Indian pubcaster Prasar Bharati’s proposed OTT platform is likely to be launched on September 15, according to Storyboard18.com.

The launch as and when it happens will take place amidst serious concerns expressed over it by several stakeholders of the Indian media and entertainment industry, including the powerful industry body of MSOs, AIDCF.

The Storyboard18 report indicated that Prasar Bharati’s streaming service, for which it has invited content from private sector TV channels and others, is likely to be free for the first year or so.

Meanwhile, as reported by Indianbroadcastingworld.com last week, AIDCF criticised Prasar Bharati for inviting private sector satellite TV channels to onboard its proposed OTT platform, saying it would violate the government’s own uplinking and downlinking guidelines.

“Prasar Bharti vide its letter dated 5th Aug 2024, have issued a NIA (Notice Inviting Application) to all the linear satellite TV channels for on-boarding on their OTT platform. The above NIA by Prasar Bharti is promoting broadcasters to violate clause 11(3) (f) of the Uplinking & Downlinking guidelines dated 9th November 2022 and its subsequent amendment dated 24th March 2023,” the AIDCF said in a letter to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Broadcasters are required to adhere to the downlinking guidelines, for the grant of permission to downlink satellite TV channels, irrespective of the distribution platforms, said All India Digital cable Federation (AIDCF) in its letter. The organisation boasts of member-companies including DEN Network, Hathway, Hinduja Global Solutions’ IMCL and Siti Networks.

The AIDCF also accused the broadcasters of misinterpreting existing regulations by stating that national broadcaster Prasar Bharti was outside the purview of regulator TRAI regulations and the federal law, Cable TV Act.