English Entertainment
Fox to kick off sixth season of ‘American Idol’ in January
MUMBAI: US broadcaster Fox has announced that the sixth season of its music based reality show American Idol returns for its sixth season in a special two-night, four-hour season premiere on 16 January 2007.
In India the show will air on Star World.
The search for the next superstar began last summer, as the show travelled to several cities in the US. Over 100,000 people turned up at the auditions for the sixth season.
The show’s host Ryan Seacrest is back, and judges Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson return to lend their professional expertise, personal comments and sometimes tough criticism to a new crop of aspiring singers. Some will get the judges approval and others will hear the cold, hard truth!
Guest judges Olivia Newton John, Carol Bayer Sager and Jewel also joined the road trip this season. Viewers will find out what these celebrity judges had to say about the talent around the country and who gets the gold ticket to Hollywood.
Last year’s season culminated in the crowning of Taylor Hicks as the fifth American Idol. Hicks joined previous winners Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia and Carrie Underwood as holders of the coveted title. In total, American Idol artists have sold 10 million singles and 23 million albums since the show first aired in 2002. Now the stage is set to turn a sixth singer’s dream into reality.
English Entertainment
ZEE5 UK partners Narrative Entertainment to add UK channels
Six FAST channels added as platform sharpens hybrid play in Britain
LONDON: ZEE5 UK struck a first-of-its-kind deal with Narrative Entertainment, bringing mainstream UK television channels onto an Indian streaming platform as it pushes to deepen its footprint in a crowded, mature market.
The partnership adds six of Narrative’s FAST channels to the service, including Great! Movies, Great! Romance, Great! Mystery and kids brands POP, Tiny Pop and POP UP, widening ZEE5 UK’s appeal across genres and age groups.
The move reflects a clear shift in strategy. ZEE5 UK is betting on a hybrid model that blends on-demand content with curated, always-on channels to drive discovery and increase time spent on the platform.
“This partnership represents a meaningful evolution in how we serve audiences in mature markets like the UK, where viewers are defined by habits, convenience and choice rather than geography or language alone,” said Parul Goel, territory head, Europe, Zee Entertainment. “By bringing trusted mainstream UK channels together with our premium originals, movies and kids’ content, we are building a more consumer-centric platform that simplifies viewing while increasing depth and relevance.”
Fateha Begum, commercial director, Narrative Entertainment, said the tie-up would fuel growth for both sides. “Our portfolio of quality programming, with such wide and enduring appeal, is a perfect complement to ZEE5 UK. This is a strong partnership that will support growth for both parties, and we share Zee Entertainment’s vision of an increasingly partnership-led future for the industry.”
ZEE5’s global library spans over 4,000 films and more than 500 originals, with over 130 new titles added annually. The addition of Narrative’s channels strengthens its kids offering and introduces genre-led linear experiences alongside its on-demand catalogue.
The deal also gives Narrative access to ZEE5 UK’s fast-growing user base, extending reach without diluting brand identity, while reinforcing ZEE5 UK’s network of more than 40 live channels.
As streaming wars intensify, ZEE5 UK is widening its playbook, blending content, convenience and partnerships in a bid to win screen time in one of the world’s toughest markets.
