. However, this controversial episode is not currently streaming on this app.

Fully compliant to POCSO law, Balaji Telefilms co-operating with Mumbai Police

India's public broadcaster Prasar Bharati is reportedly planning to bring live telecasts of the TV channels on smartphones without the internet.

According to a report by The New Indian Express, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has confirmed that the broadcasters have been conducting trials in several cities, in collaboration with IIT Kanpur and Saankhya Labs using high-power and low-power transmitters.

Saankhya Labs is a subsidiary of Tejas Networks. It is a wireless communication solutions provider based in Karnataka.

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Citing officials, the English daily said that so far the experiments for direct-to-mobile (D2M) technology have been successful. However, to take it further, transmitters on cellular towers and chips in phones are required.

Elaborating on the experiment, an official told TNE that the live broadcasting of TV channels on mobile phones is done using broadcast signals like radio. In this process, the devices will require specific hardware to receive and decode broadcast signals.

The technology will not hinder the quality of the video. It will enable high-quality streaming of both video and audio as it will not be dependent on internet speed.

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In 2019, the MIB signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for research collaboration in areas such as D2M broadcasting, rural broadband, convergence with 5G, etc, 


Separately, Prasar Bharati is also planning to move into the OTT space. Last month Stgoryboard18 reported that the OTT platform will be operating on a revenue-sharing basis, with content providers receiving 65% of the net revenue from subscription or transaction-backed content, while Prasar Bharati will retain 35%. The same revenue-sharing model will apply to the satellite channels onboarded to the platform.

Prasar Bharati plans to bring TV channels to smartphones without internet, trials show promise: Report

The Supreme Court has dismissed a PIL seeking a regulatory board for OTT and streaming platforms, citing concerns over a Netflix series. The plea argued the series distorted historical events and promoted harmful narratives, urging an autonomous body to monitor such content in India.

The Supreme Court dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) on Friday calling for the establishment of a regulatory board to oversee and manage over-the-top (OTT) and streaming platforms in India. The petition argued that these platforms function without the same checks and balances that traditional media, such as films and television, are required to adhere to.

The PIL, filed in September of this year, referred to Netflix series IC 814:The Kandahar Hijack to highlight the need for such a regulatory mechanism as the OTT platform claimed it was based on real-life incidents.

The petitioners had urged the apex court to direct the central government "to constitute an autonomous body/board namely 'Central Board for Regulation and Monitoring of Online Video Contents' to monitor and filter the contents and regulate the videos on various platforms for viewers in India".

Moreover, Jha and Arhatia had made the ministries of Information and Broadcasting, Health and Family Welfare, Women and Child Development, Defence and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India parties to the PIL.

"The issue pertains to the abuse of fundamental rights of equality (Article 14), freedom of expression (Article 19), thus infringing right to life of people at large (Article 21) and Article 47 mandating state to improve public health and prohibit the consumption of intoxicating drinks & drugs harmful to health," it said.

The petitioners also specified that if such a board were established, it should be led by a secretary-level IAS officer and include members from diverse fields such as the film industry, cinematography, media, defense forces, the legal profession, and academia.


SC dismisses plea seeking regulatory body for OTT platforms

Netflix, one of the leading OTT platforms, reported strong growth in its advertisement business in the third quarter of 2024. According to Netflix's Co-CEO, President, and Director Gregory K Peters, the ads plan accounted for over 50 percent of sign-ups in Q3 2024 in its 12 ad countries. In the US, Netflix saw more than 150 percent increase in its ad sales commitments in Q3. Peters expects that ad revenue will roughly double year-over-year, albeit off a small base.

Netflix has launched ad-supported plans in 12 countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Spain, Uk and the US. The ad-supported plan includes commercial breaks in most TV shows and movies. In the US, Netflix's ad plan costs $6.99 per month.

GK Peters said that the number of ads plan memberships on the platform increased by 35 percent quarter-over-quarter. He mentioned that there's no significant difference between viewers with ads plans and non-ads plans.

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"Our ads plan members are watching similar amount of view hours and similar titles, too, which is probably interesting to note, relative to comparable non-ads plan members," Peters added. He emphasized that his top priority is to grow the ad-tier membership "to get to sufficient scale to be relevant in each market for advertisers".

Netflix will be launching its first-party ad server in Canada in the fourth quarter and expanding it to the rest of the ad markets in 2025.

Netflix has partnered with 'Trade Desk' and 'Google Live' to execute and grow its ad business. The Netflix Co-CEO added, "Our goal over the next 5 or 10 years is to combine the best of digital advertising".

On Netflix's gaming efforts, Peters said the platform will be adding new games such as -Squid Game, Virgin River Christmas, The Ultimatum, and Monument Valley 3. Netflix is also expanding into live. " We've got the Tyson-Paul fight, NFL in December. We got 52 weeks of WWE coming in January, John Mulaney and more and more," Peters said.
	
