GECs
Modi Entertainment hopes to push FTV’s ad sales
Modi Entertainment Network (MEN) Television was in the process of working out a plan to increase ad sales for the French channel Fashion TV CEO Rajan Kaaicker said, a day after being served a legal notice by B4U Television Network chief distribution officer Debashish De for breach of contract over a distribution and marketing agreement the two parties had signed.
B4U’s contract with Fashion TV runs till 2005 and the deal signed between FTV and MEN on 9 August was illegal, De has said therefore the notice. Henceforth, both B4U Entertainment (soon to be B4U movies) and B4U Music would be handled by the network itself, De said.
Putting forth MEN’s position in the matter, Kaaicker said FTV had terminated its agreement with B4U over two months previously and the approach for a deal had been initiated by FTV. MEN was just one among a number of major players it had approached for a tie-up, Kaaicker While admitting that he had received a legal notice from B4U he said MEN had in no way violated any of the terms of its contract with the network and added that his lawyers would be filing a suitable response in due course. Kaaicker said that in fact it was B4U that was in breach of contract because MEN had honoured its part of the bargain in full and would continue to do so.
On what the agreement with FTV entailed, Kaaicker said Men’s brief was not only to distribute the channel but also to work out ways to increase ad revenues (virtually non-existant at this juncture). As to what were the initiatives that were being introduced to achieve this, Kaaicker could provide no details except to say that over the next quarter the results would be seen. Reacting to reports that the fashion channel was in the process of going pay, Kaaicker said it was not an option at all at this point. The focus at present was to promote the channel and increase ad revenues, he added.
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.
