English Entertainment
Loral Skynet renews agreement to distribute HBO Asia
MUMBAI: Loral Skynet, the International satellite company specialised in entertainment, telecom, government and defense, and education has announced its renewal of the agreement with HBO Pacific Partners, V.O.F., to distribute the region’s leading entertainment channels, HBO and Cinemax, across Asia through its television arm HBO Asia.
In accordance with the long- term agreement, Loral’s Telstar 10 satellite (earlier Apstar IIR) will continue to distribute HBO Asia’s programming to thousands of cable outlets across Asia.
“We welcome this significant service renewal by HBO for the distribution of quality video broadcast services to its audiences in Asia,” said Loral Skynet president Terry Hart. “Telstar 10 hosts a robust video neighborhood over Asia, attracting the region’s top programmers and when Telstar 18 joins the fleet in the next few weeks, Loral’s extensive coverage of Asia will stretch from Europe to Australia and Hawaii,” Hart said in an official release.
Launched in 1997, Telstar 10 is located at 76.5 degrees East longitude and carries 27 C-band and 24 Ku-band transponders (36 MHz equivalents). The C- band payload provides coverage of Asia, Australia, parts of Europe and Africa. The Ku-band payload covers Korea, Taiwan, Macau and China, including Hong Kong. Telstar 10, which hosts one of the most extensive cable neighborhoods in Asia, distributes cable TV programming, direct-to-home services, and telecommunications, as well as Internet and VSAT (very small aperture terminal) services.
The Singapore-based HBO Asia produces HBO Original series and also works with a number of prominent independent studios to secure exclusive rights to a host of quality movies. HBO Pacific Partners, V.O.F. is a joint venture of media giants Paramount Films, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Time Warner and Universal Studios.
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.
