Movie Channels
Sony Six woos early morning audience with NBA treat
MUMBAI: Indian viewers are set to see more basketball on their screens with NBA and Sony Six concretising their plans. ‘NBA Mornings on Six’ will televise up to 14 matches per week back to back every day. Flagging off on 30 October, the first match will be current champions Miami Heat facing off against the Chicago Bulls at 5:30 am IST followed by the LA Clippers against the LA Lakers at 8:00 am. A total of 300 live regular season games will be shown along with NBA All Star, Playoffs and the finals.
The channel also plans to create basketball-centric programs including a lifestyle one that will show the game off the court along with added local content. The show will be aired once a week at primetime. Digital and social media are also being tapped through apps, games and contests.
“This enhanced offering will give the fans a chance to watch their favorite team and stars consistently throughout the season. We are confident that our approach will open up an enormous opportunity in the ‘Breakfast’ time space for capturing viewership,” says Sony Six business head Prasana Krishnan.
An NBA Slam Dunk app on Facebook will reward people for answering questions. A trivia contest will run across TV, digital and social media, the winner of which will get a trip to the 2014 NBA All Star as well as get featured on a show.
NBA and Sony Six tied up earlier this year in a multi- year deal to promote the game in India. “This new, expanded programming will increase fan access to NBA basketball on multiple platforms,” says NBA India managing director Yannick Colaco.
Movie Channels
Zee5 launches five free FAST channels on Samsung TV Plus India
New genre-led channels bring comedy, drama, horror, classics and South films to Smart TVs.
MUMBAI: Zee5 just turned Samsung Smart TVs into a free entertainment buffet because when premium content costs nothing, even the remote control starts smiling. Zee5 has launched five curated free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels on Samsung TV Plus India, making high-quality, genre-specific entertainment available subscription-free to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners across the country.
The five channels now live are:
Zee Comedy Nation – Popular comedy shows and movies
Zee Dil Se – Compelling drama series
ZEE Horror Nights – Horror and supernatural content
ZEE Cine Classic – Timeless Indian films
ZEE South Flix – High-energy South Indian films dubbed in Hindi
All content is drawn from Zee5’s extensive library and programmed in a lean-back, always-on format ideal for large-screen viewing. This launch strengthens Zee5’s Connected TV strategy at a time when 64 per cent of its premium content watch time already comes from connected devices.
Zee5 chief business officer Siju Prabhakaran said, “At Zee5, we believe accessibility and scale will define the next phase of digital entertainment growth in India. Our presence on Samsung TV Plus strengthens our Connected TV strategy, enabling viewers to discover curated, genre-led content in a seamless, free, and premium environment.”
Samsung TV Plus India head of partnerships Kunal Mehta added, “Local partnerships are at the heart of how we grow Samsung TV Plus in India. Zee Entertainment is one of India’s most iconic media brands, and bringing their channels to our service means millions more Samsung Smart TV owners can enjoy premium local content, subscription-free.”
The channels are available directly through the pre-installed Samsung TV Plus app with no login or subscription required. This marks another milestone in Zee5’s CTV expansion and builds on its growing international presence, with Zee channels already available on Samsung TV Plus across Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
In a streaming world where paywalls often block the fun, Zee5 and Samsung have quietly opened the gates, proving that sometimes the best things in life (and on your TV) really are free especially when they come with a side of comedy, drama, horror, classics and South Indian blockbuster energy.
