English Entertainment
Entertainment networks off air as Bangalore mourns Rajkumar’s death
BANGALORE / MUMBAI: India’s I-T hub of Bangalore shut down today as increasingly violent mourners gathered from around the state for Karnataka cinema’s legendary icon Rajkumar’s funeral.
As a mark of respect (and also fearing possible attacks) cable networks in the city switched off all their entertainment channels. Only news channels were beaming ahead of Rajkumar’s cremation this evening, which will be conducted with full state honours.
“The Kannada Sanga has requested us to switch off all entertainment channels in Bangalore today, as a mark of respect to Dr Rajkumar,” said the head of an MSO, while speaking to indiantelevision.com.
Only the news channels are being telecast. Local Kannada channels Udaya and ETV are running on the cable networks as they have taken serials off air and are only showing programmes related to Dr Rajkumar. The entire Star, Zee and Sony-Discovery’s One Alliance channels are off.
“Cable operators in Bangalore decided to switch off all entertainment channels from midnight. We expect to put the channels on from tomorrow once Rajkumar’s body is cremated,” said Hathway Cable & Datacom head of digital in Bangalore Mathur Nath.
Cable operators were also contacted by the Kannada activists yesterday. Popular Tamil channels including Sun TV and Jaya TV were pulled off air.
The entertainment channel blackout seems restricted to Bangalore alone, since enquiries from Mysore reveal that entertainment channels are on there, as has also been confirmed by a Bangalore MSO who has a network in Mysore too, though shops and businesses have remained closed there too.
As per reports, policemen have been a target of the public ire and TV news channels showed scenes of unruly mobs chasing and beating up policemen.
Rajkumar, known to fans as “Aannavru” or elder brother, died yesterday aged 77, following a cardiac arrest. The thespian, winner of the Dadasaheb Phalke and Padma Bhushan awards along with a host of other citations, has encouraged the use of Kannada language in the state. His 45-year career in cinema included more than 200 Kannada-language films.
English Entertainment
ZEE5 UK partners Narrative Entertainment to add UK channels
Six FAST channels added as platform sharpens hybrid play in Britain
LONDON: ZEE5 UK struck a first-of-its-kind deal with Narrative Entertainment, bringing mainstream UK television channels onto an Indian streaming platform as it pushes to deepen its footprint in a crowded, mature market.
The partnership adds six of Narrative’s FAST channels to the service, including Great! Movies, Great! Romance, Great! Mystery and kids brands POP, Tiny Pop and POP UP, widening ZEE5 UK’s appeal across genres and age groups.
The move reflects a clear shift in strategy. ZEE5 UK is betting on a hybrid model that blends on-demand content with curated, always-on channels to drive discovery and increase time spent on the platform.
“This partnership represents a meaningful evolution in how we serve audiences in mature markets like the UK, where viewers are defined by habits, convenience and choice rather than geography or language alone,” said Parul Goel, territory head, Europe, Zee Entertainment. “By bringing trusted mainstream UK channels together with our premium originals, movies and kids’ content, we are building a more consumer-centric platform that simplifies viewing while increasing depth and relevance.”
Fateha Begum, commercial director, Narrative Entertainment, said the tie-up would fuel growth for both sides. “Our portfolio of quality programming, with such wide and enduring appeal, is a perfect complement to ZEE5 UK. This is a strong partnership that will support growth for both parties, and we share Zee Entertainment’s vision of an increasingly partnership-led future for the industry.”
ZEE5’s global library spans over 4,000 films and more than 500 originals, with over 130 new titles added annually. The addition of Narrative’s channels strengthens its kids offering and introduces genre-led linear experiences alongside its on-demand catalogue.
The deal also gives Narrative access to ZEE5 UK’s fast-growing user base, extending reach without diluting brand identity, while reinforcing ZEE5 UK’s network of more than 40 live channels.
As streaming wars intensify, ZEE5 UK is widening its playbook, blending content, convenience and partnerships in a bid to win screen time in one of the world’s toughest markets.
