**Summary:**
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has launched WAVES OTT, a free-to-access platform designed to enhance linguistic and cultural diversity within India. Unlike commercial OTT platforms focused primarily on entertainment, WAVES OTT offers credible, culturally rich content, showcasing Indian heritage, regional diversity, public service programming, and news, drawn from Akashvani and Doordarshan. All 35 Doordarshan Satellite Channels and various regional channels of Akashvani are available on the platform, along with FTA broadcasters showcasing regional content.
WAVES OTT collaborates with content creators, regional broadcasters, and cultural institutions to onboard multilingual and dialect-rich content. The platform supports subtitling and metadata enrichment to broaden the accessibility of diverse content. The platform is accessible via smartphones and internet-enabled devices without subscription fees.
Promotional efforts to popularize the WAVES OTT platform in rural and semi-urban areas include promotions through Akashvani and Doordarshan channels, the MyGov platform, and targeted social media campaigns in regional languages. Prasar Bharati is collaborating with Common Service Centres (CSCs) for on-ground activation through Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs).
This information was submitted by Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Dr. L Murugan in Rajya Sabha on August 8, 2025. The press release was issued by PIB Delhi (Release ID: 2154230) and prepared by Dharmendra Tewari and Navin Sreejith.
Key Entities Referenced
WAVES OTT: A free-to-access Over-The-Top (OTT) platform developed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to enhance linguistic and cultural diversity of India by showcasing Indian heritage, public service programming and news.
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting: The Indian government ministry responsible for the formulation and administration of rules, regulations and laws relating to information, broadcasting and the press in India.
Akashvani: All India Radio, a national radio broadcaster in India.
Doordarshan: An Indian public service broadcaster founded by the Government of India, is one of India's oldest television networks.
Prasar Bharati: The Public Service Broadcaster of India, encompassing Doordarshan and All India Radio.
MyGov: Citizen engagement platform of the Government of India.
Rajya Sabha: The Upper House of the Parliament of India.
Delhi: The National Capital Territory of Delhi, India, where the Press Information Bureau (PIB) is located.
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
With Public Service Driven Approach, WAVES OTT
is enhancing linguistic & cultural diversity of India;
Government to Parliament.
In sharp contrast to commercial & entertainment
centric private models, WAVES OTT showcases
Indian heritage, public service programming and
news along with select entertainment; MoS, I& B
WAVES OTT Offers Credible, Culturally Rich
Content from Akashvani and Doordarshan,
Showcasing Indian Heritage, Regional Diversity,
Public Service Programming and News All Free of
Cost
Collaborating with content creators, regional
broadcasters and cultural institutions to onboard
multi-lingual and dialect-rich content, WAVES is
making it Accessible via smartphones and internet-
enabled devices without subscription fees
Posted On: 08 AUG 2025 5:22PM by PIB Delhi
WAVES OTT has undertaken several partnerships to enhance linguistic and cultural diversity. The platform
is working with a wide network of content creators, regional broadcasters, cultural institutions to onboard
content on the WAVES OTT platform across multiple Indian languages and dialects. The platform also
supports subtitling and metadata enrichment to make diverse content discoverable and accessible to a broader
regional audience.
It is also leveraging the regional content strengths of Akashvani and Doordarshan. All 35 Doordarshan
Satellite Channels and various regional channels of Akashvani are available on Waves OTT Platform.
Additionally, many FTA (free-to-air) broadcasters showcasing regional contents and covering variouscultures are also available on WAVES.
WAVES OTT is a free-to-access platform, available on smartphones and internet-enabled devices, ensuring
wide digital accessibility. It sets itself apart by offering credible, informative, and culturally rich content
drawn from the vast archives and live streams of Akashvani and Doordarshan. The platform’s core strategy
emphasizes showcasing Indian heritage, regional diversity, public service programming, and news, alongside
select entertainment content — all without any subscription fee.
This public service-driven approach stands in contrast to the commercial, entertainment-centric models of
private OTT platforms. The platform has integrated user-centric features to increase accessibility and viewer
engagement.
Various promotional and outreach efforts have been undertaken to popularize the WAVES OTT platform in
rural and semi-urban areas. These include promotions through Akashvani and Doordarshan channels, as well
as the MyGov platform. Targeted social media campaigns in regional languages are being run to reach
audiences in these areas. Prasar Bharati has also collaborated with Common Service Centres (CSCs) for on-
ground activation through Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs).
This information was submitted by Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and
Parliamentary Affairs Dr. L Murugan in Rajya Sabha today.
*****
Dharmendra Tewari/ Navin Sreejith
(Release ID: 2154230)