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The online streaming platform on Thursday released the Q3 results, reporting a revenue of $9.83 billion and operating income of $2.91 billion. The online streaming giant added 50 lakh subscribers in the third quarter, taking the total subscribers count to 28.72 crore.


Further, during the Q3 earning call, Co-CEO Theodore A Sarandos anticipated that Netflix would deliver 15 percent revenue growth and 6 percentage points of operating margin improvement and engagement in 2025. The OTT platform is forecasting 2025 revenue of $43 billion-$44 billion.

Netflix ads plan drives over 50% of Q3 sign-ups: Co-CEO GK Peters

MrBeast, the popular YouTuber known for his extravagant giveaways and philanthropic endeavors, is facing a serious legal challenge as five female contestants from his Prime Video show, Beast Games, have filed a lawsuit against his production company, MrB2024, and Amazon.

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles, paints a troubling picture of conditions on the set, alleging a pervasive "culture of misogyny and sexism."

Beast Games, which features a staggering 1,000 contestants vying for a $5 million prize, now finds its future uncertain as the lawsuit outlines claims of poor working conditions.

According to the plaintiffs, they were "underfed and overtired," and endured a "hostile work environment." The allegations extend to incidents of sexual harassment, missed medications, and several hospitalizations, raising serious concerns about contestant safety and well-being.

This legal battle puts MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, in a precarious position. While he has successfully navigated past controversies, including accusations against former co-host Ava Kris Tyson, the seriousness of these new allegations could have more profound implications for his reputation. Known for targeting family-oriented content, any negative fallout could jeopardize his brand's integrity.

Interestingly, just a day before the lawsuit came to light, MrBeast announced a new food line collaboration with fellow influencers KSI and Logan Paul, which adds a layer of complexity to an already turbulent situation. 

As he faces these allegations, the future of MrBeast's ventures may hinge on how he chooses to address the claims of misconduct and create a safer environment for all involved in his productions.

Legal trouble for MrBeast: Contestants file lawsuit over allegations of misogyny on set

Recently, Meghalaya introduced an Over-the-Top (OTT) platform designed to support and showcase the state's creative talent to promote local culture, languages, and artistic expression. “Unlike global streaming giants, this platform is deeply embedded not only in the promotion of content but also, resultantly, the promotion of Meghalaya’s language, culture and identity. This distinctive approach enables Hello Meghalaya to resonate with the community in a way other platforms may not,” Bah Paul Lyngdoh, Minister of Department of Tourism and Department of Arts & Culture, Government of Meghalaya, told Storyboard18.

There is also hoichoi, a subscription-based OTT platform focused on Bengali content launched in 2017 which continues to grow, with a 50 percent year-over-year increase in the current year.

Regional OTT content volumes exceeded Hindi language content in 2023 for the first time. YouTube has beaten traditional TV in terms of audience reach in some Hindi-speaking states of North India and the North East, as per the FICCI EY report on the media and entertainment industry, as per the FICCI EY report on the media and entertainment industry.

YouTube is the largest OTT player in India with around 467 million users and a reach of 90 percent. It has overtaken traditional TV in reach in Bihar, Jharkhand and north-east. In Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Delhi, TV and YouTube are at par, the report revealed.

YouTube viewership has increased because of the increase in high quality and niche content on OTT platforms. Also, connected TV is being rapidly adopted across India.

In Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, TV still remains the dominant choice. As per the report, YouTube has 61 percent of TV’s reach across India.

The share of regional language OTT titles increased from 47% in 2021 to 52% in 2023. Content has started to travel across language barriers;
industry discussions indicate that between 20% and 50% of consumers now consume content in more than one language using sub-titles and dubbed versions
OTT platforms desirous of a national reach will require focusing on at least eight to nine languages, and each language will require at least eight to ten pieces of content across film and episodic, as per the report.

Of the titles analyzed, over 60% belonged to the drama, crime or action genres. The number of reality shows was lower, but they pulled in very large audiences, and we expect these to increase in 2024. A surge in demand for mythologies and documentaries was also noted in 2023.

No doubt, the growth of regional OTT platforms highlights the increasing demand for localised content, posing a potential challenge to global giants. 

The global platforms declined to comment on the rise of homegrown regional OTT platforms and its perceived threat towards them.

Regional OTTs: Revenue opportunity for India?

Raghav Anand, Partner, EY-Parthenon for M&E points out that the smart TV universe, which is 22 million now and projected to be 70-80 million in the next three years, leading to the Internet TV & OTT industry growth. While addressing how regional content can contribute to revenues globally, he said, “Sometimes OTTs don't like to be called regional; Punjabi OTTs have primary markets like Canada and the US, Telugu OTTs’ primary market is Southeastern USA."

Anand added, “Global OTTs have differentiated strategy, some follow a trend of picking a homogenous user base and trying to create that homogenous layer among 100 countries. They are just picking 1 percent of the population.”

"Some others like to go slightly deeper, they penetrated the first 20-30 million, there is a lot of gap, there are about 550 million plus video users in the country, there is a huge gap in the 200-300 million need to get served, that's where regional content and OTT comes in," he further said.

