English Entertainment
Warner Bros. Discovery launches five new FAST channels on Samsung TV Plus
MUMBAI: Warner Bros. Discovery is dialing up the entertainment quotient with the launch of five brand-new free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels from Warner Bros. TV on Samsung TV Plus. This move promises a whirlwind of gripping storytelling, heart-pounding crime, mouth-watering food journeys, adrenaline-fueled adventures, and the most extreme jobs you’ve ever seen—all without spending a penny.
With streaming becoming the go-to for audiences, these channels are curated to offer premium entertainment across Samsung Smart TVs and mobile devices, ensuring viewers can binge-watch their favourite genres wherever they go.
A channel for every passion
House of Crime – True crime fanatics, brace yourselves. This Hindi-language channel delivers nail-biting crime dramas and investigative series that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Foodie Hub – Calling all food lovers! From sizzling recipes to behind-the-scenes kitchen drama, this Hindi-language channel serves up everything from street food gems to Michelin-starred magic.
Wild Flix – Animal lovers, rejoice! This Hindi-language channel is your passport to the untamed wonders of the animal kingdom, featuring awe-inspiring zoo stories and heroic animal rescues.
Wheel World – Car and bike enthusiasts, start your engines. This English-language channel is a high-octane paradise packed with restoration stories, thrilling rides, and the best garages in the business.
XXtreme Jobs – If you think your job is tough, wait till you see this. This Hindi-language channel dives into the world’s most dangerous professions, featuring fearless individuals tackling mind-blowing challenges daily.
Commenting on the launch, Warner Bros. Discovery head of distribution and eurosport- south Asia, Ruchir Jain said, “At Warner Bros. Discovery, we are passionate about curating diverse and high-quality entertainment for our audiences. With connected TVs on the rise, we’re excited to expand our presence on Samsung TV Plus through these new channels. Our partnership with Samsung will enable us to bring our viewers the very best of WBTV—compelling storytelling, fresh perspectives, and truly global flavours.”
With a strong focus on Hindi programming, these channels are expected to captivate both regional and urban audiences, delivering engaging content in their preferred language.
Samsung TV Plus India head of partnerships & business development, Kunal Mehta shared the excitement, stating, “We’re thrilled to welcome Warner Bros. Television to Samsung TV Plus. As a leader in FAST, we are committed to bringing top-tier content to our audiences. This partnership expands entertainment choices while delivering even more value and access to our viewers—and opportunities for advertisers.”
With the rapid adoption of connected TVs and the rise of digital streaming, the FAST model has gained massive momentum. According to recent advertising trends, the global FAST market is expected to reach $18.7 billion by 2027, with viewership surging by 150 per cent in the last three years. In India, connected TV adoption has seen a 40 per cent year-on-year growth, making it a prime market for ad-supported streaming content.
Streaming giants are increasingly shifting toward FAST to leverage higher ad revenues, increased viewer engagement, and deeper market penetration. This launch by Warner Bros. Discovery aligns perfectly with this evolving landscape, offering premium, ad-supported entertainment to a rapidly expanding audience.
As streaming habits continue to evolve, advertisers are seeing a 25 per cent increase in engagement rates on FAST platforms compared to traditional TV ads. This shift highlights the growing appeal of free, high-quality content paired with targeted advertising strategies.
The future? With this new launch, Warner Bros. Discovery and Samsung TV Plus are making premium entertainment more accessible than ever. Whether it’s the thrill of a mystery, the joy of a gourmet dish, or the awe of an untamed jungle, these new channels promise a content buffet like no other.
English Entertainment
Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders approve Paramount deal
Investors wave through a $111 billion megamerger but deliver a stinging, if toothless, rebuke over half-a-billion-dollar goodbye packages
NEW YORK: The shareholders said yes to the deal. They said no to the cheque. At a virtual special meeting on Thursday that lasted barely ten minutes, Warner Bros. Discovery investors voted overwhelmingly to approve Paramount Skydance’s $111 billion acquisition of the company — and then turned around and voted against the lavish exit pay packages lined up for chief executive David Zaslav and his fellow outgoing executives.
Not that it will make much difference. The compensation vote is purely advisory and non-binding. The Warner Bros. Discovery board can, and almost certainly will, pay out as planned.
But the symbolism stings. It is the second consecutive year that WBD shareholders have voted against the executive compensation packages, and this time they had good reason. Zaslav’s exit deal is, by any measure, extraordinary. Under the terms filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, he is set to receive $34.2 million in cash severance, $517.2 million in equity in the combined company, and $44,195 in continued health coverage — a total of at least $550 million. On top of that, Warner Bros. Discovery has agreed to reimburse Zaslav up to $335 million for taxes assessed by the Internal Revenue Service on his accelerated stock vesting, though the company says that figure will decline depending on when the deal closes. As of March 11, Zaslav also held $115.85 million in vested WBD stock awards — and last month sold a further $114 million worth of WBD shares.
Shareholder advisory firm ISS recommended voting against the compensation measure, citing “problematic” tax reimbursements to Zaslav and the full vesting of his stock awards.
Zaslav will be bound by a two-year non-competition covenant and a two-year non-solicitation of customers and employees after the deal closes.
His lieutenants are not walking away empty-handed either. J.B. Perrette, chief executive and president of global streaming and games, is in line for $142 million, comprising $18.2 million in cash severance and $123.9 million in equity. Bruce Campbell, chief revenue and strategy officer, will receive an estimated $121.5 million, including $18.8 million in severance and $102.7 million in equity. Chief financial officer Gunnar Wiedenfels is set for $120 million, made up of $6.6 million in cash severance and $113.1 million in equity. Gerhard Zeiler, president of international, will get $82.6 million, including $11.9 million in severance and $70.7 million in equity.
The deal itself, clinched in February after Netflix declined to raise its bid for Warner Bros., still needs regulatory clearance from the Justice Department and European authorities. Several state attorneys general are also weighing legal action to block it.
Senator Elizabeth Warren, Democrat of Massachusetts, was unsparing. “The Paramount-Warner Bros. merger isn’t a done deal,” she said after the shareholder vote. “State attorneys general across the country are stepping up to stop this antitrust disaster. We need to keep up this fight.”
If it does go through, the combined entity would be a formidable beast, bringing together Paramount Skydance’s stable — CBS, CBS News, Paramount Pictures, Paramount+, BET, MTV and Nickelodeon — with WBD’s portfolio of HBO, Max, Warner Bros. film and TV studios, DC, CNN, TBS, TNT, HGTV and Discovery+. Paramount has said it expects $6 billion in cost savings from the merger, which is Wall Street shorthand for mass layoffs on a significant scale.
The ten-minute meeting was presided over by chairman Samuel Di Piazza Jr., with Zaslav, Campbell, Wiedenfels and chief communications officer Robert Gibbs in virtual attendance. Di Piazza was bullish. “We appreciate the support and confidence our stockholders have placed in us to unlock the full value of our world-class entertainment portfolio,” he said. “With Paramount, we look forward to creating an exceptional combined company that will expand consumer choice and benefit the global creative talent community.”
Zaslav echoed the sentiment. “Over the past four years, our teams have transformed Warner Bros. Discovery and returned the company to industry leadership,” he said. “Today’s stockholder approval is another key milestone toward completing this historic transaction that will deliver exceptional value to our stockholders.”
Paramount Skydance struck a similar note. “Shareholder approval marks another important milestone towards completing our acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery,” it said in a statement, adding that it looked forward to “closing the transaction in the coming months.”
The shareholders have spoken on the merger. On the pay, they were ignored before the vote was even counted.
