GECs
TV Today set to launch another Hindi news channel, media institute
MUMBAI: The Aroon Purie-controlled TV Today Network is once more on the march with plans to unveil a new channel and a media institute.
TV Today Network, which already manages the country’s No. 1 news channel Aaj Tak, is now planning to launch a second sibling to Aaj Tak. The other channel in the stable is English news channel Headlines Today.
Sources in TV Today told Indiantelevision.com that an ad sales meeting that has been slated over Tuesday and Wednesday is likely to be told about the new initiatives so that marketing activities could be properly set in motion.
The sources indicated that the Network is contemplating coming out with another Hindi channel. However, the details of the proposed channel, which is targeting a launch over the next three months, are not forthcoming.
Meanwhile, company sources said that the media institute will be called TV Today Media Institute and would be engaged in training manpower for the TV industry in general and TV Today in particular.
Trained manpower is becoming a scarce commodity with demand being more than supply as TV channels mushroom all over.
This has lead to a situation where media companies, especially news channels, are trying their best to retain trained talent (read guard against poaching), but at a cost that has started telling on the bottomlines of these companies with the annual wage bill spiralling.
TV Today Network is targeting to start the institute mid-August or early September and the company would start promoting the institute through Aaj Tak and English sibling Headlines Today over the next few days.
The admissi on process for the same should start soon and the institute would look at having approximately
35 students as its first batch.
With the media institute, TV Today will join the ranks of companies like BAG Films, Jagran, Amity and Zee Telefilms, to name a few, which run media training outfits.
The TV Today scrip closed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) Monday at Rs. 74.50, while the scrip opened at Rs 81.20.
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.
