GECs
Zee to add more channels to boost international business
MUMBAI: Zee Telefilms is pushing forward its international business by adding more channels into the bouquet.
Zee News is planned for launch in UK and Europe. “We are currently working on the transponder. We expect it will take us six months,” Zee Telefilms international president Dheeraj Kapuria tells indiantelevision.com.
Zee is already distributing Raghav Bahl’s South Asia World which will get encrypted on 1 August. “With Zee News, we will have completed the news package in Hindi and English. We are discussing on what we should price South Asia World at. We are encrypting it on 1 August. But it will be lower than the 3 pounds we charge for our regional language channels. It will have an a-la-carte as well as a bundled rate,” says Kapuria.
The channels already present in that market are Zee TV, Zee Cinema, Zee Music and Zee ETC Punjabi. Zee TV and Zee Cinema are sold for 12.99 pounds in UK. “In the package, the Punjabi channel costs 3 pounds more while the standalone rate is 9.99 pounds. Zee Gujarati is also priced at 3 pounds in the bundle,” says Kapuria.
Also on the agenda is to take Zee Music to US in October on the direct-to-home (DTH) platform of EchoStar. Zee Cinema, Zee Gujarati and Zee Music will soon be travelling to Canada, adding to the Asian Television Network International’s South Asian bouquet of channels. Zee ETC Punjabi channel, which exclusively brings the telecast of Gurbani from the Golden Temple in Amritsar, is already on offer.
“We are adding channels to the bouquet in the international markets. The value and price of the bouquet will go up as a result of this,” says Kapuria.
As part of the plan to strengthen its grip in the Middle East, Zee has already announced plans to launch in August Zee Arabia, a music and lifestyle channel targeted at South Asians.
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.
