English Entertainment
The most loved English entertainment channel, AXN, is also the ultimate destination of reality shows
MUMBAI: English entertainment channel, AXN’s 20-year anniversary celebration is getting bigger and better! The legacy channel continues to maintain its leadership position by having the best of reality, entertainment and drama shows. The recent announcement of Emmy, which is the equivalent of an Academy for television, is proof as 6 AXN shows have been nominated for the prestigious award. And, to commemorate this achievement, AXN kickstarted a unique campaign which culminated into a grand musical night at Hard Rock Café.
Across a month, AXN visited various media agencies like GroupM, Lodestar, Madison and OMD across Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore, to indulge the employees with insightful masterclasses. Led by the best in business chefs, musicians, stylists and fitness experts, the masterclasses were a first of its kind initiative in the category, inspired by the popular AXN reality shows – Top Chef, The Voice, America’s Next Top Model and American Ninja Warrior.
Every masterclass ended with an engaging competition where the employees got a taste of AXN’s reality shows and stood a chance to win the title of ‘AXN Reality Champion’ along with exciting gifts. Additionally, the enticing campaign concluded on a musical high as winners of various agencies participated in an unprecedented inter-agency karaoke competition at Hardrock Café to celebrate the finale of the latest season of the award-winning reality show ‘The Voice’.
While the fierce Gurgaon competition was judged by the acclaimed musician, Subir Malik, who is the founding member of the stalwart band, Parikrama, the starry Mumbai competition was judged by ace Bollywood singer, Shilpa Surroch. Providing the ultimate closure to the most unique and engaging campaign were the enthusiastic participants who rocked the grand stage!
Finally, after a relentless fight, GroupM and OMD took home the ‘AXN Corporate Karaoke Champions’ trophy in Gurgaon and Mumbai, respectively. This was the ideal celebration of AXN’s 20-year long success story, and the channel would have done it no other way than with the ultimate fans who deserve the best entertainment!
English Entertainment
ZEE5 UK partners Narrative Entertainment to add UK channels
Six FAST channels added as platform sharpens hybrid play in Britain
LONDON: ZEE5 UK struck a first-of-its-kind deal with Narrative Entertainment, bringing mainstream UK television channels onto an Indian streaming platform as it pushes to deepen its footprint in a crowded, mature market.
The partnership adds six of Narrative’s FAST channels to the service, including Great! Movies, Great! Romance, Great! Mystery and kids brands POP, Tiny Pop and POP UP, widening ZEE5 UK’s appeal across genres and age groups.
The move reflects a clear shift in strategy. ZEE5 UK is betting on a hybrid model that blends on-demand content with curated, always-on channels to drive discovery and increase time spent on the platform.
“This partnership represents a meaningful evolution in how we serve audiences in mature markets like the UK, where viewers are defined by habits, convenience and choice rather than geography or language alone,” said Parul Goel, territory head, Europe, Zee Entertainment. “By bringing trusted mainstream UK channels together with our premium originals, movies and kids’ content, we are building a more consumer-centric platform that simplifies viewing while increasing depth and relevance.”
Fateha Begum, commercial director, Narrative Entertainment, said the tie-up would fuel growth for both sides. “Our portfolio of quality programming, with such wide and enduring appeal, is a perfect complement to ZEE5 UK. This is a strong partnership that will support growth for both parties, and we share Zee Entertainment’s vision of an increasingly partnership-led future for the industry.”
ZEE5’s global library spans over 4,000 films and more than 500 originals, with over 130 new titles added annually. The addition of Narrative’s channels strengthens its kids offering and introduces genre-led linear experiences alongside its on-demand catalogue.
The deal also gives Narrative access to ZEE5 UK’s fast-growing user base, extending reach without diluting brand identity, while reinforcing ZEE5 UK’s network of more than 40 live channels.
As streaming wars intensify, ZEE5 UK is widening its playbook, blending content, convenience and partnerships in a bid to win screen time in one of the world’s toughest markets.
