GECs
Star drops bouquet rate to Rs 27; History Channel to be billed separately
MUMBAI: If last year, Star India had linked a 25 per cent drop in subscription rates per subscriber (from Rs 40 to Rs 30) to a 100 per cent increase in declarations, this time round, it is taking a softer line with the cable fraternity.
Star India CEO Peter Mukerjea told indiantelevision.com this evening his network was dropping its per subscriber price by 10 per cent from the current Rs 30 to Rs 27 if cable operators offered a reasonable increase in declarations. While Mukerjea did not specify by how much the cable op would have to increase declarations to avail of the 10 per cent drop in rates, industry sources say Star is seeking a 40 per cent increase in declared connectivity.
Asked about how cable operators were reacting to Star’s new rate plane, Coda (Cable Operators and Distributors Association) president and proprietor of Dattatray Cable Anil Parab said he was yet to get any official notification on the matter. Parab, however, said that the cable operators would probably meet on Friday or Saturday to discuss the issue once they had Star’s proposal in hand.
SET India CEO Kunal Dasgupta would not be drawn into a comment on how his network would be priced except to state that he expected to reach some decision on the matter by Friday.
Zee Telefilms additional vice-chairman and head of its cable arm Siti Cable Jawahar Goel, while stating he was still awaiting official word from Star on its price, said, “We are distributors of content, including that of Star. If there is any price hike we will pass it on to the consumers.”
Mukerjea, meanwhile, also clarified that the reduced subscrition rate applied only to Star’s current bouquet of channels. The newly added on History Channel, which debuted in India on Sunday (30 November) on the network, would be priced at between Rs 6 and 8, said Mukerjea.
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.
