GECs
MGM launches second Korean channel
LOS ANGELES: MGM Networks has announced that it has signed a distribution agreement for the MGM Plus channel. This is a second branded network which will be carried on South Korea’s Skylife DTH satellite service.
In India the broadcaster has a JV with Zee. MGM Plus will complement the existing MGM Channel with a different mix of programming from MGM’s storied film library and select local Korean productions. An official release informs that both networks will be carried on Skylife, the country’s first direct-to-home satellite TV service. Skylife will air the MGM networks 24*7 in Korean.
MGM Networks’ executive VP Bruce Tuchman said, “Since the launch of our first Korean channel last year, we have seen impressive subscriber growth and developed a strong connection with viewers. In launching a second localised channel in South Korea, we will build on those accomplishments. We’re particularly excited about our progress so far because MGM has earmarked Asia as a key growth region.”
The launch of a second South Korean channel is the latest of several recent MGM Networks announcements, including the MGM Channel’s Hong Kong launch and a strategic alliance with CNBC Asia Pacific. MGM Networks has been expanding quickly worldwide, its channel interests more than quadrupling the past two years to about 100 countries on six continents.
GECs
Zee scales syndication with global tie-ups, 350 plus channel MCN
Vertical, dubbed and audio formats boost digital reach
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. is giving its content library a fresh passport. The company has stepped up its syndication push, signing global partnerships, experimenting with new-age formats and building a multi-channel network that now spans more than 350 channels.
With the newly secured MCN licence, Zee can manage, distribute and monetise content across leading digital platforms at scale, strengthening its presence in the fast-growing creator and short-form ecosystem.
To keep pace with changing viewing habits, the company is also reshaping its content into formats built for the small screen in your hand. In a tie-up with micro-drama platform Story TV, select titles are being reworked into vertical, short-duration episodes tailored for mobile-first audiences.
Beyond India, the syndication team is widening its global footprint with foreign-language dubbing and regional partnerships across Europe, Africa and Latin America, opening up fresh markets for Indian stories.
Zee is also tapping into the audio boom. It has begun licensing audio remake rights for legacy properties such as Zee Horror Show, with several more titles lined up for audio-first adaptations.
On the digital front, the company has made progress in monetising non-exclusive rights for library films, while converting select shows and movies from horizontal to vertical formats to improve discoverability on short-form platforms.
Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. business head syndication Vinod Johri, said syndication has emerged as a strong growth lever for the company. He noted that the combination of a large MCN network, global partnerships and new formats such as vertical video and audio is helping build a future-ready engine that extracts more value from the content library.
Together, these moves signal a platform-agnostic approach to storytelling, as Zee repackages, localises and redistributes its IP across geographies, formats and screens, ensuring its catalogue keeps working long after the first broadcast.
