English Entertainment
Gil Cates to produce Oscar Awards for the 13th time
MUMBAI: Gilbert Cates will return once again to produce the 78th Oscar Academy Awards. Cates will captain the upcoming Oscar telecast which will air in India live on Star Movies, early in the morning on, 6 March, 2006.
Cates has produced more Oscar shows than any other person, with a dozen telecasts to his credit since 1990. Academy president, Sid Ganis says, “Even with 12 shows in his past, Gil remains extraordinarily creative and ready and willing to give innovation a try. And the rest of us are a little more comfortable with Gil trying new ways to present the evening, because he knows exactly what’s at stake.”
Cates’ previous outings as producer have garnered 92 Emmy nominations and 21 Emmy Awards.Cates won the Emmy himself in 1991 for producing the 63rd Annual Academy Awards telecast.
Cates says, “I am delighted that Sid has asked me back as producer of a show that I love to do. Much of the fun of producing this live telecast is the pleasure of working with people that I love and respect.”
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.
