Sony Pictures Networks (SPN), in association with Sony Pictures Television (SPT), on Monday announced that Sony KAL Hindi, its free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel, has launched on Xumo in the U.S.
This comes on the heels of Sony KAL Hindi’s debut on TCL Channel in the US and Canada in August. SPN’s general entertainment destination featuring celebrated and award- winning drama and comedy television series direct from India, is now available on Xumo, the TCL Channel, SLING TV, LG Channels and Plex, with additional platforms to come later this year, a press release from Sony stated.
Sony KAL Hindi features shows such as ‘Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin’ and ‘Bade Achhe Lagte Hai’ that were mega hits with audiences around the world. The channel’s programming line-up also includes most watched shows such as ‘Mann Mein Vishwaas Hai’, ‘Dr. Bhanumati on Duty’, ‘Super Sisters’, ‘Shankar Jai Kishan’ and ‘Band Baja Bandh Darwaza’.
In addition, Sony KAL Hindi is home to ‘Meet the Drapers’, an international pitch competition reality series where entrepreneurs from around the globe compete against one another for a $1 million dollar investment in their game-changing ideas from billionaire venture capitalist, Tim Draper.
“After Sony KAL’s successful launch in the US as one of the first South Asian FAST channel in the region, we’re excited to grow the reach of the channel. Now Xumo customers in the US and Canada will be able to enjoy free access to our robust lineup of premium South Asian content that is subtitled and available across multiple devices,” the media statement quoted Jaideep Janakiram, SVP, International Business- Head of the Americas, SPN, as saying.
“The Sony KAL Hindi channel on Xumo is the perfect complement to our rich library of internationally- focused content from key regions around the world,” stated Stefan Van Engen, SVP of programming and partnerships at Xumo.
“There’s a growing interest in programming like this, and our ability to deliver premium, subtitled South Asian content to millions of viewers across several popular genres is a valuable addition,” he added.
In addition to Sony KAL Hindi, SPT also offers Sony Canal, its portfolio of Spanish-language FAST channels for the US Hispanic audience, and Sony One, its FAST channel offering in Mexico.
Sony Pictures Networks is the consumer-facing identity of Culver Max Entertainment Private Limited, which is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation, Japan.
The company has several entertainment channels In India. In the United States the network has a robust line-up of its popular channels, including Sony Entertainment Television (SET), one of India’s leading Hindi general entertainment television channel, SAB the family-oriented Hindi comedy entertainment channel, MAX, India’s premium Hindi movies and special events channel; MAX 2, another Hindi movie channel showcasing great India cinema; YAY!, the kids entertainment channel, PAL, a genre leader in rural Hindi speaking markets showcasing the best of Hindi general entertainment and Hindi movies from SPN’s content library; Sony Marathi, the Marathi general entertainment channel; Sony AATH, the Bangla entertainment channel; Sony KAL, a FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) GEC channel that will be available on multiple platforms like Sling, PLEX, LG, and ROKU, and SonyLIV, the digital entertainment VOD platform available on Sling.