GECs
Sahara Samay-Mumbai ‘test launches’ Friday
MUMBAI: Sahara Samay-Mumbai, Sahara Group’s western India-specific news channel, which was supposed to officially launch tomorrow (26 September), will make a “test launch at 9 am”, according to channel head Rajiv K Bajaj.
“Starting tomorrow, we will have eight hours of fresh news everyday. This is a test period, during which time we well check the signals, look for glitches, and fine tune the system. The real launch will happen some time after the festival of Dassera,” Bajaj told indiantelevision.com.
Pitched against a plethora of Hindi language news channels, the USP of Sahara Samay-Mumbai is that it will cover Maharashtra, parts of Gujarat and Goa. “Our credo is to cover news from your neighbourhood. Not just that, we will also find solutions to civic and community problems. In short, our channel will be a tabloid on television,” Bajaj explained.
Special programmes in the channel will include the RKB Show, anchored by Bajaj himself; Do Peher, Kai Raste, a show on social awareness anchored by Kunika Lall; Campus Calling, a show on teens and Panchnama, a show on crime in the city, among others.
In order to attract the elderly audience, a religious programme will be aired every morning at 6 am. The show will only concentrate on religious news only. “We are also going to cover business in a very unique way. We will look into the retailing business, and how it affects the common man,” Bajaj says.
Starting tomorrow evening, the Sahara Samay crew will telecast live shows of ‘Dandiya Raas’ in the city. Present at the venue with the Sahara team will be Aadesh Srivatsav, singer Sapna Mukenrjee and a new talent every day for the next nine days.
Bajaj anticipates the channel to be a big success because, “the entire country has a great fascination for Mumbai”.
Sahara Samay Mumbai has a strong team of 25 reporters in Mumbai itself. Besides the channel’s national bureau will also offer support.
As for Kunika Lall’s role in the channel, Bajaj said, “She will be our anchor and news reader. She was among the few people we auditioned and we discovered that she was really good at news reading.
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.
