Movie Channels
Sahara’s Filmy to be managed by the Entertainment Hub?
MUMBAI: It began with a bang around eight years ago but for some time now, the movie channel Filmy from the Sahara One Media and Entertainment bouquet, has been whimpering and struggling to even be seen. The management of the Sahara group has been preoccupied with larger problems related to the Securities Exchange Board of India (Sebi).
And it is looking at strategically exiting from directly managing its media business. The first indication of this is the deal, which sources say, it has struck with Mumbai-based TV production company The Entertainment Hub. Under the arrangement, the latter reportedly will be managing Filmy on a contractual basis. The Entertainment Hub, which is part of the Snip Entertainment Group, will reportedly be responsible for Filmy’s content scheduling, distribution and also for revenue generation. The deal also envisages the spoils being shared with the Sahara group.
Titles such as No Entry, Guru, Khosla Ka Ghosla, Umrao Jaan, Dor, Gangster, Khamoshh, Fareb, Jo Bole So Nihaal and few other feature films have had their TV premieres on Filmy. The movie channel has also showcased films such as Ghajini, Singh Is King, Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na.., Golmaal Returns, Bhoothnath, Sarkar Raj etc.
Despite Big films, the channel has not managed to get much traction in TV homes, as the Sahara Group has cut off all supplies of distribution and marketing money, thus ensuring that its reach and branch recall has hit rock bottom. “Amongst movie channels, it probably ranks even below the last channel,” says a media observer.
Hence, the Entertainment Hub which is a supplier of TV shows such as Haunted Nights and Piya Ka Ghar Pyaara Lage on Sahara One has its work cut out for it, thanks to the competitive TV distribution environment that is prevalent today. Sister company Snip Entertainment has interests in content syndication, TV production and music licensing.
Apparently, the Sahara group is in conversation with a large media group to manage even Sahara One. An announcement is likely to be made in March sometime, if sources are to be believed.
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.
