Prasar Bharati Launches WAVES OTT: A New OTT Platform at 55th International Film Festival of India 2024

The Chief Minister of Goa, Dr. Pramod Sawant, officially launched ‘WAVES’, the OTT platform of the national public broadcaster Prasar Bharati, during the opening ceremony of the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa.

Shri Sanjay Jaju, Secretary of Information and Broadcasting, along with other dignitaries, was also present at the event.

Swati Bhat

Doordarshan, India’s esteemed public broadcaster, has entered the OTT (Over-The-Top) platform arena to address the increasing demand for digital streaming services. The platform seeks to evoke nostalgia while embracing contemporary digital trends by offering a diverse blend of classic and modern programming. Featuring a library that includes timeless shows such as Ramayan, Mahabharat, Shaktimaan, and Hum Log, it appeals to audiences seeking cultural and emotional connections with India's heritage. Additionally, it provides news, documentaries, and regional content, underscoring its dedication to inclusivity and diversity. By leveraging its extensive legacy and national trust, Doordarshan's OTT platform effectively bridges the gap between traditional television and modern streaming, catering to both tech-savvy youth and older generations.

‘WAVES’ has emerged as a major aggregator OTT platform, showcasing Inclusive India stories that embrace Indian culture with an international perspective, available in over 12 languages, including Hindi, English, Bengali, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati, Punjabi, and Assamese. It spans more than 10 genres of infotainment and offers video on demand, free-to-play gaming, radio streaming, live TV streaming, 65 live channels, various App-in-App integrations for video and gaming content, and online shopping through an ONDC-supported e-commerce platform. 

In a conscious effort to unlock the potential of young creators in the creative economy, WAVES provides its platform to content creators, including National Creator Awardees like Kamiya Jani, RJ Raunac, Shraddha Sharma, and others. WAVES has also opened its portal to student graduation films from film and media colleges such as FTII, Annapurna, and AAFT.

New Films and Shows on WAVES to be Screened at IFFI

In alignment with the focus of the 55th IFFI on young filmmakers, WAVES will screen ‘Roll No.52,’ a student graduation film from Annapurna Film and Media Studio by Nagarjuna and Amala Akkineni.

'Fauji 2.0,' a contemporary adaptation of the iconic 1980s Shahrukh Khan series Fauji, 'Kicking Balls' by Oscar-winning Guneet Monga Kapoor, 'Jackson Halt,' a crime thriller, and 'Jaiye Aap Kahan Jayenge,' themed around mobile toilets, will be showcased on WAVES.

WAVES features live events such as the Prabhu Shriram Lalla Aarti broadcasted live from Ayodhya and the monthly Mann ki Baat by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The forthcoming US Premier League Cricket Tournament will be streamed live on WAVES starting 22nd November, 2024. WAVES will also initiate a Cyber Security awareness campaign with daily video messages in collaboration with CDAC, MeitY. This initiative is supported by programs like Cyber Crime ki Duniya (a fictional series) and Cyber Alert (by DD News features).

Additional films and shows on WAVES include the fantasy action superhero film 'Monkey King: The Hero is Back', the national award-winning Fouja, Armaan, Vipul Shah’s thriller series Bhed Bharam, the family drama Thode Door Thode Paas featuring Pankaj Kapoor, Kailash Kher’s music reality show Bharat ka Amrit Kalash, Sarpanch, BeCubed by Hotmail Founder Sabeer Bhatia, and women-centric shows and films such as Corporate Sarpanch, Dashmi, and Kariathi, Jaanki. WAVES also offers a selection of popular animated programs including Doggy Adventure, Chota Bheem, Tenaliram, Akbar Birbal, and games like Krishna Jump, Fruit Chef, Ram the Yodha, and Cricket Premier League tournament.

Expanding the diversity of content formats, languages, genres, and reach, WAVES includes live channels such as Doordarshan, Akashvani, and various private channels spanning categories like news, general entertainment, music, devotional content, and sports.

Central Government Ministries and states are collaborating with Prasar Bharati to co-develop and contribute diverse content, including docudramas, dramatized or fictionalized shows, and reality shows with entertainment value, serving as effective vehicles for meaningful messages. Notable content includes a documentary on the 75th anniversary of the Supreme Court of India, the NFDC archives titled Cinemas of India, and rare archival content from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, featuring historical photos, journals, and publications. Contributions from the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Finance, IGNCA, Ministry of Culture, and India Post enrich WAVES with informative and entertaining programming.

The digital experience of WAVES blends Indian cultural ethos with a modern look and feel, offering a user-friendly interface, cross-platform compatibility, personalized profiles, and curated playlists, enhancing the streaming experience.

This launch represents a significant advancement not only for Prasar Bharati but also for digital media and OTT audiences, as it delivers a comprehensive infotainment ecosystem.

How can I download WAVES for Android?

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.prasarbharati.bharat.ott&pcampaignid=web_share

How can I download WAVES for iPhone and iPad?

How can I download WAVES for Windows PC?

#PrasarBharati #nfdc #iffi #iffi2024 #OTT #waves #entertainment #doordarshan

Union Minister Shri Thakur inaugurates National Broadcasting Day celebrations at Akashvani Bhawan

Mumbai [India], July 23: Where education system since independence fell short, AIR and Doordarshan told the stories of over 500 unsung heroes of independence struggle: Shri Thakur

“Ye Akashvani Hai”, the immortal words that every Indian can identify, resonated in the Rang Bhawan auditorium at Akashvani Bhawan today as Shri Anurag Thakur uttered them, appending it with “aur aaj aap soochana prasaran mantri ko sunn rahe hain”. These opening words marked the celebration of National Broadcasting Day today, the day All India Radio had begun its, what was going to turn out to be a long and glorious journey, in 1927.

