GECs
Pantvaidya exits Sony, joining Disney
MUMBAI: Walt Disney India has poached another senior executive from Sony Entertainment Television India. Nachiket Pantvaidya, V-P sales and marketing English channels, is joining Disney as programming and production head.
Earlier, Walt Disney had appointed as its India head Rajat Jain who was with Sony Entertainment’s events and movie channel MAX.
Pantvaidya has resigned from SET India and is likely to join Walt Disney India in the first week of October. As vice-president, he was handling sales and marketing for AXN and HBO. But HBO recently moved away from Sony-Discovery to the Zee-Turner distribution bouquet.
Pantvaidya was not available for comment. A source, however, confirmed that Pantvaidya submitted his resignation from SET India about 10 days ago. He was with Sony for over eight years.
Walt Disney is set to launch The Disney Channel, Playhouse (for pre-schoolers) and reportedly a localized version of its entertainment network ABC.
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.
