Prasar Bharati invites satellite TV channels to join WAVES OTT under new one-year streaming partnership
Public broadcaster opens applications till December 1, 2025; offers 65:35 revenue split, SCTE-35 enabled feeds, and DAVP rate–based selection for onboarding linear channels.
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Prasar Bharati has issued a formal call inviting licensed satellite TV broadcasters to onboard their channels onto its OTT platform, WAVES, for a one-year streaming partnership. The notice, dated November 17, 2025, lays out detailed eligibility conditions, revenue-sharing terms, technical requirements, and documentation protocols for interested channels.
According to the circular, only permitted or licensed linear satellite TV channels cleared by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) for downlinking/distribution in India may apply. Further, only companies that themselves hold valid MIB permissions for their channels are eligible, applications cannot be submitted on behalf of third-party channels.
Clean Feed Required; SCTE-35 Ad Markers Mandatory
Broadcasters must provide a clean, SCTE-35/ad-marker-enabled feed signalling the exact start and end of advertisement breaks. This will allow Prasar Bharati to insert ads dynamically into the WAVES stream, the circular said.
If the broadcaster’s feed has unused ad time after Prasar Bharati’s insertions, the remaining slots will be filled with promos for Prasar Bharati and the respective channel.
65:35 Revenue Share in Broadcaster’s Favour
The streaming arrangement will follow a 65:35 revenue-sharing model, with 65% going to the channel and 35% to Prasar Bharati, calculated on net revenue. Net revenue is defined as the income generated from ads inserted in the channel’s stream after deducting Prasar Bharati’s costs such as transcoding, CDN charges, and ad-agency commissions.
Selection Based on DAVP Rate Cards
To ensure transparency and prioritisation, all applicant channels will be ranked using their DAVP (Bureau of Communication) rate cards across all time bands. Within each category, such as GEC, movies, news, music, sports, devotional, kids, and others, the channel with the highest DAVP rate will be selected for placement on WAVES.
Channels must also submit clear proof of genre and language classification. Any ambiguity or conflicting documentation may render an application ineligible.
Application Requirements and Deadlines
Broadcasters must submit:
- The prescribed application form (Annexure-1)
- All documents listed in Annexure-2, including:
* MIB downlinking/uplinking permissions * Renewal proofs if applicable * Approved channel logo permissions * DAVP empanelment document and rate card * Evidence establishing genre and language (via MSO/DTH listings, TRAI/MIB/DAVP certification, or BARC classification) * Additional undertakings in the specified format
Applications must be emailed to no later than 5:00 PM on December 1, 2025 (Monday).
Successful broadcasters will receive a 'Letter of Allotment' and must sign a formal 'Agreement' with Prasar Bharati within 15 days of issuance. They will also need to provide all technical details necessary for onboarding their feed onto WAVES.
The process adheres to detailed terms under Clause 11.2 (Streaming Collaboration with Satellite Channels and FAST Channels) of Prasar Bharati’s Content Sourcing Policy 2024, available on the organisation’s website.
With this initiative, Prasar Bharati is expanding WAVES as a consolidated streaming destination for linear TV, offering satellite broadcasters a structured revenue model and renewed digital visibility.
