Prasar Bharati is all set to launch its own OTT (over-the-top) platform soon. Sanjay Jaju, Secretary to the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, has said that the channel will be launched at the upcoming International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa.
Addressing reporters on the sidelines of the India Game Developer Conference (IGDC) on Wednesday, he said that apart from live streaming channels, the platform will provide access to a vast collection of archival content, including photographs from the Government of India Photo Division and various publications.
To facilitate the rollout of 730 private FM radio channels in 234 underserved cities across the country, the government recently initiated the process of inviting applications from potential bidders for the e-auction of the third batch of private FM Radio Phase-III channels.
Jaju said the auction process for selecting private players to start FM stations would be completed by February 2025.
Expanding scope in gaming
Earlier, addressing the inaugural ceremony of the three-day IGDC conference, Jaju said the government was aware of the difference between video gaming and the interactive entertainment industry versus the real money gaming industry.
He said the video gaming industry was essentially led by content and creativity and the Ministry would work with the recently-launched Game Developer Association of India to create high-quality talent at scale to expand the country’s scope in the global gaming space. The GDAI was unveiled the same day and is aimed at unifying, promoting and elevating the country’s growing video gaming and interactive entertainment industry.