Parliament Question: Digital-First Content Strategy by Prasar Bharati

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 5312 (TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.03.2026) DIGITAL-FIRST CONTENT STRATEGY BY PRASAR BHARATI

5312. SHRI NALIN SOREN:

SMT. MALA RAJYA LAXMI SHAH:

SHRI BHOJRAJ NAG:

SHRI DAMODAR AGRAWAL:

SHRI VISHWESHWAR HEGDE KAGERI:

SHRI VIJAY BAGHEL:

SHRI JUGAL KISHORE:

DR. SANJAY JAISWAL:

SHRI NABA CHARAN MAJHI:

SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI:

Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has achieved the target of 80 per cent digital transmitter coverage for All India Radio (Akashvani) following the increased allocation for the Broadcasting Infrastructure Network Development (BIND) scheme;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) the manner in which the global viewership of Indian cultural content and archival National Heritage programmes has increased since the launch of Prasar Bharati's OTT platform in late half of 2025;(d) the progress made so far under the 'Digital-First Content Strategy' by Prasar Bharati; and

(e) whether the Government has successfully ensured the compliance with the provisions of the Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act, 2007 for all major international sporting events held during 2025-26? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (DR. L. MURUGAN)

(a) to (e): Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development (BIND) scheme is a Central Sector Scheme for development, modernization and upgradation of broadcasting infrastructure of Doordarshan and Akashvani in the country. BIND scheme has been approved with a total outlay of ₹2539.61 crore for 2021-26.

Akashvani has started digital terrestrial broadcasting on MW Band in three metro cities i.e.

Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai. Under the current BIND scheme, 68 transmitters are sanctioned, which will expand AIR coverage from 70% in 2021 to 81%. As a part of its ongoing digital transformation, AIR has also made its 260 channels available live on the mobile app "NewsOnAir" which can be accessed from anywhere in the world.

Prasar Bharati’s Waves OTT platform has significantly improved the reach and accessibility of Indian cultural content globally. Since its launch, the platform has achieved over 1.2 crore downloads and built a registered userbase of around 85 lakh users across geographies.

Waves OTT hosts a rich repository of digitised archival content from Doordarshan, Akashvani and the National Film Archive of India (NFAI).It includes classic television serials, films, documentaries, historic news broadcasts, and cultural performances such as music, dance and theatre. It also features archived radio programmes, interviews and other audio content, along with contemporary offerings. Through its multi-device accessibility and digital distribution strategy, the platform has expanded the reach of Indian cultural and heritage content both within the country and globally.Doordarshan has also strengthened its digital presence across social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, X and Instagram. DD National and DD News YouTube channels together have a subscriber base of over 6 million.

Akashvani has established a dedicated Podcasting Unit for the production of high-quality audio- visual podcasts. Its flagship programme, “The Akashvani Podcast,” is available on Waves OTT and other digital platforms, enhancing audience engagement through contemporary, on-demand content.

The Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act, 2007 mandates sharing of broadcasting signals of sporting events of national importance with Prasar Bharati.

The list of such events was expanded in May 2022 to include additional sports such as tennis, football and hockey, along with all cricket test matches played by India.

During 2025–26, rights holders of all sporting events of national importance shared the feed with Prasar Bharati, and these events were telecast on DD Sports and other Doordarshan channels, in compliance with the provisions of the Act.

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