GECs
7 Star Care to launch two interactive shows
MUMBAI: 7 Star Care, the only health channel in India, has gone interactive. Three of its shows are SMS-driven, allowing viewers to ask questions on their health issues.
We have tied up with all the mobile operators. The SMS-driven queries will allow us to go closer to the viewers, says 7 Star Care promoter Atul Saraf.
The channel plans to launch two more interactive shows in July. Mera Astitva will deal with issues like alcohol consumption and old age where a five-minute picturisation will be followed by an opinion poll from viewers through SMS. The half-hour programme will be aired on Sundays.
The other one-hour weekly show will feature issues like AIDS, selling of kidneys and mismanagement in hospitals. Viewers can SMS their questions which will be answered to by experts.
The channels interactive programmes include Hello Doctor (to get tips from doctors), Rudraksha (viewers SMS their name and date of birth to get the appropriate Rudraksha) and Swad Aur Swasth Meena (given a weekly diet chart).
7 Star Care is on the global beam of Thaicom and is uplinked from Bangkok. The channel came up after Care TV, floated by Tanu Healthcare Ltd, shut down transmission due to non payment of uplinking charges to VSNL since February.
Tanu Healthcare had sold the brand and logo of the channel to Take Care TV, which ran the operations (programming, marketing and distribution of Care TV) for eight months from January 2004. But in August, Tanu served a legal notice, accusing Take Care of not paying for the acquisition of the brand.
Take Care TV, floated by Saraf, is planning to sue Tanu Healthcare for damages worth Rs 100 million, an amount which it claims it had invested towards programming, marketing and distribution of the channel. Tanu, says Saraf, had promised to grant Take Care a no objection certificate for use of uplinking facility for Care TV from VSNL to Thaicom satellite, but had done nothing towards it.
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.
