Movie Channels
MAX claims prime time lead over rival movie channels
Citing data covering four weeks (week 18-21 ending 24 May 2003) for all individuals in C&S homes across all-India TAM markets minus the south, MAX has claimed an average rating of 0.87 in the prime time slot (9 pm – 12:30 am), ahead of the second-placed Zee Cinema which had an average rating of 0.64.
The best ratings have been delivered by MAX’s Friday Blockbusters that have delivered consistent 1+ ratings, a company release says.
The highest rated film on MAX has been the world TV premiere of 2002’s biggest hit Devdas which delivered an average of 4.4 TVRs. The only problem with this film though, is that despite all the marketing and promotions that went behind Devdas‘ telecast on television, a dubbed version of Jurassic Park on Star Plus still pulled in a higher viewership.
In June MAX has lined up two special events – Hero Sports Awards on 29 June and ONE-A Celebration of Colour, choreographed by Shiamak Davar, on 22 June.
MAX’s biggest movie for this month is mega-starrer blockbuster, Kabhie Khushi Kabhi Gham (K3G).
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.
