GECs
AIR employee suicide drama comes to an end
NEW DELHI: Innovative ways of protests are not new in India and with the pressure of work increasing in the sector of media suicide threats too are not uncommon.
DISGRUNTLED DESCENT: Bhaskar Bora climbs down from the AIR tower at Akashwani Bhavan in New Delhi.
A high drama was witnessed at Delhi’s busy Parliament Street yesterday as a casual employee of India’s radio pubcaster, All India Radio, climbed a huge tower at the Akashwani Bhavan and threatened to jump down if his demands were not met.
Bhaskar Bora, a newsreader, who was demanding regularisation of service, climbed the tower around 10:30 am, a PTI report, quoting the local police, said. However, onlookers said the dejected employee climbed down late Wednesday evening.
Bhaskar threw some pamphlets from the tall tower, according to the wire service report. The police collected the pamphlets that, reportedly, said the information and broadcasting minister along with the CEO of Prasar Bharati, which oversees the functioning of AIR and Doordarshan, should come and talk to him.
The traffic on the busy Parliament Street was thrown out of gear with the posse of policemen regulating the movement of vehicles. A large number of fire brigade personnel also stood by for any emergency. A huge snorkel was also pressed into service to bring Bhaskar down.
Meanwhile, in the Lower House of Indian Parliament information and broadcasting minister Ravi Shankar Prasad stated that the government proposes to computerise the Akashwani Kendras to enable them to perform better.
The proposed expenses likely to be incurred on each of the kendras/offices of All India Radio (AIR) would be Rs 7 million for zonal office, Rs 300,000 for big stations and Rs 150,000 lakh for smaller stations, Prasad said in Lok Sabha, adding the proposal is expected to be implemented within a year.
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.
