GECs
VH1 Classic to air BBC music shows
MUMBAI: VH1 Classic will expand from a 12-hour to a full 24-hour schedule, with BBC’s offerings from 1 May.
The BBC deal includes the legendary anthology series The Old Grey Whistle Test, one of the most influential music shows in Britain in the 1970s.
VH1 Classic will begin premiering select episodes from the series this September, and roll out performances from popular 1970s and 1980s artists such as Tom Petty, The Police and Lynyrd Skynyrd. It will premiere under VH1 Classic’s original series umbrella Classic in Concert.
VH1’s SVP and GM Eric Sherman said,”VH1 Classic’s audience and its appetite for classic music continues to grow, leading us to effectively double our music program offerings each day. We’re particularly pleased to deliver rare BBC gems such as The Old Grey Whistle Test which presents performances never seen before on this side of the Atlantic.”
The new weekly movie franchise Rock and Roll Picture Show with Hysteria: The Def Leppard Story will be launched on 6 May. Other movies include The Wall, The Song Remains The Same, Woodstock, Jimi Hendrix, Madonna: Truth Or Dare and Imagine: John Lennon.
The Class Of … stunt becomes a regular monthly offering in June, kicking off with Class of 1984. Other new initiatives include a 27-episode series Classic Albums, with each hour telling the story behind the making of one of rock music’s most seminal albums.
Also, the network has licensed Classic Artists, a series of documentaries tracking the twists and turns in a single artist or band’s career. The first episode set to premiere in the fall 2006 will feature Cream.
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.
