Dish TV's Watcho launches platform for professional content creators

Time of India

07-05-2025

Live Events
(You can now subscribe to our
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel
In a digital landscape where content creation is growing rapidly, but discovery and monetisation continue to pose challenges, Direct-to-Home (DTH) operator Dish TV has introduced Fliqs on its OTT platform Watcho, offering original content, exclusive titles, and personalised viewing options.Fliqs is intended to serve as a platform for the production, publishing, and monetisation of professionally created content. It is designed to assist professional content producers across the content lifecycle—from ideation and production to distribution.Dish TV officials said that the platform offers tools for concept development, access to production resources including equipment and talent, and various monetisation models such as ad-supported, subscription, and free-to-view options.Producers also retain rights to their content and receive transparent revenue-sharing terms. Fliqs enables content producers to subtitle their work in 15 languages and dub it in 10, helping them reach diverse audiences across regions.'Fliqs is a professional space for creators who want to retain ownership and monetise their work effectively,' said VK Gupta, CTO of Dish TV India, at the launch. 'We are creating a transparent, creator-first platform that gives professionals complete control over their content lifecycle.'Market watchers, however, say that Fliqs will face challenges like incremental costs, user acquisition in a crowded OTT space, content quality control, and managing creator expectations while competing with deep-pocketed established platforms.Gupta pointed to ongoing challenges in the industry, particularly for regional content creators who often struggle to get visibility on larger platforms. Fliqs currently hosts more than 2,000 hours of content, including previously unreleased titles.Fliqs is supported by Dish TV's existing infrastructure, which includes a user base of 15 million DTH households and 8 million monthly active OTT users.The revenue model offers creators over 50% of earnings while Dish TV absorbs technology and marketing costs. The platform had over 100 creators onboard at the time of launch, including international production companies.