The sell-side stack for India CTV — the technology and partnerships that connect publisher inventory to programmatic demand — is less consolidated than the buy side. Publishers use different SSP configurations depending on their ownership structure, technical capabilities, and commercial agreements. Understanding how India's major CTV publishers manage their sell-side stack explains why inventory access looks different across publishers and why some inventory is more easily reached programmatically than others.
How the CTV sell-side stack works
A CTV publisher's sell-side stack typically involves: (1) an ad server that manages the ad break timeline, deal prioritisation, and impression tracking; (2) one or more SSPs that connect the publisher to programmatic buyers; and (3) direct IO management for guaranteed campaigns.
When a viewer reaches an ad break on a CTV app, the publisher's ad server runs an auction: it checks for direct IO campaigns that have guaranteed priority, then sends a bid request to connected SSPs for the remaining slots. SSPs auction the impression to DSPs in real time. The ad server selects the winner and fires the VAST tag to retrieve and play the creative.
SSPs operating in India CTV
PubMatic: The most significant independent SSP for India CTV. PubMatic has direct publisher integrations with Zee5, SonyLIV, MX Player, and several regional OTT platforms. Buyers using DV360 or TTD access this inventory via PubMatic's programmatic pipes. PubMatic's OpenWrap product manages header bidding for CTV publishers, maximising yield across multiple SSP connections.
Magnite (formerly Rubicon + Telaria): Magnite is the global leader in CTV SSP and has India publisher integrations. Telaria (now Magnite CTV) was one of the earliest CTV-specific SSPs and its technology is more mature for CTV-specific features (VAST tracking, pod management, deal ID handling). Magnite connects India CTV publishers to international DSPs efficiently.
Google Ad Manager (GAM): Many smaller India OTT publishers use GAM as their primary ad server and SSP. GAM integrates directly with DV360, which is the dominant CTV DSP among India agencies. GAM's unified pricing rules and deal ID management are familiar to most India programmatic teams.
Amazon Publisher Services (APS): Manages Fire TV app monetisation for publishers on Amazon's ecosystem. Publishers with Fire TV apps can access Amazon's demand alongside other programmatic buyers through APS.
JioHotstar's walled garden sell-side
JioHotstar operates its own proprietary ad server and does not connect its primary inventory to independent SSPs for open programmatic access. JioHotstar's programmatic inventory — available through DV360 and select other DSPs — is accessed via JioHotstar's own programmatic infrastructure, not through PubMatic, Magnite, or Google Ad Manager. This means advertisers buying JioHotstar programmatically are working within JioHotstar's own pricing, deal structure, and measurement environment.
India CTV sell-side stack comparison
| Publisher | Ad server | Primary SSP(s) | Programmatic access |
|---|---|---|---|
| JioHotstar | Proprietary | Proprietary | DV360 via JioHotstar programmatic; limited open exchange |
| Zee5 | Google Ad Manager | PubMatic, Magnite | DV360, TTD via PubMatic/Magnite PMPs |
| SonyLIV | Google Ad Manager | PubMatic | DV360, TTD via PubMatic PMPs |
| MX Player | Google Ad Manager | PubMatic, GAM | Open to more programmatic; lower CPM floor |
| Samsung TV Plus | Samsung Ads proprietary | Samsung Ads, select DSP integrations | Samsung Ads direct; select programmatic |
India CTV yield management considerations
India CTV publishers face a classic yield management challenge: too-low open auction CPMs dilute brand value; too-high floors reduce fill. Most mid-tier publishers maintain fill rates of 40–70% on programmatic CTV — meaning 30–60% of available impressions go unfilled (house ads or no-fill). Advertisers using PMPs get prioritised access; those relying on open exchange compete for the reminder after PMP allocations are served.