GECs
Comedy Central streams James Franco Roast
MUMBAI: Comedy Central is taking one of its showcases and streaming it free across multiple platforms. The “Roast of James Franco” will be accessible via CC.com, mobile platforms and an Xbox app.
A red carpet pre-show will also be available. The network is hoping to drum up considerable social media activity with the sharing of video clips and animated GIFs on its Web site, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Vine and Tumblr.
The roast debuts Monday at 10:00 p.m. For a re-air later that night, Comedy Central is trying a “social version” with real-time tweets and Facebook posts on-screen.
Among the social media activity the network has used to drum up interest in the special is allowing “super users” to take control of Comedy Central’s Vine account.
Franco’s real-life grandmother will be co-hosting the “#FrancoRoast Red Carpet Pre-Show.” Grandma Mitzie Verne will interview celebrities on a couch. The 15-minute red carpet show will be produced by Comedy Central’s in-house digital studio.
Seth Rogen serves as the roast master with Jonah Hill and Andy Samberg among those taking a turn at the mike.
GECs
Sebi sends show-cause notice to Zee over fund diversion, company responds
Regulator questions 2018 letter of comfort and governance lapses; company vows robust legal response
MUMBAI: India’s markets watchdog has reignited its long-running scrutiny of Zee Entertainment Enterprises, issuing a sweeping show-cause notice that drags the broadcaster and 84 others into a widening governance storm.
The notice, dated February 12, has been served by the Securities and Exchange Board of India to Zee, chairman emeritus Subhash Chandra and managing director and chief executive Punit Goenka, among others. At its heart: allegations that company funds were indirectly routed to settle liabilities of entities linked to the Essel Group.
The regulator’s probe traces its roots to November 2019, when two independent directors resigned from Zee’s board, flagging concerns over the alleged appropriation of fixed deposits by Yes Bank. The deposits were reportedly adjusted against loans extended to Essel Group entities, triggering questions about related-party dealings and board oversight.
A key flashpoint is a letter of comfort dated September 4, 2018, issued by Subhash Chandra in his dual capacity as chairman of Zee and the Essel Group. The document, linked to credit facilities availed by certain group companies from Yes Bank, was allegedly known only to select members of management and not disclosed to the full board—an omission SEBI believes raises red flags over transparency and governance controls.
Zee has pushed back hard. In a statement, the company said it “strongly refutes” the allegations against it and its board members and will file a detailed response. It expressed confidence that SEBI would conduct a fair review and signalled readiness to pursue all legal remedies to protect shareholder interests.
The notice marks the latest twist in a saga that has shadowed the broadcaster since 2019. What began as boardroom unease has morphed into a full-blown regulatory confrontation. The final reckoning now rests with SEBI—but the reputational stakes for Zee, and the message for India Inc on governance discipline, could scarcely be higher.
