GECs
ZEEL’s Amit Goenka: Target 3 billion audiences in the next 5 years
MUMBAI: To conquer half the world – that is the aim of the 25-year old Zee Network. Barely weeks into the channel refresh of Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEEL) channels, the conglomerate has a new brand philosophy – ‘Extraordinary Together’.
ZEEL CEO Punit Goenka admits that for the last 25 years it has been choosing the time slot for people to watch television. “But in next 25 years we have to listen to the consumers and where he wants to consume, in which format and through which medium. That is the biggest change we see going forward,” he adds.
The company has reached 1.3 billion viewers globally with the presence in over 173 countries since 23 years. The foray into producing international content is recent and today Zee produces content in nine different languages. “We plan to produce more global content but 80 per cent will stay Indian content. We plan to target three billion audiences in the next five years,” says ZEEL International broadcast business CEO Amit Goenka.
In India, ZEEL will soon enter the Malayalam market. Along with this, the network plans to launch its consolidated digital platform Z5 soon.
Punit Goenka is optimistic that the company’s content will differentiate it from others. It will span Hindi and 11 regional languages, and a large film library in multiple languages. Though TV content will be on Z5, there will be original ones too.
He also said and expressed his wish to take theatre to extreme heights both in India and abroad.
Goenka clarified that ZEEL isn’t abandoning its earlier philosophy of Vasudeva Kutumbakam, but it is rather encompassing it all together.
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.
