GECs
Zoom in rejig mode, adds Bollywood flavour
MUMBAI: Zoom has been primarily associated with Page 3 content on and around celebrities. But now the non-fiction lifestyle and entertainment channel wants to become broadbased and create an urban mass appeal to attract maximum viewership.
For starters, it has gone completely Hindi from being partially English in its initial stages as it plans to look at a wider audience.
Zoom has also initiated several activities to create properties around events. Currently focusing more on the entertainment news, they have just relaunched their show Popkorn News in a new form.
Says Zoom business head M K Anand, “The channel has become more centrist now. Initially, the shows were a little edgy. Today we are the only service filing 200 Bollywood stories per week. With our initiatives like Popkorn News we compete straight with news channels.”
To extend the entertainment news section, Zoom would be launching a half hour entertainment news-based show in the first quarter of next year. Unlike Popkorn News, this one won’t be pre-recorded but would go live.
Says Anand, “Currently we don’t have an infrastructure to go live but we certainly plan it for the next year. This will be a big step to further our target to compete with the news channels.”
The other show Page 3 has also roped in new anchors Supreet Bedi and Pooja Sharma who take the viewers into the world of the most talked about socialites, stars, fashion gurus and corporate big wigs. And Weekend Page 3 is a compilation of week’s parties, events and exhibition.
“Today there is an inate requirement to look and learn. Peoplr pick up fashion trends and style from a channel like Zoom and with such initiatives we are just staying true to the urban appeal,” says Anand.
Zoom is looking at gaining distribution. As a strategy to improve sampling, it has introduced 2 se 5, an afternoon slot dedicated completely to movies.
Talking about this initiative Anand says, ” Movies is just a short time initiative. We don’t plan to do a decibel marketing of movies by acquiring big titles. Its just to improve our viewership. We plan to flash the promos of our shows during the slot so viwers can know more about the shows.”
For this month, Zoom has lined up movies like Shabd, Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa and 7 1/2 Phere.
The coming year would see Zoom engaging in various events. There would be Banoongi Main Miss India in February-March, followed by Zoom Holi party in March and the Zoom Glam awards in March-April.
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.
