GECs
Zee targets September launch of Khalsa World
MUMBAI: Zee Network is targeting last week of September for launch of Khalsa World, the third Punjabi language channel from its stable.
Zee obtained uplinking permission from the government last week, says ETC Channel Punjabi and Zee Punjabi president and business head Rabindra Narayan.”We are targeting to launch the channel in the last week of September or first week of October.”
The dedicated 24-hour religious channel will telecast live Gurbani from the Golden Temple. It will also have regular programmes like Katha, Kirtan, Kavi Darbars and discourses. The programming will include documentaries on Sikh saints. “Khalsa will have evening Gurbani live. We will also be having other religious programming including those shot from overseas,” says Narayan.
ETC Punjabi will replace the live Gurbani content, which was the distinguishing feature of the channel, with more music and music-based shows. The morning Gurbani will, however, continue with the channel. “ETC Punjabi will have music, interactive and bigger entertainment shows,” says Narayan.
The positioning of Zee Punjabi will continue to be different and it will have serials, soap operas and news and current affairs.
Zee Telefilms has dominated the Punjabi TV channel language market ever since it acquired ETC Networks in 2002 with a combination of two channels. With Khalsa, it hopes to further narrow the space for competing channels.
Khalsa will be simulataneously available in UK the day it is launched in India, but as a band on Alpha Etc Punjabi. In the UK, Zee’s Punjabi channel is called Alpha ETC Punjabi.
Khalsa World will have the same team which is in charge of ETC Channel Punjabi and Zee Punjabi, Narayan added.
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.
