GECs
Zee to telecast FIFA/UEFA football match live
MUMBAI: FIFA and UEFA have joined forces to organise a ‘Football for Hope’ match in aid of the victims of the tsunami that devastated South and Southeast Asia and parts of Africa on 26 December. The match will take place at the Nou Camp stadium in Barcelona on 15 February.
Zee TV and Alpha Bangla will telecast the match live at 1:15 am on 16 February. Zee has got exclusive rights to the match in India, Sri-Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Pakistan. Zee had decided to telecast the match in its Bangla channel also looking at the craze for soccer in that region.
All proceeds from the “Football for Hope” match will be donated to the FIFA/AFC Tsunami Solidarity Fund, which has been set up jointly by FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). FC Barcelona has made its home stadium available for the event free of charge.
The cream of world football will grace the two teams taking part: the first led by FIFA World Player 2004 Ronaldinho, the other by European Footballer of the Year 2004 Andriy Shevchenko. The Brazilian impresario’s side will be “coached” by Carlos Alberto Parreira (Brazil) and Frank Rijkaard (Netherlands), while Marcello Lippi (Italy) and Arsene Wenger (France) will take charge of the Ukrainian striker’s line-up. The list of players includes such stalwarts as David Beckham, Michael Ballack, Zinedine Zidane, Raul, Thierry Henry, Steven Gerrard, Del Piero and many more, informs an official release.
About the decision from Zee to telecast the ‘Football for Hope’ charity match, Zee Telefilms director Punit Goenka said, “We at Zee are committed to the cause of helping and aiding the tsunami victims, and this is another step in that effort. The Essel group of companies has made donations for the PM Relief fund and our employees have also contributed a day’s salary to aid the relief efforts. We look forward to helping FIFA and UEFA with this noble cause.”
FIFA president Joseph S. Blatter said, “Just like the rest of the international community, the worldwide football family is determined to do everything possible to help the individuals and football associations that have been so severely affected by the terrible tsunami tragedy. The ‘Football for Hope’ match is a symbol of the outpouring of solidarity within our game. It comes in addition to countless other
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.
