English Entertainment
Government clears Turner proposal
NEW DELHI: Turner International Inc of the USA, a Time Warner company, is expanding its activities in India envisaging localisation and increased production work, especially for Pogo.
The government has approved a proposal of Turner International Inc to amend its activities in India, which, however, does not alter earlier approved foreign investment promises.
Turner International Inc., USA had submitted that it would like amendments in its present activities, cleared earlier by the government when the Indian subsidiary was allowed to be set up. The Indian arm is called Turner International India.
The new areas of activities, for which clearance has been obtained, are production work, including dubbing in India to increase the quantity and quality of its library of materials.
Though Turner International India was unavailable for comments, industry sources said the change in activity would reflect in the increased localisation of Pogo, a channel that has been specially created for ‘tweens’ in India.
Meanwhile, the government has also cleared the Dubai-based BE International Mena to pick up 26 per cent equity stake in the Delhi-based Confluence Communications Ltd.
Both the companies are advertising industry players, engaged in providing marketing and communications consultancy, creative, media, events management and below the line activities. The total amount of foreign investment is, though, not very high and has been pegged at Rs 0.426 crore.
These two cases relating to FDI were amongst the 19 approved by finance minister P Chidambaram today on the recommendation of the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB).
The FDI approvals amount to around Rs 210 million and relate to ministries of commerce, I&B, industrial policy and promotion, health, non-conventional energy sources, steel, textiles and economic affairs.
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.
