English Entertainment
Seth Meyers extends NBC contract through 2021
MUMBAI: Late-night host and Saturday Night Live veteran Seth Meyers has extended his contract with NBC Entertainment through February 2021.
Meyers began his tenure at Late Night in February 2014 and since his arrival the show has remained a vital component of NBC’s late-night dominance.
“I can’t thank NBC enough for continuing to support our show and this more than makes up for my disappointment in not getting cast in The Wiz,” said Meyers.
“As a writer, performer and host, Seth has a rich history at NBC and we are thrilled that he’ll be at the helm of Late Night for many more years. His knowledge of both current events and pop culture is unparalleled and he brings that expertise to Late Night every night. The show couldn’t be in better hands,” said NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt.
Meyers will also host a 2016 New Year’s Eve Late Night 10 pm primetime special that will highlight all the news and current events of the year.
Late Night with Seth Meyers, which airs at 12:30 a.m. and often outperforms The Late Show with Stephen Colbert despite starting an hour later, averaged a 0.51 rating, 3 share and 1.658 million viewers overall in the fourth quarter of 2015, to maintain 100 per cent of its 18-49 rating year to year and grow by four per cent in total viewers. For the quarter, Late Night stretched its advantage over CBS’s Late Late Show to +50 per cent in adults 18-49 (with a 0.51 rating versus a 0.34), up from the prior year’s +46 per cent (0.51 vs. 0.35), and increased its margin over ABC’s Nightline in their head-to-head half-hour from 12:30-1 a.m. ET to +47 per cent (0.56 vs. 0.38 for that half-hour), up from the year-earlier +39 per cent (0.57 vs. 0.41).
Late Night with Seth Meyers is executive produced by Lorne Michaels and produced by Mike Shoemaker.
English Entertainment
ZEE5 UK partners Narrative Entertainment to add UK channels
Six FAST channels added as platform sharpens hybrid play in Britain
LONDON: ZEE5 UK struck a first-of-its-kind deal with Narrative Entertainment, bringing mainstream UK television channels onto an Indian streaming platform as it pushes to deepen its footprint in a crowded, mature market.
The partnership adds six of Narrative’s FAST channels to the service, including Great! Movies, Great! Romance, Great! Mystery and kids brands POP, Tiny Pop and POP UP, widening ZEE5 UK’s appeal across genres and age groups.
The move reflects a clear shift in strategy. ZEE5 UK is betting on a hybrid model that blends on-demand content with curated, always-on channels to drive discovery and increase time spent on the platform.
“This partnership represents a meaningful evolution in how we serve audiences in mature markets like the UK, where viewers are defined by habits, convenience and choice rather than geography or language alone,” said Parul Goel, territory head, Europe, Zee Entertainment. “By bringing trusted mainstream UK channels together with our premium originals, movies and kids’ content, we are building a more consumer-centric platform that simplifies viewing while increasing depth and relevance.”
Fateha Begum, commercial director, Narrative Entertainment, said the tie-up would fuel growth for both sides. “Our portfolio of quality programming, with such wide and enduring appeal, is a perfect complement to ZEE5 UK. This is a strong partnership that will support growth for both parties, and we share Zee Entertainment’s vision of an increasingly partnership-led future for the industry.”
ZEE5’s global library spans over 4,000 films and more than 500 originals, with over 130 new titles added annually. The addition of Narrative’s channels strengthens its kids offering and introduces genre-led linear experiences alongside its on-demand catalogue.
The deal also gives Narrative access to ZEE5 UK’s fast-growing user base, extending reach without diluting brand identity, while reinforcing ZEE5 UK’s network of more than 40 live channels.
As streaming wars intensify, ZEE5 UK is widening its playbook, blending content, convenience and partnerships in a bid to win screen time in one of the world’s toughest markets.
