GECs
Zeel plans to regain top spot in Hindi, Marathi, Telugu markets in 2020
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) is upping the ante on its GEC portfolio. Zee TV, Zee Marathi and Zee Telugu will witness a lot of content changes this year to gain back their leading positions in the respective markets.
Zee Telugu will be launching a new fiction show Prema Entha Madhuram on 10 February and two more shows- Trinayani and Thoorpu Padamara will launch soon.
In the past three to four quarters, there has been a dip in the market share of Zee’s Hindi GEC. In an earnings concall, Zeel CEO Punit Goenka said, “We continuously want to look at our content portfolio of the channels and improve on that so that the market shares can be gained back."
He further added, “So all these channels where we lost market share, we will be replacing most of the shows, therefore trying to gain back the leadership position. In fact, I am told that Zee Telugu has already gained back or started the trajectory towards upward movement and should be on track within the first quarter of next fiscal.”
During 3QFY20, ZEEL’s television network had an all-India viewership share of 18.2 per cent. While its regional portfolio increased viewership share, that of its Hindi market declined, in both GEC and movie segments.
“Zee TV maintained its weekday prime time leadership, but lost weekend prime time share and was the #3 channel in the pay Hindi GEC segment. Our Hindi movie cluster continued to be the #1 movie portfolio in the pay Hindi movie genre,” said Goenka.
In Q3 FY20 Zeel’s regional portfolio had mixed performance. He also said, “We maintained a leadership position in the Marathi, Bangla and Kannada markets, with Zee Kannada further strengthening its leadership position. While Zee Tamil improved its viewership share, Zee Telugu witnessed a marginal decline. Zee Keralam continued to gain share in the Malayalam market establishing itself as a strong contender for the number two position. Zee Sarthak regained leadership in the Odiya market towards the end of the quarter.”
For the third quarter of FY20, ZEEL reported consolidated revenue of Rs 2048.7 crore. EBITDA was Rs 565.8 crore with an EBITDA margin of 27.6 per cent. During the quarter, ZEEL's international business revenue was Rs 166.5 crore. The advertising and subscription revenues declined by 18.6 per cent YoY and 17.4 per cent YoY, respectively.
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.
