GECs
Prasar Bharati’s Rs 280 crore debt to govt agencies
NEW DELHI: The empire is striking back. The Indian government today said it is taking action at the appropriate level to recover Rs 279.64 crore that is owed by All India Radio and Doordarshan to different government agencies for usage of transponders on ISRO satellites and also the spectrum during 2011-12 and 2012-13.
Prasar Bharati is itself expected to pay the various Central/State/Paramilitary/police organisations the cost of safeguarding the infrastructure, installations, land, buildings of AIR and DD, (such as the Mumbai Kendra pictured here) located across the country
However, the government has already waived a sum of Rs 1349.54 crore that was due to various agencies till 31 March 2011 following the recommendation of the group of Ministers on Prasar Bharati in September 2011.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari told Parliament today that Prasar Bharati owes Rs 163.26 crore to the Indian Space Research Organisation for space segment and Rs 116.38 crore to the Communication and Information Technology Ministry as spectrum charges for these two years.
Of the dues, the share of All India Radio for 2011-12 and 2012-13 is Rs 36.46 crore (Rs 16.26 crore and Rs 20.2 crore respectively) while that of Doordarshan is Rs 243.18 crore (Rs 63.4 crore and Rs 179.78 crore respectively).
The Minister clarified that the government only meets the full bill for salary of the employees of the public service broadcaster, as recommended by the GoM.
Prasar Bharati is itself expected to pay the various Central/State/Paramilitary/police organisations the cost of safeguarding the infrastructure, installations, land, buildings of AIR and DD located across the country.
It also meets the salary and allowances of police and paramilitary personnel engaged by it out of its internal resources.
The annual dues on account of dues for such services are in the region of Rs 72 crore.
The Minister said if the pubcaster is unable to make a payment in a certain year, it makes sure this is done in the next financial year.
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.
