GECs
Sony interested in buying TV networks in India
MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Entertainment is interested in buying additional TV networks in India, a report by Variety, a US-based source of entertainment news, said quoting Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton.
Sony Pictures Entertainment’s India subsidiary Multi Screen Media currently owns 10 channels.
The Variety report said Lynton emphasises that the company would be interested in buying additional TV networks in India or deploying capital in additional production companies outside of the US, but not in growing its film library through major acquisitions.
Referring to Sony Corp’s investor conference late last year, the report said Lynton and Sony Pictures Entertainment co-chairman Amy Pascal, had said at Sony Corp’s investor conference late last year, that the studio was going to pour more resources into its television business as it was cutting back on its movie production.
What is more surprising is that Pascal had then said that she would be assuming oversight of the TV production division.
The report quotes Sony Corp CEO Kazuo Hirai as saying that the company is not selling its entertainment business. “We’re looking at selling businesses on the electronics side that we don’t deem to be core,” Hirai says, adding, “We sold off our chemicals business and all this other stuff. … I’m not entertaining even the notion of selling our entertainment assets.”
Variety noted that Sony Imageworks shuttered its branch in India after previously closing its New Mexico operation and is in the process of shifting jobs from Los Angeles to Vancouver. Scores of employees are being laid off in the process.
Between 2007 and 2013, Sony invested $415 million in media networks and $960 million in cable and broadcast TV production. Those sectors accounted for 39 per cent, or $3.4 billion of Sony Pictures’ $8.8 billion revenue in 2013.
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.
