Movie Channels
Bruce Churchill out of Star; for executive role in Hughes transition team
MUMBAI: Rupert Murdoch’s hardman at News Corp’s Asian operations is moving back to the US. President and COO Bruce Churchill leaves the Star Group today to join the team overseeing News Corp’s 34 per cent acquisition and future operation of DirecTV parent Hughes Electronics.
A company statement says that as a member of the Hughes transition team — and, subsequent to the completion of the acquisition, in a senior executive capacity — Churchill will be responsible for a variety of initiatives, including the creation and implementation of a long-term business plan for News Corp’s Latin American operations.
Churchill was appointed president and COO of Star in May 2000. He was deputy CEO of Star since joining in April 1996 responsible for operations across the entire company and driving Star’s development strategy. Churchill joined Star from Fox Television in Los Angeles, where he was senior V-P, finance. At Fox he managed the overall financial, corporate development and administrative functions for Fox Broadcasting, Fox Television Stations, FX cable networks and Twentieth Television domestic syndication.
What was left unsaid was that James Murdoch, who has been chairman and chief executive of Star since May 2000, is now ready and able to take full and singular charge. The grooming period is over and it will be his vision that leads Star’s future growth in Asia.
There is no word as to who could be replacing Churchill.
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.
