English Entertainment
AXN claims giant share among English movie channels with ‘Commando’
Action channel AXN India claims to have stolen a march over rival English movie channels last month in the ratings game.
The channel telecast Commando on 19 May at 9 pm – an Arnold Schwarzenneger flick about a child’s kidnapping and her subsequent release. Quoting TAM data for 19 May, AXN says the film helped the channel corner a market share of nearly 60 per cent in SEC A and B C&S homes in the five metros of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Bangalore. Tracking the channel shares for the time period between 9 pm and 10.59 pm, AXN claims to be head and shoulders above rivals HBO, Star Movies, Zee MGM, along with Hallmark.
Interestingly, HBO aired Batman and Robin at the same time when Commando was playing on AXN. While Commando has Schwarzenegger in a positive role, Batman and Robin has him in a villain’s role. AXN claims that Batman’s wings were clipped by Commando, with data which indicates that market share among English movie channels for the caped hero hovered around 20 per cent. Hallmark’s share for the same period was a meagre two to three per cent, while Star Movies fared slightly better with its film aired in the Sunday Best slot generating around 14 per cent share among females in the SEC AB 15-44 category.
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.
