GECs
Sony shuffles prime time shows; ‘Idol’ now at 9 pm
MUMBAI: Its prime time reshuffle at Sony Entertainment Television (SET) India. In a bid to get some traction going for its tent pole property Indian Idol, Sony has now pushed the season two of the one hour reality talent hunt to the 9 pm slot from the earlier 8:30 pm slot. The change will be effective from 13 February.
The first season of Indian Idol was aired in the 9:30 pm time slot. However with the second season, the channel had hoped to encash on the strong cachet in the 8:30 pm band that Fame Gurukul had managed to make and hence Indian Idol 2 was positioned in that time slot.
The official reason given for the time slot shuffle is that viewers in the metros were unable to catch the show at 8:30 pm and hence the change.
Deal Ya No Deal, which at present airs from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm from Wednesday to Friday has also been shifted to the 9 pm slot. As a result of this, Ek Ladki Anjaani Si, which aired after Indian Idol (Mondays and Tuesdays) and Deal Ya No Deal (Wednesday to Friday) at 9:30 pm has been pushed back to the 8:30 pm slot.
However, the serials Kaisa Ye Pyar Hai at 8 pm, Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin at 10 pm and CID Special Bureau at 10.30 pm will continue to air in their old time slots.
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.
