Movie Channels
TNT bags premier rights to The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
MUMBAI: Time Warner’s Turner Broadcasting System has bagged the television rights to The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. TNT already has rights to Peter Jackson’s first Hobbit, from New Line and MGM. The movie will premier on TNT in 2016, while the 2012 release The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will be aired in 2015.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug was acquired by TNT post its huge box office success. Reports suggest that the movie has bagged more than $400 million in worldwide BO and $ 127.5 million domestically, since its release earlier this month.
TNT had first ventured into Tolkien’s Middle Earth with its network television premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in 2004. Since then the network has been acquiring movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers in 2005 and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King in 2006.
TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies president, head of programming Michael Wright said in a release, “TNT has been the primary television home to Tolkien’s Middle Earth for nearly a decade, beginning with our network television premieres of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. We’re proud to continue our association with these extraordinary and enormously popular epics with the acquisition of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.”
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.
