WAVES OTT showcases India’s heritage and regional diversity: Dr. L. Murugan, MoS I&B
To expand reach in rural areas and Tier II/III towns, the government has initiated promotions through Akashvani, Doordarshan, and the MyGov platform, alongside regional-language social media campaigns.
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The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has announced that WAVES OTT, the government-backed streaming platform, is deepening its partnerships to enhance linguistic and cultural diversity, with a particular focus on regional and rural audiences.
According to Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr. L. Murugan, WAVES OTT is working closely with a broad network of content creators, regional broadcasters, and cultural institutions to bring programming in multiple Indian languages and dialects. The platform also offers subtitling and metadata enrichment to make content more discoverable and accessible for diverse audiences.
Leveraging the vast archives and live streams of Akashvani and Doordarshan, the service hosts all 35 Doordarshan satellite channels, various regional Akashvani channels, and multiple free-to-air broadcasters showcasing cultural and regional content.
Unlike commercial OTT platforms, WAVES OTT operates on a free-to-access model, available on smartphones and internet-enabled devices without any subscription fee. Its programming mix emphasizes Indian heritage, regional diversity, public service content, news, and selected entertainment offerings.
To expand reach in rural areas and Tier II/III towns, the government has initiated promotions through Akashvani, Doordarshan, and the MyGov platform, alongside regional-language social media campaigns. Prasar Bharati has also tied up with Common Service Centres to enable on-ground outreach via Village Level Entrepreneurs.
Officials say these efforts aim to position WAVES OTT as a credible, culturally rich, and inclusive digital platform that connects India’s diverse audiences while offering an alternative to entertainment-driven private streaming services.
