Movie Channels
Privé Unscripted to offer thought-provoking content from BBC
MUMBAI: ZEEL’s premium English movie channel – &PrivéHD – is all set to telecast its new offering from the BBC library- Privé Unscripted. It brings not just movies inspired by real life but life itself showcased in all its raw and unscripted glory. The content from ZEEL’s association with BBC Studios, Privé Unscripted will première on television on 21 January 2019, 11 PM onwards.
Privé Unscripted consists of iconic stories including intriguing titles such as Weinstein: The Inside Story, Targeting Bin Laden (Featuring Barack Obama), Meet the Trumps: From Immigrant to President, Inside Obama’s White House, David Beckham – Into the Unknown and much more. Privé Unscripted will be telecast at 11 PM starting 21 January till 25 January. After that, the films will be aired every Sunday at 8 PM.
ZEEL head – premium channels Shaurya Mehta said, “We have evaluated our audience and the tune-in they have on the channel specifically. Based on that we have built the strategy starting with week nights and then move into a weekend slot. Close to 26 per cent of the consumption on &Privé happens through biographies (film based). Currently, we have acquired over a dozen titles from BBC, but we continue to look at more titles in the coming months.”
The content will also be available on ZEE5 on live TV basis and as for VOD there is a catch-up that will be available as well.
Commenting on the occasion, ZEEL CMO Prathyusha Agarwal said, “Authenticity today is a compelling need and a key driver for consumers across product categories and brand choices they make. This is a premium content; any advertiser associating with the channel is about building premium brand. The channel has a balanced ratio of male and female audience because everyone is coming at it as a nuance cinema."
Since its launch, &Privé HD has curated 350 movies with 52 premieres including critically acclaimed and award-winning titles like Moonlight, Lion, The Post, The Imitation Game, A Beautiful Mind, The Wolf of Wall Street, Catch Me If You Can, Memoirs of a Geisha, Donnie Darko, Revolutionary Road amongst others.
BBC Studio SVP and GM South and South East Asia Myleeta Aga said, “We’ve had a great experience working with the team at Zee. Our association with BBC First resonated with Indian audiences so well and was a huge success. We believe that quality storytelling whether drama or unscripted will always connect with audiences; immerse and entertain them. We hope to receive a great response from the viewers for our documentaries on &PrivéHD.”
Mehta believes that with Privé Unscripted the channel has extended its relationship with BBC Studio and harnessed the power of this exceptionally thought-provoking quality content. “We are sure that the audience will embrace this new format of content,” he added.
Movie Channels
Zee5 launches five free FAST channels on Samsung TV Plus India
New genre-led channels bring comedy, drama, horror, classics and South films to Smart TVs.
MUMBAI: Zee5 just turned Samsung Smart TVs into a free entertainment buffet because when premium content costs nothing, even the remote control starts smiling. Zee5 has launched five curated free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels on Samsung TV Plus India, making high-quality, genre-specific entertainment available subscription-free to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners across the country.
The five channels now live are:
Zee Comedy Nation – Popular comedy shows and movies
Zee Dil Se – Compelling drama series
ZEE Horror Nights – Horror and supernatural content
ZEE Cine Classic – Timeless Indian films
ZEE South Flix – High-energy South Indian films dubbed in Hindi
All content is drawn from Zee5’s extensive library and programmed in a lean-back, always-on format ideal for large-screen viewing. This launch strengthens Zee5’s Connected TV strategy at a time when 64 per cent of its premium content watch time already comes from connected devices.
Zee5 chief business officer Siju Prabhakaran said, “At Zee5, we believe accessibility and scale will define the next phase of digital entertainment growth in India. Our presence on Samsung TV Plus strengthens our Connected TV strategy, enabling viewers to discover curated, genre-led content in a seamless, free, and premium environment.”
Samsung TV Plus India head of partnerships Kunal Mehta added, “Local partnerships are at the heart of how we grow Samsung TV Plus in India. Zee Entertainment is one of India’s most iconic media brands, and bringing their channels to our service means millions more Samsung Smart TV owners can enjoy premium local content, subscription-free.”
The channels are available directly through the pre-installed Samsung TV Plus app with no login or subscription required. This marks another milestone in Zee5’s CTV expansion and builds on its growing international presence, with Zee channels already available on Samsung TV Plus across Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
In a streaming world where paywalls often block the fun, Zee5 and Samsung have quietly opened the gates, proving that sometimes the best things in life (and on your TV) really are free especially when they come with a side of comedy, drama, horror, classics and South Indian blockbuster energy.
