GECs
Star set to push home videos in UK; looks next at Canada, SE Asia
MUMBAI: When Peter E Poon, general manager Fortune Star (the Star Group’s distribution and licensing arm) met Indiantelevision.comat Cannes during MipTV in April, he had said that the first part of his three-fold roadmap ahead would be to set up the video market internationally for Indian content – UK, Canada, US, Malaysia and Singapore in particular. This would entail tying together the full product distribution chain from wholesalers, retailers right down to individual consumers.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com in Cannes at the recently concluded Mipcom 2005, Poon provided an update on the home video initiative with regard to not just Indian but also Chinese content.
Fortune Star has just announced in the UK that it is inviting bids for the licensing rights to its extensive library of Indian dramas, comedies, and tele-films (mainly in Hindi and also in Tamil). Poon said he was on schedule to make a similar announcement for South East Asia by November-December and the Canada territory (mainly Vancouver and Toronto) within the first quarter of 2006. This would constitute the first stage of Fortune Star’s India content game plan, Poon said.
Referring to his Chinese content library, Poon informed that a deal for the Portugal and Spain territories had just been announced. Other territories where deals were already in place, mainly for 645 film titles, were Canada, US, Germany, France, UK and SE Asia, Poon said.
Next on the anvil after the home video distribution pipeline has been stabilised is:
Aggressively ramp up TV licensing to multicultural broadcasters and TV stations.
Leverage mobile platforms. The Chinese experience will be the template that India will be following because Star China is way ahead of India in this.
According to Poon’s earlier estimates, it will take three years to set up the “content pipeline” so that product delivery is seamless and consistent. “Distribution before production”, is how he termed it.
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.
