Movie Channels
21CF special meet on Disney merger issue on July 10
NEW DELHI: Is the Disney-21st Century Fox merger a done deal? The twists and turns in real life probably match a Hollywood corporate thriller produced by the media company. Second suiter Comcast hasn’t yet given up even as the Rupert Murdoch family-promoted company said on Wednesday that on 10 July 2018 a special meeting has been scheduled for vote on the merger agreement with The Walt Disney Company.
In a statement put out, 21CF said the special meeting of its stockholders would, among other things, “consider and vote” on a proposal to adopt the previously announced merger agreement with The Walt Disney Company and certain of its subsidiaries.
21CF’s board of directors recommends that stockholders vote in favour of the proposal to adopt the Disney Merger Agreement and the other proposals to be voted on at the special meeting.
Comcast in recent times has said that it’s preparing a new bid for 21CF to counter the Disney offer, which if okayed by both the companies’ shareholders and boards, and regulators, would go on to create a global behemoth straddling most streams of media and entertainment sectors. It would also decide the roadmap for India’s biggest (unlisted) media company, Star India.
The official statement from the Murdoch company said: “21CF is aware of the press release of Comcast Corporation of 23 May 2018, in which Comcast states that ‘it is considering, and is in advanced stages of preparing, an offer for the businesses of Fox that Fox has agreed to sell to Disney’. Under the Disney Merger Agreement, if any event occurs that 21CF determines, after consultation with outside legal counsel, is reasonably likely to require under applicable law the filing or mailing of any supplemental or amended disclosure, 21CF may postpone or adjourn the special meeting of its stockholders to allow reasonable additional time for the filing, mailing, dissemination and review by its stockholders of any such disclosure prior to the special meeting.”
21st Century Fox is one of the world’s leading portfolios of cable, broadcast, film, pay TV and satellite assets spanning six continents across the globe. Reaching more than 1.8 billion subscribers in approximately 50 local languages every day, 21st Century Fox is home to a global portfolio of cable and broadcasting networks and properties, including FOX, FX, FXX, FXM, FS1, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, FOX Sports, Fox Sports Network, National Geographic Channels, Star India, 28 local television stations in the U.S. and more than 350 international channels.
The portfolio also includes film studio Twentieth Century Fox Film, television production studios Twentieth Century Fox Television, 50 per cent ownership interest in Endemol Shine Group, apart from approximately 39.1 per cent of the issued shares of Sky, Europe’s leading entertainment company, which serves nearly 23 million households across five countries.
Also Read :
With Star India, Disney emerges as India’s largest M&E firm
Lachlan Murdoch to lead New Fox after Disney sale, James is out
Uday Shankar becomes president of 21st Century Fox, Asia
Disney expected to announce 21 CF buyout tomorrow: media reports
Movie Channels
Zee5 launches five free FAST channels on Samsung TV Plus India
New genre-led channels bring comedy, drama, horror, classics and South films to Smart TVs.
MUMBAI: Zee5 just turned Samsung Smart TVs into a free entertainment buffet because when premium content costs nothing, even the remote control starts smiling. Zee5 has launched five curated free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels on Samsung TV Plus India, making high-quality, genre-specific entertainment available subscription-free to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners across the country.
The five channels now live are:
Zee Comedy Nation – Popular comedy shows and movies
Zee Dil Se – Compelling drama series
ZEE Horror Nights – Horror and supernatural content
ZEE Cine Classic – Timeless Indian films
ZEE South Flix – High-energy South Indian films dubbed in Hindi
All content is drawn from Zee5’s extensive library and programmed in a lean-back, always-on format ideal for large-screen viewing. This launch strengthens Zee5’s Connected TV strategy at a time when 64 per cent of its premium content watch time already comes from connected devices.
Zee5 chief business officer Siju Prabhakaran said, “At Zee5, we believe accessibility and scale will define the next phase of digital entertainment growth in India. Our presence on Samsung TV Plus strengthens our Connected TV strategy, enabling viewers to discover curated, genre-led content in a seamless, free, and premium environment.”
Samsung TV Plus India head of partnerships Kunal Mehta added, “Local partnerships are at the heart of how we grow Samsung TV Plus in India. Zee Entertainment is one of India’s most iconic media brands, and bringing their channels to our service means millions more Samsung Smart TV owners can enjoy premium local content, subscription-free.”
The channels are available directly through the pre-installed Samsung TV Plus app with no login or subscription required. This marks another milestone in Zee5’s CTV expansion and builds on its growing international presence, with Zee channels already available on Samsung TV Plus across Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
In a streaming world where paywalls often block the fun, Zee5 and Samsung have quietly opened the gates, proving that sometimes the best things in life (and on your TV) really are free especially when they come with a side of comedy, drama, horror, classics and South Indian blockbuster energy.
