GECs
World Rally Championship global TV audience up 44 per cent
MUMBAI: International Sportsworld Communicators (ISC), the global media and commercial rights holder for the Fia World Rally Championship (WRC) has announced the latest TV audience statistics and data.
It shows that the worldwide television audience of the WRC has increased 44 per cent in three years. In India viewers can catch WRC action on ten Sports.
WRC worldwide audience figures have grown by 44 per cent from 2002 to 2005. In the same time frame, the reach of WRC has also developed significantly with new broadcasters tapping into previously untouched territories and new programming, resulting in a 158 per cent increase in the total number of hours of coverage from 1,780 in 2002 to 4,610 in 2005.
Year on year, WRC has seen a 3.7 per cent increase in its worldwide audience to 802 million during 2005. WRCs site www.wrc.com has seen a 25 per cent increase in average monthly visitors from 323,728 in 2004 to 403,027 in 2005, peaking at 590,000 during Wales Rally GB.
The total number of dedicated WRC broadcasts has increased by almost 27 per cent during last year, with 6,696 dedicated WRC broadcasts in 2005 in comparison to 5,281 the year before.
The introduction of Rally World in 2005, a new rally magazine programme, contributed to a 31 per cent increase in the average number of broadcasts per rally since April 2005.
Coverage in Japan saw a 36.4 per cent increase from 17.1 million viewers in 2004 to 23.3 million by the end of 2005 as TV coverage increased on existing networks.
Other key TV markets also saw a rise in audience viewing figures since 2004 with Spain boasting a 34.8 per cent increase as a result of new programming on existing networks and France improving by 18.5 per cent as a result of increased programming on France 2 and M6.
Figures in Scandinavian TV markets showed similar increases during 2005, as a result of additional programming and consistent broadcast schedules. Norways audience figures increased by over 50 per cent, Swedens by 10 per cent, Finlands by 1.5 per cent and Denmarks increased by over 100 per cent.
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.
