GECs
PanAmSat expands agreement with CCTV
MUMBAI: China Central Television (CCTV) has signed a multi-year expansion agreement with PanAmSat for the distribution of its premium programming to Western Africa. The new contract enables CCTV to expand the geographic reach of its programming to millions more viewers around the world.
“CCTV is an international broadcasting powerhouse, reaching viewers worldwide via five PanAmSat satellites. As PanAmSat has grown, so has our relationship with CCTV,” PanAmSat Asia Pacific V-P David Ball said. “We look forward to continuing our support of CCTV’s global expansion and growth with our highly reliable and technologically advanced fleet.”
CCTV has been a PanAmSat customer since the launch of the company’s PAS-2 satellite in 1994. PanAmSat currently provides full-time program distribution services for CCTV via the Company’s PAS-1R Atlantic Ocean Region satellite, PAS-8 Pacific Ocean Region satellite, PAS-9 Atlantic Ocean Region satellite and PAS-10 Indian Ocean Region satellites.
PanAmSat also provides CCTV with capacity on its Galaxy 3C satellite for direct-to-home (DTH) services in the United States. CCTV uses PanAmSat’s teleports in Napa, California and Atlanta, Georgia for satellite downlinks, standard conversions, multiplexing and satellite uplinks. This new agreement is for capacity on the Ku-band payload of the PAS-1R satellite.
“PanAmSat’s global fleet has enabled us to deliver our programming beyond China to viewers around the world,” CCTV V-P He Zong Jiu said. “As PanAmSat has expanded its global services, we have been able to utilize the greater power and coverage for the efficient and economical distribution of our global programming.”
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.
