Prasar Bharati’s ambitious foray into the streaming wars, the WAVES OTT platform, has generated ₹2.90 crore in revenue for the fiscal year 2024-25. While the figure is modest compared to the ₹23,000 crore Indian OTT market, it represents the first financial footprint of the government’s “hybrid” digital ecosystem since its high-profile launch in November 2024.
The revenue data, revealed in Prasar Bharati’s latest Annual Report, highlights a significant “monetization gap” despite the platform’s massive scale and content library.
1. The “WAVES” Performance Scorecard (FY25)
Launched at the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), WAVES was designed to be more than just a video app, integrating gaming, e-commerce (via ONDC), and education.
| Metric | Status (as of March 2026) |
| Total Revenue | ₹2.90 Crore |
| Registered Users | 84 Lakh (8.4 Million) |
| Content Volume | 13,608 Titles (~9,495 Hours) |
| Live Channels | 74 TV Channels + 12 Radio Channels |
| Content Partners | 200+ (including Lionsgate Play, Eros Now, etc.) |
2. The “Missing Button” Problem
The primary bottleneck for WAVES’ revenue growth is a critical user-experience friction: the app currently lacks an in-app payment gateway.
- The Friction: Users wishing to subscribe to premium tiers must leave the app and complete their purchase via the official website (
waves.pb). - The Impact: In a mobile-first market where 95% of OTT consumption happens on smartphones, this extra step has caused massive “drop-offs” in conversion.
- The Fix: Prasar Bharati is reportedly working to integrate native iOS and Android payment modules by Q2 FY27 to streamline the “one-click” subscription process.
3. Content: The “Nostalgia” Engine
While revenue is low, engagement is high, driven by what analysts call “Extraordinary Raw Material”—the vast archives of Doordarshan and Akashvani.
- Archival Ingestion: Over 3,800 hours of archival content (including classics like Ramayan, Shaktimaan, and Hum Log) have been made “OTT-ready.”
- Live Events: WAVES successfully streamed over 575 live events, including the Mahakumbh Amrit Snan, the 76th Republic Day Parade, and the Hockey India League.
- Educational Integration: The platform also hosts NCERT books and PACE test prep material, carving a niche in the “edutainment” space for rural and semi-urban students.
4. Strategic Dilemma: Free vs. Paid
Prasar Bharati faces a “strategic paradox” regarding its digital reach.
- The YouTube Giant: The PB Archives YouTube channel clocked 119 million views in FY25, adding 4 lakh subscribers.
- The Conflict: While free distribution on YouTube and DD FreeDish (which reaches 49 million homes) builds massive scale, it conditions audiences to expect content for free, making the transition to the paid WAVES SVOD (Subscription Video on Demand) model difficult.
5. Future Roadmap: Beyond Video
Under the leadership of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, WAVES is being positioned as a “Digital Super App” for the public.
- ONDC Integration: Enabling users to shop for “Vocal for Local” MSME products while watching movies.
- Gaming: Integrated free-to-play mobile games to engage younger demographics without additional downloads.
- PB-SHABD Expansion: The news dissemination service, currently free, is slated to remain so until March 2027 to ensure maximum reach for verified regional news.
“The challenge isn’t the technology or the content; it’s the go-to-market,” noted a digital media consultant. “If users cannot pay from within the app, you haven’t built a business—you’ve built a library. FY26 will be the real test of whether WAVES can turn its 84 lakh users into a sustainable revenue engine.”