English Entertainment
Hallmark going the subscription route to grow
MUMBAI: This is surely a first of a kind move on Indian television. English general entertainment channel Hallmark has decided to do away with advertisements completely and rely only on subscription.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com this afternoon Hallmark India GM Amitabh said that the decision had been taken earlier this year not just for India but also for the Asia Pacific region. “This is one way we can differentiate ourselves. Viewers will hopefully stay longer with us as they see films and shows without a break. At the same time other channels are in a rush to attract advertisers. We are targetting a 15 per cent growth in revenue this year. One has to keep in mind the fact that the Cas mess set us back quite a bit on the subscription front.”
It must be noted that Hallmark never had many ads to begin with. In the not too distant past during each break this writer does not remember seeing more than three ads at a time. So while it is certainly a unique move one doubts as to whether not taking ads will make much difference in India at least.
Amitabh further added that Hallmark would stay on the Modi platform. While a few channels in the past had jumped ship he denied that it had affected distribution efforts. The price of the channel will stay the same.
As far as content is concerned Amitabh said that the channel would be building up its comedy repertoire with Bewitched. The show will air every Tuesday at 4 pm from 15 June.
The show deals with a young married woman who is in a tug of war situation. On the one hand her witchy mother keeps haressing her to return to her witcherly ways. The mother is a witch of the old school who doesn’t go for any universality between mortals and her world. On the other hand the woman loves her family.
Should Samantha give up witchcraft completely for a whole year–no tricks at all — she could become a mortal herself. It may be recalled that Sony’s local version of the show Meri Biwi Wonderful sank without a trace. One can only hope that viewers will be more involved with the original.
Hallmark is certainly trying to get in more variety into its programme line up and not merely rely on the sentimental stuff. In July it will start airing the gritty crime series The District. Despite having over 30 law enforcement agencies, Washington DC still has the highest crime rate in the US. With politics and indifference being a large factor in this, the city hires Newark PD Chief Jack Mannion played by Craig T. Nelson.
The movie-quoting, lounge-singing former NYPD transit cop claims he can and has successfully in the past cut a city’s crime rate in half with his get-with-it-or-report-to-meter-maid-duty attitude. Nelson’s character takes over as commissioner of the DC Police.
One thing that Hallmark will not be doing is going the dubbing route like AXN and HBO. As Amitabh pointed out dubbing makes more sense for action oriented fare. There the sound and visual effects take precedence over dialogue and character.
Watch this space for more news on the channel.
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.
