NEW DELHI: In a bid to enhance the quality and appeal of its OTT platform WAVES, public broadcaster Prasar Bharati (PB) has introduced a Pay-Per-View (PPV) Content Sourcing Policy. Aimed at attracting independent filmmakers, production houses, and digital creators, the new policy seeks to create a robust, data-driven content ecosystem.
Under the pilot framework, creators will be compensated based on validated views, defined as instances where a user watches at least 30% of a film or episode. This model ensures transparency and ties payments directly to audience engagement.
During the pilot phase, which will run until March 2026, all content will remain free to viewers. Instead of charging users, PB will remunerate producers based on the number of validated views their content receives.
Officials said the initiative is part of broader efforts to make WAVES more competitive and content-rich. “There is a lot of content available, but the platform is not yet matching other services. So, we’ve introduced this arrangement to improve WAVES,” they stated.
Launched in November last year, WAVES offers a mix of on-demand content and live streams across various genres and Indian languages. As the platform approaches its first anniversary, the PPV framework aims to promote high-quality, exclusive, and regionally diverse content.
“The policy sets out a fair, data-led mechanism for onboarding content and determining creator remuneration,” the document notes. It will also serve as a pilot to assess the long-term viability of performance-linked models for public service OTT platforms.
All submitted content will be subject to standard technical quality checks, rights verification, and legal vetting before being featured on the platform.
An evaluation committee will review monthly analytics, financial metrics, and audience trends. It will also assess cost-per-view efficiency and content diversity, making recommendations on policy refinements, rate adjustments, and structural improvements for long-term implementation.
