GECs
Viacom18 appoints Kunal Gaur as chief commercial officer
Mumbai: Viacom18 has appointed Kunal Gaur as chief commercial officer. Kunal will be taking over from Utpal Das who ends his stint at Viacom18 on 31stMarch 2021.
Through the past 7. 5 years, Utpal Das has led the commercial, facilities and corporate services functions at Viacom18. He was instrumental in not only shaping and leading these functions but also towards building Viacom18 into one of India’s top media networks through his role as a key member of the company’s leadership team.
Kunal Gaur, a chartered accountant by qualification, has over 19 years of experience across organisations like Star India, Netflix and PWC. Prior to joining Viacom18, Gaur was a part of the Netflix India’s leadership team in the capacity of director, production finance where he was instrumental in crafting budgeting strategies and leading production finance for all original series, film, non-fiction and documentaries.
Kunal Gaur will be reporting into Rahul Joshi, MD, Network18.
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.
