GECs
Sabe TV readies new programming; says it beats Zee and Sony in rest of Maharashtra
The battle for the No 4 slot in the general Hindi entertainment channel sweepstakes is hotting up. Sahara TV has refocused itself and is readying for an aggressive marketing and programming assault, so can Sabe TV be far behind?
A press release from the company says that its FPC is being rejigged and a bunch of new shows are being introduced come the first week of September. Popular sitcom Office-Office will air thrice a week. A fun-based programme to be produced and hosted by Ravi Behl and Naaved Jaffrey of Sony Entertainment’s Boogie Woogie fame titled Paisa Vasool will be introduced, featuring celebrities in each episode and mounted on a lavish scale. A cop-thriller Dial 100 will be shown four days a week from Mondays to Thursdays.
A spanking new one-and-a-half hour afternoon programming band featuring women oriented programmes like a Cookery Show, a Pop Countdown, Swayam (the woman achiever), Utsav, and Drishtikon is also to be introduced.
Additionally, a popular cartoon strip for children will be shown daily from Monday to Friday in the evenings. Variety programmes such as Brahma Vishnu Mahesh, comedies like Daddy Samjha Karo and Yes Boss and dramas like Karam and Sambandh will be featured on the 9.00 pm slot.
With the introduction of fresh programming, Sabe TV’s FPC will include a daily cartoon strip, a daily sitcom, Aflatoon at 7 pm, the fantasy Alif-Laila at 7.30 pm, comedy Office-Office at 8 pm thrice a week followed by Paisa Vasool, the daily thriller Dial 100 at 8.30 pm and varieties like mythological dramas and weekly comedies at 9 pm and the comedy Shriman Shrimati at 9.30 pm.
Sabe TV, in the release, claims that it has overtaken major players like Sony and Zee in the five major cities (excluding Mumbai) in the key western Indian state of Maharashtra. Market research agency’s AC Nielsen’s latest TAM data for the week ending 28 July 2001 shows that Sabe TV has generated higher Gross Rating Points (GRPs) – for the Top 25 programmes in all segments like All 15+ AB, 15 + Female AB, 15 + All ABC and 15 + Females ABC – than Sony Entertainment and Zee TV, the release states.
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GRP DELIVERIES of TOP 25 PROGRAMMES
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| Target Group | Sabe TV | Sony Entertaintment | Zee TV |
| C&S 15+ AB | 90.6 | 75.9 | 80.0 |
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C&S 15+ AB Females |
114.9 | 84.5 | 89.2 |
| C&S 15+ ABC | 60.2 | 58.7 | 52.0 |
| C&S 15+ ABC Females | 73.2 | 64.8 | 58.5 |
| Source: TAM. C&S Homes. Market: Rest of Maharashtra, excluding Mumbai.Week: 22-28 July 2001 | |||
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.
