GECs
New programming, production head for Raj TV
MUMBAI: Raj TV has roped in Tamil television programming veteran V Chandrasekhar to give it a new look. The Tamil general entertainment channel brought Chandrasekhar as executive vice president programming and production, a newly-created post.
Chandrasekhar is the former director, operations, of the K Balachander-headed production house Min Bimbangal.
Chandrasekhar says his effort will be to shape the content differently at Raj TV. “The shift in strategy is based on a market study we had conducted. The aim is to target niche Tamil markets. We will be launching more daily soaps in the May-June period,” he says.
Programming strategies will be revamped, says Chandrasekhar, as the channel will be experimenting with new time bands. The channel is reserving its evening prime time band – 7 PM to 10:30 PM – exclusively for soaps. To start with, Raj TV is launching a soap titled Mundani Mudichu in the first week of May for the 9 PM slot, replacing a film-based show.
“The new strategy is not about bringing in different programmes. It is about doing programmes differently. We want to bring a change in the area of production values, turnaround time, timeliness of the content and the kind of people it reaches out to,” he says.
During his 14-year stint with Min Bimbangal, Chandrasekhar has worked behind various successful projects. He was responsible for one of the Sun TV channel drivers Kayyalavu Manasu, almost 12 serials for Raj TV and then the Vijay TV reality show Kadhayalla Nijam.
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.
