GECs
ETC Punjabi to enter Australia & New Zealand this fiscal
MUMBAI: Zee Telefilms is planning to launch its regional channel ETC Punjabi in Australia and New Zealand by the end of this financial year.
“We are finalising plans for ETC Punjabi to enter Australia and New Zealand. We expect to launch within the next three months,” says Essel Group chief executive officer of corporate strategy and finance Rajiv Garg who is also the managing director of ETC Networks.
Also to launch in the last quarter of this fiscal is Khalsa World, the third Punjabi language channel from the Zee stable. “Khalsa is set for a February launch,” says Garg. Zee already owns and operates ETC Punjabi and Zee Punjabi channels.
The dedicated 24-hour religious channel will telecast live Gurbani from the Golden Temple. It will also have regular programmes like Katha, Kirtan, Kavi Darbars and discourses. The programming will include documentaries on Sikh saints.
Zee’s customised channel for Astro, Malaysia’s multi-channel pay TV operator, will be commercially launched on 20 January. The launch in Malaysia will happen in April-May, says Garg. “We are creating customised channels in some select markets like the Middle East to augment our international revenues. We are tapping the South East Asian market through an arrangement with Astro,” he adds.
Aimed at Indonesian, Malaysian and Brunei audiences, the channel’s content will be sourced from Zee TV, Zee Cinema, Zee Music and Trendz. It will be localised with Bahasa Indonesia dubbing and Bahasa Melayu subtitling, to reflect the different language, lifestyle and viewing habits of the audiences in the three countries.
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.
