GECs
Sony-speak from India head NP Singh
Mumbai: For all those who have been speculating about the future of NP Singh, one of the most spotlight-shy CEOs, at Sony in India following the impending merger with Zee Entertainment, there is no need to keep guessing. Singh’s future is not only secure, but his role is actually going to be expanding, in the overall scheme of the Japanese MNC.
This is amply evident from the fact that Singh shared centre stage at Sony’s annual corporate strategy day presentation in Tokyo mid-last week, along with group chairman & CEO Yoshida Kenichiro and Sony COO & CFO Totoki Hiroki.
At the meet, Sony executives reiterated that India is one of its pivotal markets. Singh highlighted that Sony Research India is actively collaborating with Sony Pictures Releasing India to develop AI models, such as video analytics, recommendation engines and speech recognition. This aside, Singh pointed out to other successful initiatives such as Sony Talent Ventures (with Sony Music) and the Hero project initiated by Sony Interactive Entertainment that is grooming game development talent, which are being ramped up even further..
The affable and soft-spoken Sikh revealed that its streaming service SonyLiv has managed to sign on 33.3 million subscribers globally, with an annual ARPU of Rs 573, according to a report in The Mint.
Singh emphasised that “India is a global economic powerhouse and an opportunity destination for artists, content creators, game developers, studios, platforms and technology companies. Our efforts in India are aligned with Sony’s purpose of filling the world with emotion and we strive to push the boundaries and go beyond what is expected.”
As far as the merger with Zee is concerned, Singh pointed out that it is still awaiting regulatory clearances. The expectation is that it should be completely green-signalled by the first half of this financial year. “Upon closing, it will enable us to expand our kind of content creation and strengthen connections with diverse communities within India,” he stated.
As has been reported, Singh is slated to get bumped upstairs as the chairperson of the combined entity, while current Zee MD & CEO Punit Goenka is to be given the former’s charge.
However, since the marger still has some distance to go, Singh has since reorganised SPNI with Danish Khan being handed Sony’s digital initiatives and Neeraj Vyas being made responsible for the company’s GEC broadcast business.
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.
