English Entertainment
Larry Namer of Metan Global Entertainment to get top award at Asian Television Awards
NEW DELHI: Metan Global Entertainment Group president/CEO Larry Namer is to receive the Outstanding Contribution to Asian Television award at the 19th Asian Television Awards (ATA) on 11 December at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.
An entertainment industry veteran with more than 40 years of professional experience in cable television, live events and digital media, Namer is the founding partner of Metan, a venture created to develop and distribute entertainment content and media specifically for the China market.
He is also the co-founder of E! Entertainment Television, a company now valued at over US$3.5 billion, and the creator of several successful companies, including Comspan Communications that pioneered Western forms of entertainment in the former Soviet Union and Steeplechase Media that served as the primary consultant to Microsoft’s MiTV (Interactive Television).
Metan’s flagship series Hello! Hollywood, a weekly entertainment news series tailored to Chinese audiences, is available on the company’s Hollywood Channel on Tudou. Metan has developed the successful sitcom ‘Return to Da Foo Tsun’ and Web series ‘Modern Life’, which have garnered a viewership of over 40 million viewers.
Recently, Metan and a coalition of North America’s top TV and film writers partnered to launch Metan Wen Zhi Ku, a joint venture linking Western writing talent with transmedia projects for China. Namer is also the co-founder of MINGYIAN INC., a China brand management startup for Western celebrities and influencers.
ATA chairman Raymond Wong said, “ATA is pleased to recognise Larry Namer for his remarkable contributions to the entertainment industry. He has accomplished a great deal, while positively representing the entertainment and digital media industries, and he fully deserves to be honoured for his achievements.”
Meanwhile, Yang Weidong senior VP and president of Tudou.com at Youku Tudou Inc., has joined the Advisory Board. The 10-member board has only one Indian, K V L Narayan Rao of NDTV.
Launched in 1996, ATA is the Asian TV industry’s most significant and celebrated event, recognising excellence in programming, production and performance.
Determined by an expert panel of over 60 judges from across the region, the results are tabulated and audited by international auditing firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers, with the winners only announced during the Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner in December. The judging process has also been brought into the digital era by being conducted on-line. This is designed to lessen the judging workload and provide judges greater comfort and flexibility by enabling them to screen the entries at their own pace.
The Awards comprise over 30 categories and represent the industry’s foremost recognition by enjoying the support of every major industry player throughout the region. ATA attracts a multitude of entries from a wide range of broadcasters, including free-to-air television stations and pay-TV platforms, as well as many independent production houses in Asia.
ATA is positioned as the only event of its kind within the Asian region, and upholds a prestigious reputation of showcasing quality television production.
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.
