GECs
MTV, Sahara to fight over ‘Phir Milenge’ on Aids Day
MUMBAI: Promoting public message by means of movies and television programmes is not new in the television space. But for music channel MTV India, it is. For the first time, the channel will air a movie, Phir Milenge, on 1 December, the World AIDS Day.
The tussle for audiences will be with SaharaOne. While MTV will telecast the movie at 9 pm, Sahara has scheduled the world premier of the movie for the 8:30 pm slot. Phir Milenge is conceived and produced by Percept Picture company and creation of Sahara One.
Responding to a query, Sahara One Television chief operating officer Karuna Samtani offers, “It will not cannibalise viewership. It’s our world premier, our movie and we are starting the movie ahead of MTV.”
MTV also dismisses any loss in viewership as the two channels address different target audiences. Says MTV Network vice-president marketing Vikram Raizada, “It makes eminent sense for the channel to air Phir Milenge which has prevalence and highlights the social message across. Even in the past, the network has been into aids awareness through the programme MTV Music Summit for AIDS,” says Raizada.
MTV has been promoting awareness of HIV/AIDS through the channel since 1997.
GECs
Samsung TV Plus launches Kings of Comedy channel
New free FAST channel brings iconic Hindi comedy shows to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners.
MUMBAI: Samsung TV Plus has just turned up the laughter volume and it’s completely free. The leading free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service in India has launched Kings of Comedy, a premium comedy channel featuring some of the country’s most beloved primetime shows. Available exclusively on Samsung TV Plus, the channel delivers back-to-back hits including Comedy Nights with Kapil, Khatra Khatra Khatra, and Comedy Nights Bachao, with no login or subscription required.
The launch marks a milestone for free streaming in India, offering audiences a dedicated comedy destination directly from their Samsung TV home screen. It arrives as Samsung TV Plus India celebrates its 5th anniversary, during which the service has grown its monthly active users by 42 per cent and more than doubled its total viewing hours. The platform now offers over 180 free channels across 14 languages.
Samsung TV Plus India general manager and head of business development Kunal Mehta said, “Comedy is the heartbeat of Hindi entertainment, and Kings of Comedy brings together the shows Indians already love, completely free on their Samsung TV. Our focus remains the same take the content people know and make it effortless to access.”
Globally, Samsung TV Plus has surpassed 100 million monthly active users across more than 4,500 channels, solidifying its position as one of the world’s leading free streaming services.
Kings of Comedy is now available on all compatible Samsung Smart TVs. For viewers seeking non-stop laughter without any cost, this new channel delivers a royal treat proving that sometimes the best entertainment really does come with no strings (or subscriptions) attached.
