GECs
Eutelsat announces recipients of 6th Hot Bird Awards
PARIS: The winners of the sixth Hot Bird TV Awards were announced a few days ago at a ceremony in Venice. Organised by Eutelsat and Eurovisioni, and sponsored by Alcatel Space, Arianespace and Astrium, the awards each year recognise excellence of satellite broadcasting of thematic television.
The winners were selected by a jury of European television journalists. They met last month in Rome to view a record 120 thematic channels broadcasting in 13 languages. They were separated into eight categories: News, Cinema & Fiction, Culture, Documentaries, Kids, Music, Sport, and Various.
The jury rewarded the channels that they consider displayed particular originality and quality in their programming and presentation.
The winners were:
| Category | Winners |
| Children’s | Minimax (Poland), Rai Sat Ragazzi (Italy) |
| Cinema & Fiction | Sky Cinema Author (Italy), TCM (France) |
| Culture | Rai Nettuno Sat (Italy) |
| Documentaries | Grandes Documentales (Spain), Voyage (France) |
| Music | Canal Clasico (Spain) |
| News | Rai News 24 (Italy) |
| Other | Public Sénat (France) |
| Sport | ESPN Classic Sport (France) |
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.
