DishTV now wants to compete with Netflix, Hotstar and Amazon Prime Video with its new OTT platform 'Watcho'

DishTV has now joined the overcrowded (over-the-top) segment with its new platform called 'Watcho.' DishTV expects to reach 10 million users within a year. With the launch of a new OTT platform, DishTV plans to offer short-format content to its young users, in languages such as Hindi, Kannada and Telugu.

DishTV also plans to add content on its platform in other regional languages including Bhojpuri and Gujarati. DishTV will provide OTT service to its existing DTH subscribers of Dish TV and D2H brands, which are estimated to be around 23 million, free as of now. Dish TV India Executive Director and Group CEO Anil Dua, had this to say:

"It would help us to grow the basic platform with its active base much more strongly because it would block one more exit route. This is meant to strengthen the existing platform rather than creating a new platform. We aim to reach over 10 million users in the first year itself The move will also help Dish TV to have a presence in both the mediums - the traditional DTH and fast-growing online streaming market.”

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Watcho will offer over 1,000 hours of library content, including movies and short films. Watcho subscribers can also enjoy their favourite TV shows and popular drama series through live or catch-up TV.

Boston Consulting Group projects the Indian OTT market to see rapid growth and become a $5 billion dollar industry by 2023, courtesy of access to affordable data, mobile penetration into rural markets, etc. Rural India will have a much bigger role to play in maximising OTT consumption as 48 per cent of India's Internet users (about 650 million by 2023) are expected to be from this area.

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The number of players in the Indian OTT market had grown from 9 in 2012 to 32 players in 2018. Major players in the domestic OTT market are Netflix, Amazon Prime, ALT Balaji, Sony Liv, Eros Now and Hotstar.

(With agency inputs)