English Entertainment
Zee English to sport an all-international look
MUMBAI: While Star World decided to go Indian, Zee English will be looking westwards to get the rating register ringing. As of Friday (postmidnight tonight), 30 May, the English entertainment channel will be sporting a new look and packaging.
According to an official release, the channel will don a new international avatar. Along with an interesting line-up of programmes, the channel has roped in various international models to give it that ‘international’ feel.
Claiming to be one of the highest viewed in India with a line-up occupied top slots in ratings charts across the World, Zee English plans to showcase aesthetic on-air packaging and exciting promos.
According to the Zee English and Zee MGM Business Head Ashvini Yardi: “We were working on the look of the channel for some time now. The viewer interface with the channel has to be in tandem with the programme attributes and this has been our attempt here. The overall effort was to reinforce the international feel and premiumness of the channel.”
The channel has in past six months introduced four new shows, Will and Grace, Mind of the Married Man, She Spies and Six Feet Under. While the original big tickets like Friends, Sopranos, The West wing, Mad about You, Seinfeld and Full House are still giving the channel the required fillip, says the release. Also a part of the international look, the channel will telecast the Miss Universe live from Panama City on 4 June 2003. The promos along with specials on the contestant from India Nikita Anand are already being aired.
The emphasis will not only be on the programming strategy and the promos, the channel has planned an complete makeover that will be visible in all daily bands, menu cards, end plates, mini id’s and station id’s. With help of the attractive, high-impact on-air packaging and promotions coupled with the new look, the channel plans to create, reinforce, differentiate and capitalize on the channel’s brand equity, adds the release.
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.