Dhruv Aggarwal, Partner at Bain & Company, believes that partnerships with other regional players will be crucial for scaling and enhancing offerings, building local scale, and innovating revenue models like combining subscription and advertising, especially premium options, to scale OTT platforms in the price-sensitive Indian market. While global players are excelling in advertising, regional players need to differentiate themselves by attracting dedicated content. Europe has shown that even with global content originating in the US, youth still appreciate regional content.

Regarding pricing strategies, Aggarwal emphasized the importance of sports content. Unbundling can help lower prices, catering to the price-sensitive Indian market. 

The rising affordability of smart TVs and smartphones, driven by the young and growing population, will continue to accelerate as a macro change. However, the phase-out of Google cookies will complicate data privacy for OTT players, he says.

Aggarwal believes that high-quality regional content can travel across markets. Examples like Korea and Spain demonstrate the success of regional content on a national scale. He anticipates similar trends emerging from the Indian market.

If you look at the regional landscape, mainstream OTTs differentiate themselves primarily through their content. Viewers are drawn to Malayalam or Telugu series because they offer unique and distinctive content. These OTT platforms leverage this by offering pricing points that are optimised for regional audiences," says Chandrashekhar Mantha, Partner, Media & Entertainment Sector Leader, Deloitte India.

“The third aspect to consider is collaboration. How can these platforms create an ecosystem to maximise their reach? Can they enhance their user experience? Amazon Prime and Netflix are way ahead in terms of personalisation. If regional OTTs can catch up in this area, they have a significant advantage,” he says.

“Bundling is another strategy to maximise reach. By combining content with other services or products, these platforms can offer more value to their subscribers,” Mantha adds.

The Southern onslaught

While addressing the role of regional content, especially Southern India’s content in ZEE5’s growth, Manish Kalra, CBO, ZEE5, says, “ZEE5 has focused on regional content which still remains steadfast.” He said, “Not only have the titles performed exceptionally well, but they’ve also won critical acclaim and recognition. For example, Ayali won accolades from the Tamil Nadu government last year, he says.

‘Manorathangal,’ a series that heralds a new epoch in Malayalam cinema, premiered on August 15th on the platform. “We have also been strengthening our existing markets with the upcoming launch of the Bangla crime thriller 'Kaantay Kaantay.' This commitment has resulted in over 50 percent of consumption on the platform stemming from regional languages,” says Kalra.

Then there is SonyLIV, ZEE5’s competitor who also seems to be betting on Southern content to increase market penetration. Saugata Mukherjee of SonyLIV, says, "We have just started our regional journey in terms of first originals. We have been buying films in three languages specifically: Malayalam, Telugu, and Tamil. We have acquired films like 'Maanadu.'”

SonyLIV’s first film called Trisha was launched in Telugu.

There is a great ecosystem of makers and storytellers in the South. Many South Indian films are performing better than regular Hindi films, says Mukherjee.

“Our original content is behind the paywall. We started the year with 'MasterChef' in Tamil and Telugu, the first time we were bringing unscripted shows in these languages. We will have more focus on Southern states and aim to be as local as possible. We want our advertisers to see that our shows are not just another Hindi show but unique and hyper-local,” he added. 

Talking about SonyLIV’s strategy to attract local advertisers, he says, “Many of our shows' feature makers, actors, or casts are from different languages. We want to foster this osmosis of talent both behind and in front of the camera, giving the greater Indian audience a chance to watch these storytellers on our platform."

India’s OTT showdown: Regional titans challenge global giants

Streaming platform Netflix has shared its response regarding the ongoing controversy over the hijackers' names in the recently released web series called "IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack". 

Netflix India's Vice President Monika Shergill said, "For the benefit of audiences unfamiliar with the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814, the opening disclaimer has been updated to include the real and code names of the hijackers. The code names in the series reflect those used during the actual event".

She added, "India has a rich culture of storytelling — and we are committed to showcasing these stories and their authentic representation".

The statement came after the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting summoned the content head of Netflix India and sought an explanation for the contentious aspect of the web series.

'IC 814 Kandahar Hijack', directed by Anubhav Sinha has faced a barrage of criticism by a section of people on social media due to the alleged alteration of hijackers' names to "Bhola" and "Shankar," traditionally associated with Lord Shiva, rather than using real names.

A petition was also filed by the Hindu Sena President, Surjit Singh Yadav, who demanded the cancellation of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) certificate and banned the public viewing of the series for hurting religious sentiment.

Notably, the web series is a dramatic representation of the 1999 hijacking incident of the IC-814 flight en route to Delhi from Kathmandu. A total of five terrorists of the Pakistan-based terror group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen hijacked the flight before the then BJP-led government finally agreed to the demands and released three high-profile terrorists. 

IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack features actors Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Vijay Varma, Diya Mirza, Patralekha, Rajiv Thakur, and others.