GECs
Star’s ‘FocusAsia’ bags awards at Intl Wildlife Film Festival
MUMBAI: The team behind Star’s weekly current affairs programme FocusAsia has something to crow about. Bear Baiting – a report produced by FocusAsia which deals with a barbaric Pakistan sport won first place in the News Story category. It also got a Finalist Award at The 26th International Wildlife Film Festival (IWFF). The IWFF concludes tomorrow in Missoula Montana.
FocusAsia airs on Star World every Sunday at 5:30 pm(IST). IWFF attracted more than 200 entries worldwide vying for industry recognition. FocusAsia’s report was also aired on the National Geographic Channel in the US. It uncovers a brutal sport in Pakistan known as “bear baiting” in which dogs and captive Asiatic black bears are forced to fight each other, leading to rapid decline in the black bear population for more than a century. The report also highlights the steadfast efforts of conservationists in Pakistan to save the bear from extinction.
The annual IWFF, a wildlife film, television and media organisation based in Montana, US, is the world’s first juried wildlife film competition. The awards are granted by a jury composed of experts on wildlife media and the science of wildlife and habitat. Awards are based on excellence in biological accuracy, technical achievement, aesthetic presentation and educational value.
At the IWFF, National Geographic Channel’s Vanishing Giants also got a finalists award. The honouree list also included Animal Planets’ The Lost Elephants of Timbuktu . Its special Kabul Zoo Rescue also won a merit award. Itc co-production with the BBC Amazon Assassin was also cited.
An official release informs that FocusAsia explores a wide range of social, economic and political issues across the Asia region and provides an in-depth and investigative look at the issues shaping Asia today. Since its launch in January 2000, FocusAsia’s team has travelled to 18 countries, filed more than 180 reports and won numerous awards, including a finalist award for Best News Magazine Programme at the 2000 New York Festival and Best Current Affairs Programme award at the 1999 Asian Television Award. FocusAsia correspondents have pocketed the first prize in the English television category at the esteemed Annual Amnesty International Human Rights Press Awards in Hong Kong successively from 2000 to 2002.
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.
