English Entertainment
Playboy TV eyeing India?
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NEW DELHI: Playboy TV, which generates excitement in people’s minds despite more raunchy stuff easily available in the Indian market, is not only looking at the South East Asian market, but India too, if exploratory talks held with MSOs here are to be believed. What’s more, government officials have already been sounded out at a very informal level over whether laws in India would ever permit adult content on television. |
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What could have warmed the cockles of managers of Playboy TV and other such channels is a level of acknowledgement within the Indian government that if the broadcast sector behaves properly, the feasibility of allowing adult content in late hours on TV could be examined. Of course, whether Playboy TV would be ever allowed entry into India in an encrypted or some other form is the stuff of which fancies (and fantasies) are made.  |
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Considering the lack of political will on such sensitive issues would weaken the resolve of any coalition government, it’s a laudable effort on the part of Playboy TV to even think of bringing to India a diluted version of its channel, which the Indians partly snacked on some years back when a branded blockused to air on a freely distributed Russian channel (TB6) whose distribution in India has been banned since then. What Playboy TV is looking at making available is a much diluted form of the channel that is available in other parts of the world. If it were to be granted “Indian entry”, it would be in an encrypted form on a DTH platform or in a regime where it could be monitored from accessibility and content points. For starters, no DTH operator in India would risk the business by agreeing to have a Playboy channel on its platform, a CAS regime looks like the only option for Playboy Inc. But this too would be a very limited option as even in an addressable system, existence of Playboy-type channels would be frowned upon here. The policy-makers’ resistance in India notwithstanding, Playboy TV is exploring launching a feed for the South East Asian market later this year. The feed, of course, would be an ‘edited’ and diluted version of what is available in parts of Europe and the US. |
A senior government official did admit that “some representative of an adult channel” had inquired a few months ago about the regulatory framework in India relating to such programming and had been informed that, if such things were to be allowed, it “would take time” as “no official file” has been created in the government on allowing adult content on TV yet.
English Entertainment
ZEE5 UK partners Narrative Entertainment to add UK channels
Six FAST channels added as platform sharpens hybrid play in Britain
LONDON: ZEE5 UK struck a first-of-its-kind deal with Narrative Entertainment, bringing mainstream UK television channels onto an Indian streaming platform as it pushes to deepen its footprint in a crowded, mature market.
The partnership adds six of Narrative’s FAST channels to the service, including Great! Movies, Great! Romance, Great! Mystery and kids brands POP, Tiny Pop and POP UP, widening ZEE5 UK’s appeal across genres and age groups.
The move reflects a clear shift in strategy. ZEE5 UK is betting on a hybrid model that blends on-demand content with curated, always-on channels to drive discovery and increase time spent on the platform.
“This partnership represents a meaningful evolution in how we serve audiences in mature markets like the UK, where viewers are defined by habits, convenience and choice rather than geography or language alone,” said Parul Goel, territory head, Europe, Zee Entertainment. “By bringing trusted mainstream UK channels together with our premium originals, movies and kids’ content, we are building a more consumer-centric platform that simplifies viewing while increasing depth and relevance.”
Fateha Begum, commercial director, Narrative Entertainment, said the tie-up would fuel growth for both sides. “Our portfolio of quality programming, with such wide and enduring appeal, is a perfect complement to ZEE5 UK. This is a strong partnership that will support growth for both parties, and we share Zee Entertainment’s vision of an increasingly partnership-led future for the industry.”
ZEE5’s global library spans over 4,000 films and more than 500 originals, with over 130 new titles added annually. The addition of Narrative’s channels strengthens its kids offering and introduces genre-led linear experiences alongside its on-demand catalogue.
The deal also gives Narrative access to ZEE5 UK’s fast-growing user base, extending reach without diluting brand identity, while reinforcing ZEE5 UK’s network of more than 40 live channels.
As streaming wars intensify, ZEE5 UK is widening its playbook, blending content, convenience and partnerships in a bid to win screen time in one of the world’s toughest markets.