Addressing the gathered audience Union Minister Shri Anurag Thakur said that when some people surmised that Radio was going to have an existential crisis with the advent of Television and subsequently internet, radio has identified its audience and not just maintained its relevance but also its credibility.

He added that today, when people want to listen to unbiased news, they naturally tune in to All India Radio and Doordarshan news. That 92 percent of the country’s geography and over 99 percent of people are covered by All India Radio is a commendable achievement, he said.

Speaking on the importance of Radio as a platform Shri Thakur said that many Prime Ministers have come but none saw the value of Radio as Prime Minister Narendra Modi who made it a platform of choice for his monthly Mann Ki Baat, to connect directly with the people of the country.

The Minister sounded a cautious note to the media and said that if somewhere a wrong perception is getting created about private media with utterances of ‘media trials’, then we need to introspect about our functioning.

Crediting the role of the two entities All India Radio and Doordarshan in delivering on the essence of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Minister said that when the education system since independence did not mention the role of many regional freedom fighters, Radio and Doordarshan curated information about over five hundred unsung heroes from the remotest corners of the country and presented it to the nation celebrating their contribution to the freedom struggle.

The Minister underlined the importance of content for the two agencies and said that it was content that drew people to the channel and no amount of reach through towers can match the importance of content. He further expressed hope that in the digital age, Radio is going to strengthen its presence among the people.

The Minister released promos of new serials on Doordarshan- Corporate Sarpanch: Beti Desh Ki, Jai Bharati, Suron ka Eklavya and Ye Dil Mange More as well as promo of Startup Champions 2.0.

The Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr L. Murugan conveyed his best wishes to the audience on the occasion of National Broadcasting Day. Dr Murugan highlighted the important role played by Radio during freedom struggle when many freedom fighters employed it as a tool for communication against the British imperial government. He recognized the role played by radio in connecting the remotest corners of the country and expressed pride in Prasar Bharti being the biggest public broadcaster in the world.

Chief Executive Officer, Prasar Bharti, Shri Mayank Agarwal underlined the importance of the two mediums viz Television and Radio and said that the news content on the platforms has fared better that private media in trustworthiness and this has been brought out by various surveys.

Director General, All India Radio Shri N. Venudhar Reddy, senior officials of Prasar Bharti, Doordarshan and All India Radio were also present on the occasion.

#thecommunique #tc #tcn #anurgthakur #AIR #doordarshan

Doordarshan Launches The Promo Of Its Upcoming Mega Show ‘Swaraj’

Swati Bhat

In the 75th year of India’s Independence when the nation is celebrating ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsava’ under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, Doordarshan is also undergoing a major revamp based on the theme of “Naye Bharat Ka Naya Doordarshan” with the launch of a number of new high quality serials fulfilling its mandate as the Public Service Broadcaster of India.

Doordarshan is slated to air a mega historical show titled “Swaraj- Bharat Ke Swatantrata Sangram Ki Samagra Gatha". As a build-up to the show, its promo was launched today at an event organized at Akashvani Bhawan, New Delhi, by Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs & Sports, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur.

The historical docu-drama series, ‘Swaraj- Bharat Ke Swatantrata Sangram Ki Samagra Gatha’, is a 75 episodes mega show illustrating the glorious history of India’s freedom struggle from the 15th century onwards. This serial will bring to life several aspects of Indian history while featuring the lives and sacrifices of lesser known heroes. The popular film actor, Shri Manoj Joshi, plays a stellar role as the narrator (sutradhar) of the serial. The serial has a grand production quality and promises to be a visual treat.

Swaraj is to be launched on 14th August 2022 in Hindi on DD National and subsequently in several regional languages for telecast on regional network of Doordarshan. Its audio version will be broadcast on All India Radio network as well.

Speaking during the promo launch, the Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs & Sports, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur said “The promo is not only a glimpse of what was envisioned during the freedom struggle but it is also a glimpse of what will be the New Doordarshan of New India.” He said that from Chitrahar to Samachar, the programs of DD used to have quality. The Minister added that we will ensure that it is further enhanced in the coming years. He appreciated the efforts of the research & advisory team of Swaraj for continuing their work despite COVID-19 pandemic. He also emphasized that the telecast of Swaraj in 10 languages will amplify its accessibility for all. The Minister congratulated the whole team of Doordarshan and All India Radio on the successful launch.

Secretary, Ministry of I&B, Shri Apurva Chandra, who also attended the launch event said, “On the occasion of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, it is a matter of great joy that through the serial youth will come to know about the contribution of people who made sacrifices in the freedom struggle.” He also said that Prasar Bharati is fulfilling its mandate of wholesome entertainment through such high quality serials for its viewers.

Member, Swaraj Advisory Committee, Shri Jawahar Lal Kaul in his address stressed upon the point that unsung and lesser known heroes of India’s freedom struggle from all the regions must be remembered for their supreme sacrifice for Swaraj. He said that the deep research and study by the Swaraj Advisory Committee enriched the content for the production of the serial.

The promo was launched in the presence of CEO, Prasar Bharati & DG, Doordarshan, Shri Mayank Kumar Agrawal, Member (Finance), Prasar Bharati, Shri D.P.S Negi, DG, AIR, Shri N.V. Reddy and other dignitaries. With its high tech production quality and an inspiring narrative, Swaraj is sure to fill every Indian’s heart with pride!

#thecommunique #tc #tcn #doordarshan