Prasar Bharati seeks to onboard private satellite TV channels on its OTT platform

Prasar Bharati, the state-owned public broadcaster, is inviting applications from TV broadcasters interested in streaming their linear TV channels on its upcoming over-the-top (OTT) platform for a period of one year.

The broadcasters who are interested can submit their applications by August 12. The starting date will be considered the date on which the streaming channel is placed on the OTT platform.

Prasar Bharati highlighted that only satellite channels, permitted/licensed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for downlinking/distribution in India under relevant guidelines are eligible for streaming on Prasar Bharati’s OTT platform. Only companies holding valid permission/license from Ministry of I&B for downlinking/distribution of satellite TV channel can apply for participation in selection process in respect of their own channels for on boarding on Prasar Bharati OTT platform.

Moreover, broadcasters desirous to place channels on OTT platform will be required to provide SCTE-35/ad maker enabled feed of channel, which can signal the start and end times of advertisements breaks, of the channel.

Categorisation of TV channels with genres/language of channel for onboarding on Prasar Bharati OTT platform will be as below:

Prasar Bharati said, “The clean feed of successful channel will be carried on OTT platform on revenue sharing basis which will be in the ratio of 65:35 of the net revenue generated from the channel by inserting advertisements (65% to channel and 35% to Prasar Bharati).”

Net revenue for this purpose is defined as revenue earned from the channel after adjusting all costs borne by Prasar Bharati for the respective channel such as transcoding cost, CDN cost, commission of the ad agency hired for ad insertion.

It also highlighted that advertisements on OTT stream will be inserted by Prasar Bharati, at appropriate juncture of the stream as per the availability of SCTE-35 marker. If Prasar Bharati is not able to fill the entire ad duration, the left over duration will be utilised for promos of Prasar Bharati and the respective streaming channels.

Broadcasters desiroud of streaming their channels on Prasar Bharati OTT are required to provide lear and unambiguous proof in support of genre and language classification of their channel. In case of lack of clarity, ambiguity or conflicting information, applications will be deemed ineligible and may be summarily rejected.

All applicant TV channels will be ranked on the basis of DAVP rates card. The selection criteria will be on the basis of the highest rate of a channel under all the time bands, among each of the above categories. Channels having highest rates as per DAVP rates card, in the respective category, shall be selected for streaming on OTT platform.

A ‘Letter of Allotment’ will be issued by Prasar Bharati to successful channels. Every successful channel will be required to sign an ‘Agreement’ with Prasar Bharati in two original copies within 15 days of issue of the letter. Marketing Mind