GECs
Zee steals the show at Goafest as creativity gets its day in the sun
MUMBAI: The glittering second day of Goafest 2025 turned into a proper awards ceremony slugfest as Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd strutted away with the coveted ‘broadcaster of the year’ crown, leaving its competitors nursing wounded egos and consolation prizes.
With the swagger of a seasoned prize-fighter, Zee knocked out the competition with a knockout punch of 28 points, courtesy of two golds, one silver, one bronze and a merit. Not bad for a day’s work, really.
Star India Pvt Ltd put up a respectable fight, clinching second place with 18 points after bagging one gold, one silver and two merits. Meanwhile, Viacom18 Media Private Litd had to settle for bronze medal position with 16 points, managing two silvers and one bronze—a performance that suggests they’re more silver screen than silver medal material.
The others weren’t entirely left empty-handed. Cheil India and Culver Max Entertainment each snagged a gold apiece, earning themselves eight points and a modicum of bragging rights at the office water cooler.
The Abby Creative Awards 2025, powered by The One Show, didn’t stop at the broadcaster shakedown. Day two saw the advertising industry’s finest duke it out across specialist categories including public relations, digital specialist, design specialist, mobile specialist, technology specialist, and direct specialist. Because apparently, everyone’s a specialist these days.
The awards, which have become something of a premier benchmark for excellence in Indian advertising and media, continue to prove that creativity isn’t dead—it’s just very competitive and occasionally ruthless.
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.
