GECs
Star India renews English Premier League telecast rights till 2019
MUMBAI: Star India has renewed its exclusive broadcast rights for the English Premier League for the next three seasons from 2016-17 to 2018-19.
With this renewal, Star India will continue to broadcast Premier League matches on a live or delayed basis across India on the Star Sports channels, as well as stream all matches on its digital platforms, Hotstar and starsports.com.
Star India will broadcast more than 200 Premier League games live across its Star Sports TV network, and all the 380 games live on its digital platforms.
Star India COO Sanjay Gupta said, “Our partnership with the Premier League is in line with our strategy of promoting and building football as a priority sport in the country. England’s Premier League is the most successful and viewed football league in the world, with millions of fans in India. We have been broadcasting Premier League football for the last 15 years, and this renewal reaffirms our faith in the strength of the competition as the best international football property. With Premier League, Bundesliga and the Indian Super League, we continue to have a portfolio of the best of global and Indian football.”
Premier League executive chairman Richard Scudamore added, “We are very pleased that Star India has again chosen to invest in our broadcasting rights. The popularity of Premier League football has increased significantly in India in recent seasons and the quality of Star’s production, and their promotion of our competition, is a major factor in that. We look forward to working with Star for at least the next three seasons to make all the best Premier League action available to our fans across the country.”
GECs
Samsung TV Plus launches Kings of Comedy channel
New free FAST channel brings iconic Hindi comedy shows to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners.
MUMBAI: Samsung TV Plus has just turned up the laughter volume and it’s completely free. The leading free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service in India has launched Kings of Comedy, a premium comedy channel featuring some of the country’s most beloved primetime shows. Available exclusively on Samsung TV Plus, the channel delivers back-to-back hits including Comedy Nights with Kapil, Khatra Khatra Khatra, and Comedy Nights Bachao, with no login or subscription required.
The launch marks a milestone for free streaming in India, offering audiences a dedicated comedy destination directly from their Samsung TV home screen. It arrives as Samsung TV Plus India celebrates its 5th anniversary, during which the service has grown its monthly active users by 42 per cent and more than doubled its total viewing hours. The platform now offers over 180 free channels across 14 languages.
Samsung TV Plus India general manager and head of business development Kunal Mehta said, “Comedy is the heartbeat of Hindi entertainment, and Kings of Comedy brings together the shows Indians already love, completely free on their Samsung TV. Our focus remains the same take the content people know and make it effortless to access.”
Globally, Samsung TV Plus has surpassed 100 million monthly active users across more than 4,500 channels, solidifying its position as one of the world’s leading free streaming services.
Kings of Comedy is now available on all compatible Samsung Smart TVs. For viewers seeking non-stop laughter without any cost, this new channel delivers a royal treat proving that sometimes the best entertainment really does come with no strings (or subscriptions) attached.
