GECs
Disney India terminates distribution agreement with IndiaCast
MUMBAI: Disney India has terminated its agency contract with IndiaCast Media Distribution, and has set up an internal team to manage the distribution for all eight of its channels.
The channels under the company are Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Hungama TV, bindass, bindass PLAY, UTV Movies and UTV Action.
All subscription and placement deals will now be done directly by its internal team with all platforms.
“With the No.1 kids network, the No.1 youth network and one of the leading movie channel networks in the country, Disney India provides an exciting and diverse mix of high quality content for kids, youth and family audiences. Today’s dynamic distribution market and increasing pace of digitisation provides us with a huge opportunity for growth and scale. With a robust internal distribution team now in place, we believe we can drive significant value and further strengthen our already well-established relationships with MSOs, DTH Platforms and distribution partners,” said Disney India VP and head – revenues, media networks Nikhil Gandhi.
It can be noted IndiaCast had filed a case against Disney India with The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) for wrongful termination on 28 July, 2015. TDSAT, on the other hand disqualified the case and asked IndiaCast to withdraw the case in 24 hours or it would dismiss it on 29 July. IndiaCast asked for an extension of another 24 hours to discuss and today (31 July), the case has been dismissed as withdrawn.
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.
