Movie Channels
UTV signs $3 million animation contract
MUMBAI: Is the market for animation looking up? If the latest news from UTV is any indication, the answer seems yes.
UTV has bagged three new animation projects. The animation arm of the production major will be producing content for the overseas market including South Africa, Canada, USA and Holland, worth more than $ 3 million.
According to an official communiqué, the work has already begun on all these projects and UTV is looking at upping its studio’s capacity from 50 up to 150. The production major will also be investing in the advanced animation and rendering infrastructure in the country.
The shows include Lost in Paris- a co-production with Awesome Kids LLC – USA, Magic Cellar – which is commissioned by the South African Broadcasting Co-operation (SABC) and series II of Honk Toot and Swo – Swoosh, a 3D animation shows with CCI Entertainment of Canada and Creative Graphics of Holland.
In addition, UTV has also struck a major worldwide distribution deal with it’s CO-production partners for Series I, of Honk Toot… CCI, says the release. The Canadian company has projected revenue of US$ 20 million over a period of three to four years and UTV’s CO-production stake is between 10-15 per cent.
“We have always been very committed to the animation business as part of our TV content growth. Three global majors taking cognizance of our quality and services is a further endorsement of our continued commitment to this growing creative outsourcing and services business”, says UTV, CEO, Ronnie Screwvala in the release.
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.
