GECs
CNN gets pat on the back at annual OPC awards
MUMBAI: CNN has just added another feather to its cap. At the Overseas Press Club’s (OPC) 64th annual awards held a few days ago in New York, the broadcaster won two awards including one for its investigation into Al Qaeda.
A highlight of the OPC ceremony was ABC-TV’s Ted Koppel leading a candle-lighting ceremony honouring journalists killed there. Former US secretary of state Henry A. Kissinger was the principle speaker.
CNN correspondent Nic Robertson got The David Kaplan Award for best TV spot news reporting from abroad for the five part Terror on Tape series. Using sources and contacts developed after years of reporting in Afghanistan Robertson unearthed a trove of al Qaeda training tapes that showed in detail how recruits were schooled in assassinations, kidnappings, the 9/11 airplane highjackings, explosives, and germ warfare.
The content included a video of Osama bin Laden with his forces. Anti-terrorism experts said that the discovery provided valuable insight into the inner workings of Al Qaeda.
CNN Productions got The Edward R. Murrow Award for Best TV interpretation or documentary on international affairs -House of War: The Uprising at Mazar-e Sharif.. The report dealt with a battle during the war in Afghanistan when Taliban prisoners had the guts to stage a bloody uprising at Mazar-e Sharif.
Indian coverage also got recognised. The Eric And Amy Burger Award for best international reporting in the broadcast media dealing with human rights went to NBC News’ show Dateline. Its documentary Slaves to Fashion? exposed child slavery across India’s silk industry.
Dateline’s year long investigation shows the harsh lives of very young children sold by their parents into bonded labour. The documentary follows the silk production and supply chain from silkworm markets, to boiling and weaving sweatshops, through auction centers, fabric manufacturers and the middlemen and suppliers to leading US department stores. The focus rests on how difficult it is to say with any certainty whether the silk so widely available in America is or is not produced by child slaves.
As far as the print medium was concerned, the Wall Street Journal was recognised for its series of articles Inside Al Qaeda. It won The Hal Boyle Award for Best newspaper or wire service reporting from abroad. The articles were recognised for enterprising reporting, penetrating analysis, and storytelling. The reporters travelled around the world to pursue every possible lead in portraying the most in-depth picture to date of the inner workings of Al Qaeda.
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.
