Movie Channels
HBO edges out CBS at Emmy Awards
LOS ANGELES: The hottest stars in television land were out in force this morning as the 55th edition of the Primetime Emmy Awards took place. The show aired live on Zee English at 7:30 am. It will repeat at 8:30 pm tonight.
At the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, HBO managed to hold sway over the four broadcast networks. It got 18 wins. CBS got 16 nods. NBC had 15. ABC and Fox were way behind with nine and seven citations respectively. Fox carried the broadcast in the US. CBS was helped by the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. The show which airs in India on Star World got five wins, closely followed by HBO’s The Sopranos with four awards and NBC’s Will & Grace with the same number.
After four tries Will & Grace’s Debra Messing won her first Emmy as lead actress in a comedy series. Tony Shalhoub, who plays Monk won his first lead comedy series Emmy on his first nomination. The show will shortly commence airing on Star World. Edie Falco and James Gandolfini won their third Emmies for the mob drama The Sopranos.. The West Wing was recognised for drama series. Both of them air on Zee English.
However the programme with the most wins was the TNT movie Door To Door. It received six trophies. William Macy was one of Door to Door’s winners for his moving portrayal of a salesman who manages to overcome his disabilities. Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show which can be seen on CNN was recognised for its writing. The Amazing Race which airs in India on AXN came out on top in the reality television category. Although this year’s edition of the Oscar Awards was heavily toned down, it still managed to receive three citations.
Movie Channels
Zee5 launches five free FAST channels on Samsung TV Plus India
New genre-led channels bring comedy, drama, horror, classics and South films to Smart TVs.
MUMBAI: Zee5 just turned Samsung Smart TVs into a free entertainment buffet because when premium content costs nothing, even the remote control starts smiling. Zee5 has launched five curated free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels on Samsung TV Plus India, making high-quality, genre-specific entertainment available subscription-free to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners across the country.
The five channels now live are:
Zee Comedy Nation – Popular comedy shows and movies
Zee Dil Se – Compelling drama series
ZEE Horror Nights – Horror and supernatural content
ZEE Cine Classic – Timeless Indian films
ZEE South Flix – High-energy South Indian films dubbed in Hindi
All content is drawn from Zee5’s extensive library and programmed in a lean-back, always-on format ideal for large-screen viewing. This launch strengthens Zee5’s Connected TV strategy at a time when 64 per cent of its premium content watch time already comes from connected devices.
Zee5 chief business officer Siju Prabhakaran said, “At Zee5, we believe accessibility and scale will define the next phase of digital entertainment growth in India. Our presence on Samsung TV Plus strengthens our Connected TV strategy, enabling viewers to discover curated, genre-led content in a seamless, free, and premium environment.”
Samsung TV Plus India head of partnerships Kunal Mehta added, “Local partnerships are at the heart of how we grow Samsung TV Plus in India. Zee Entertainment is one of India’s most iconic media brands, and bringing their channels to our service means millions more Samsung Smart TV owners can enjoy premium local content, subscription-free.”
The channels are available directly through the pre-installed Samsung TV Plus app with no login or subscription required. This marks another milestone in Zee5’s CTV expansion and builds on its growing international presence, with Zee channels already available on Samsung TV Plus across Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
In a streaming world where paywalls often block the fun, Zee5 and Samsung have quietly opened the gates, proving that sometimes the best things in life (and on your TV) really are free especially when they come with a side of comedy, drama, horror, classics and South Indian blockbuster energy.
