English Entertainment
‘Lost’, ‘Desperate Housewives” competing at Fox’s Teen choice Awards
MUMBAI: US broadcaster Fox and the pop culture magazine for teens Teen People have opened the voting polls for teens ages 13 through 19 for The 2005 Teen Choice Awards.
Till 4 August voters can log on www.teenpeople.com/teenchoice to cast their ballots for the hottest celebrities in film, television, music, sports and fashion. The show airs on 16 August 2005 on Fox.
The Teen Choice surfboard will be presented to the celebrities deemed the coolest by teens across the country. Categories include Choice Actor/Actress, Choice Date Movie, Choice TV Sidekick, Choice Reality Show, Choice Rap Artist and Choice Hottie.
The Choice TV Show: Drama nominees include
Alias, Grey’s Anatomy and Lost. Desperate Housewives is the favourite to win in the comedy category. It will have to face competition from The Simpsons and That 70’s Show. The reality category sees American Idol, America’s Next Top Model and Fear Factor squaring off.
The Choice Movie Drama nominees include Finding Neverland, Friday Night Lights, Garden State and The Aviator. Star Wars Episode III, The Bourne Supremacy, Sin City compete in the actionj adventure actegory. Hitch, Meet the Fockers and Napoleon Dynamite compete in the comedy category.
Teen icons Tom Cruise Collateral, Leonardo Dicaprio The Aviator Brad Pitt Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Jim Carrey Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events are competing in the acting categories.
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.
