GECs
DD to auction prime time slots: Rathore – viewership & revenue dropping
NEW DELHI: Doordarshan is to auction some of its prime time slots on DD National instead of commissioning them or taking them on self-financed commission basis. Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore admitted in parliament today that the current acquisition of programmes through commissioning and self finance commissioning (SFC) route had resulted in dipping of viewership of DD National and consequently decreasing revenue.
Prasar Bharati has therefore considered the option of sale of time slot /time bands on DD National channel as a strategy to source high quality content at no cost. The SFC scheme was launched in 2005 and it worked well for DD in the initial years but SFC serials did not deliver either on increasing viewership or revenue in recent years.
Rathore said the Prasar Bharati Board had advised DD to proceed with an alternative policy by opening-up prime time slots for sale. DD is coming up with a slot sale policy so that genuine external and creative professionals can mount their programmes on DD Channels through slot purchase, the minister said.
In this scheme, DD would stop financing production through ‘Pay Out’ modes and instead have revenue assurance in the form of a slot fee. The policy envisages that producers are made stakeholders in the scheme. They would invest in the content and recover the same from the market through sale of associated commercial time. In such a situation, the minister added, market forces would ensure that high quality standards are maintained for the content mounted, while assuring revenue for Doordarshan.
In reply to another question, the minister said Television Rating Points (TRP) and viewership details of DD National according to the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) data including rural viewership initiated in October 2015 fluctuates on weekly basis. He admitted that Doordarshan has suffered a setback because of sharp drop in number of terrestrial TV viewers. He said the Prasar Bharati Board had also decided to invite good external programmes to be telecast on all its channels in different phases.
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.
