GECs
Sahara’s listed company to undergo name change; to incorporate ‘SaharaOne’
MUMBAI: Sahara Group is planning to change the name of its listed entity, Sahara India Mass Communication Ltd, to reflect the SaharaOne brand.
“The company’s new name will have SaharaOne in it so that it brings out the identity of our entertainment business,” Sahara India Mass Communication CEO Shantonu Aditya tells Indiantelevision.com.
Sahara is also considering the merger of its broadcasting company with the listed entity. Sahara India TV Networks is an unlisted company which is the broadcasting arm for the Group’s entertainment and news channel operations. “We are looking at possibilities of the structure,” Aditya said, on being queried whether plans were afoot to merge the broadcasting company with Sahara India Mass Communication Ltd.
The listed company, which earned a net profit of Rs 65 million on a total income of Rs 1.68 billion in 2004-05, produces software and licenses it to SaharaOne. The earnings from the movie business also get reflected in the company’s revenues. Sahara India TV Network, however, is a loss-making company.
Aditya is confident that Sahara’s entertainment business including TV and film would turn around by April 2006. “Whatever gap there is, the two companies as a whole will turn around during this period,” he said.
Sahara’s motion pictures business is doing extremely well while ad rates for SaharaOne has gone up by 5-10 times, Aditya added. Movie channel Filmy is likely to be launched this December.
SaharaOne will launch in the UK and the rest of Europe by the end of this fiscal, Aditya said.
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.
