GECs
DOORDARSHAN RECORDS ALL TIME HIGH REVENUES; MULLS JVs WITH PRIVATE PLAYERS
The national broadcaster Doordarshan’s commercial and advertising revenues have soared to an all time high of Rs 6.1 billion for the financial year 1999-2000 as against last year’s Rs 4.14 billion. Above all, the revenue projection for the forthcoming year is Rs 7.75 billion due to the decision of Prasar Bharati to hike ad rates.
Telecast of cricket matches contributed Rs 1.6 billion to the kitty while Prasar Bharati procured revenues of Rs 900 million from All India Radio (AIR). Plans are on the anvil for a new FM channel for news.
For the year 2000-2001, the Prasar Bharati Corporation is getting a whopping grant of Rs 11,330 million from the government, which implies that it will finally enjoy the long-awaited financial autonomy. Of the Rs 11,330 million, Rs 9,630 million is grant-in-aid, while the remaining Rs 1,700 million is in the form of a loan. The corporation has received its first installment of the grant — a sum of Rs 1,880 million to meet its expenses for the first two month of the new financial year. The grant will be used to run All India Radio and Doordarshan. Rs 5,500 million of the Rs 11,330 million is to be spent on salaries for its huge roll of 40,000 employees.
DD has shrugged off its shyness and is mulling joint ventures and strategic partnerships with international broadcasters and players including BBC, CNN, AOL-Time Warner, NHK and Sony. Prasar Bharati has decided to digitalise the signals for DD and AIR. The ventures with the foreign players will be in the areas of transfer of technology for digitalisation and programming exchange.
DD has appointed Modi Entertainment Network (MEN) for monitoring technical and distribution issues. It will keep a tab on cable operators whether they deliver DD on the prime band or not.
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.
