English Entertainment
AXN ‘Survives’ cautiously amidst plans to air new reality show in November
After having burnt its fingers with the second season of the reality show ‘Survivor’ AXN is not taking chances with its third season.
After just four episodes of the season which was set in Australia the channel was compelled to yank the show off the air in India as viewers – especially PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) – were uncomfortable with scenes depicting cruelty towards animals.
To avoid a repetition of this embarrassing situation the third season will start airing on 19 October, a week after it starts in America. This will give AXN’s team time to review and edit out any objectionable material that might offend Indian sensibilities. However, other countries in the Asian region which gave the show a thumbs up will start showing it about eight to 12 hours after America.
The third season of the series is set in Africa and the rules will be exactly the same involving two teams. Each team will have seven members and there will be 14 episodes. In the first nine episodes, according to an AXN representative, eight people will be voted off the island.
According to him, when the show started last December, it took a while for people to warm up to a new concept but once they did, ratings definitely soared. Coke was one of the sponsors of the second series and though the channel has not yet managed to attract any sponsors for the third season it is hopeful of doing so. In the west there has been a marked audience apathy towards reality based shows especially after the terrorist attacks. However in India, since ‘Survivor’ is the only reality show that AXN will show, the channel is confident of doing well in the rating sweepstakes.
Regarding further programming initiatives, the spokesperson said the channel was hoping to finish the year with a bang. From the second week of November the channel will show an eleven episode reality series called ‘The Amazing Race’. In America the show started airing last week. It has been produced by Jerry Bruckheimer who is all too familiar with the action terrain having produced movies like the ‘The Rock’ which starred Nicholas Cage, Sean Connery and Ed Harris and ‘Pearl Harbour’ a World War II epic
‘The Amazing Race’ involves 11 American couples who each have a different relationship with each other. They could be a recently engaged couple, brother-sister, husband-wife, mother-daughter etc. They will be dropped off in Africa and they have to make their way to America.
The spokesperson said that this show would be much more visually attractive than ‘Survivor’ since the movement of all eleven couples will be constantly tracked. A performance evaluation will be held after every three to four days and the team which is lagging behind will be eliminated. The winning couple gets one million dollars.
AXN sees the show as being much more challenging than ‘Survivor’ as participants have to perform physically enduring tasks like bungee jumping and crawling down a rock with the help of a rope. The relationship between the couples will be severely tested, as they not only have to survive but also have to trust each other to make the right decision. However transportation vehicles will be provided. This was not the case with Eco Challenge, an action series which AXN has shown. Participants in that event had to make their way by foot. The last event was held in Malaysia. The next event in the Eco Challenge series will take place in New Zealand from the 20th and will be telecast on the channel next April.
Another major attraction that AXN has lined up is the Oscar winning martial arts stunner ‘Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon’ directed by Ang Lee. It will be sired in December.
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.
