Movie Channels
JPC takes 35 per cent equity stake in AXN Japan
TOKYO: AXN is steadily spreading its wings throughout Asia. Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) and Jupiter Programming (JPC) have announced that they have entered into an agreement. SPTI has sold a 35 per cent equity stake in AXN Japan to JPC.
JPC claims to be Japan’s largest multichannel television programming and content provider. It is a joint venture between Liberty Media International and Sumitomo Corporation. With this announcement, JPC’s experienced affiliate sales team – who are in regular contact with the more than 400 cable operators throughout the country – will assume responsibility for AXN Japan’s affiliate sales.
JPC’s president/ representative director Tetsuro Takeoka said: “AXN Japan has a clear and well-targeted programming schedule and is a welcome addition to our channel offerings. AXN’s strategy of providing a variety of action and drama series as well as Japanese animation makes it a natural destination for viewers. We are pleased to be involved in the next stage of AXN’s development.”
AXN Japan is carried throughout the land of the rising sun on DTH platforms SkyPerfecTV! and SkyPerfecTV! 2 as well as on cable systems including J-Com Broadband, the largest cable platform in Japan.
AXN claims to be seen in over 86 million homes in 40 countries across Asia, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East.
Tokyo based JPC was formed in 1996 to develop, manage and distribute television programming and content to cable and satellite distributors in Japan. JPC operates or invests in CSN1 Movie Channel, Jupiter Shop Channel, LaLa TV, Jupiter Golf Network, Discovery Channel Japan, Animal J Sky Sports, Nihon Eiga (Japanese movie channel), Jidaigeki (Samurai drama channel), Kids Station, Anime Theater-X, and Nikkei CNBC.
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.
