GECs
Zee ups consumer push for Dish TV
NEW DELHI: Sensing that the Tata-Star combine, which got a green signal last week from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB), for a joint venture company, is all set to up gears as far as its direct-to-home (DTH) venture is concerned, Dish TV too is attempting to smoothen out the rough edges. Especially those related to marketing.
Dish TV is the brand name under which Subhash Chandras companies, ASC Enterprises and Zee Telefilms, are implementing the countrys first KU-band DTH service.According to Zee Tele vice-chairman Jawahar Goel, a new initiative relating to DTH distributors, aimed at facilitating easy accessibility for consumers, is being planned soon. “The distributor locator scheme through SMS (over mobile telephony) would be put in place within a few days so that consumers interested in the DTH service would find it easier to know more about the service,” he added.
Under the new scheme, any person can send an SMS to a re-designated number, which would be heavily advertised by Dish TV, giving his/her area of residence or wherever the DTH hardware is to be installed. A reply would be generated wherein the details of a distributor nearest to the senders location would be provided.
Alternately, a prospective DTH consumer can go to ASC Enterprises and/or Zee Telefilms sites to locate a Dish TV distributor in his/her city of choice.
This move has been initiated, Goel pointed out, as the feedback has been that people have been finding it difficult to locate distributors for the DTH service.
Dish TV is also looking at increasing the number of channels being offered to consumers, which would go up to 100 from the existing 48-odd at present, including new inductees in the form of ESPN and Star Sports.
Quite a few of the probable new channels have been tied up, while work is continuing on others, Goel said.
In this connection, it is learnt that ASC Enterprises group president and CEO Punit Goenka is scheduled to visit Cannes in France for the MIP TV event, with an aim to do some content shopping.
Meanwhile, Dish TV logo too has undergone a change and the new avatar can be seen on leaflets being distributed currently by the company.
Asked about the reason behind the new logo, Goel said that internally people wanted some changes and so it was done.
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.
