English Entertainment
WWE announces deals at Mip TV for Europe, ME
CANNES: At the ongoing television event Mip TV in Cannes World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) announced that it concluded pay, satellite and Free TV agreements totaling over 1,400 hours in key territories throughout Europe, the Middle East and the Philippines.
In India WWE action airs on Ten Sports.
WWE Intl television senior VP, MD Andrew Whitaker was quoted in a company release saying, “The continued roll-out of WWE programming throughout Europe is a direct response to our fans in these countries calling for more and more of our product. While uniquely American in delivery, WWE programming is certainly global in its appeal.”.
The deal for Europe totalled 364 hours. This included a pay per view deal with Portugal’s SIC Radical Cable for Raw and Velocity. In Greece a deal for Free TV was struck with Magic TV. This was for the show Smackdown and totalled 52 hours. Another Free TV deal was done with Romanian broadcaster Telesport for Raw, Smackdown, Velocity and Heat.. For the Middle East the deals totalled 556 hours.
English Entertainment
ZEE5 UK partners Narrative Entertainment to add UK channels
Six FAST channels added as platform sharpens hybrid play in Britain
LONDON: ZEE5 UK struck a first-of-its-kind deal with Narrative Entertainment, bringing mainstream UK television channels onto an Indian streaming platform as it pushes to deepen its footprint in a crowded, mature market.
The partnership adds six of Narrative’s FAST channels to the service, including Great! Movies, Great! Romance, Great! Mystery and kids brands POP, Tiny Pop and POP UP, widening ZEE5 UK’s appeal across genres and age groups.
The move reflects a clear shift in strategy. ZEE5 UK is betting on a hybrid model that blends on-demand content with curated, always-on channels to drive discovery and increase time spent on the platform.
“This partnership represents a meaningful evolution in how we serve audiences in mature markets like the UK, where viewers are defined by habits, convenience and choice rather than geography or language alone,” said Parul Goel, territory head, Europe, Zee Entertainment. “By bringing trusted mainstream UK channels together with our premium originals, movies and kids’ content, we are building a more consumer-centric platform that simplifies viewing while increasing depth and relevance.”
Fateha Begum, commercial director, Narrative Entertainment, said the tie-up would fuel growth for both sides. “Our portfolio of quality programming, with such wide and enduring appeal, is a perfect complement to ZEE5 UK. This is a strong partnership that will support growth for both parties, and we share Zee Entertainment’s vision of an increasingly partnership-led future for the industry.”
ZEE5’s global library spans over 4,000 films and more than 500 originals, with over 130 new titles added annually. The addition of Narrative’s channels strengthens its kids offering and introduces genre-led linear experiences alongside its on-demand catalogue.
The deal also gives Narrative access to ZEE5 UK’s fast-growing user base, extending reach without diluting brand identity, while reinforcing ZEE5 UK’s network of more than 40 live channels.
As streaming wars intensify, ZEE5 UK is widening its playbook, blending content, convenience and partnerships in a bid to win screen time in one of the world’s toughest markets.
