GECs
Sony, Hathway look to end payment impasse
Sony Entertainment Television and the Rajan Raheja-owned Hathway Cable & Datacom are hopeful that their ongoing dispute over dues will be resolved within the next two to three days. Sony has switched off its pay channel service of SetMax, AXN and CNBC to Hathway since 2 January on account of what it says is nonpayment of dues worth around Rs1.5 million for the period from June 2000.
Besides, Sony wants Hathway to increase the declared connectivity of paid subscribers from November 2000. Sony’s distribution head Hitesh Sabarwal said they were only asking that what they were paid should have a reasonable correlation to what was being charged for other pay channels. He, however, expressed confidence that some sort of agreement would be reached within the next two days.
According to cable industry sources, Hathway has a declared paid connectivity of around 10,000 for SetMax in Mumbai, 20,000 for CNBC, and 40,000 for AXN, the Financial Express reported on Tuesday.
Hathway’s argument, according to sources, is that Sony unilaterally made new demands going against what had earlier been agreed upon. Also, they say Sony was demanding payment based on connectivity calculations similar to that enjoyed by the Sony’s main Sony Entertainment Television channel which was way too high. Another argumant put forth by Hathway is that since most of their subscriber base was in upmarket localities, Sony’s “adamance” was losing it a very influential audience.
While SetMax and AXN are off the Hathway network in Mumbai, Pune and Nashik, the business channel CNBC is available in some pockets, the Financial Express reported.
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.
