Zee Entertainment Enterprises is set to exit the English entertainment genre on linear television, with plans to repurpose Zee Café and &Flix into sports channels, according to media network reports.
Citing the company’s Reference Interconnect Offer, reports indicate that both Zee Café and &Flix will cease operating as English entertainment services. The channels have been reclassified under the sports genre and designated as multi language services, rather than English only offerings.
The move signals a strategic shift in Zee’s linear television portfolio, as broadcasters reassess genre priorities amid evolving audience consumption patterns and the growing dominance of sports in driving advertising and subscription revenues.
For the third quarter of FY26, Zee reported operating revenue of Rs 2,280 crore, marking a 15 per cent year on year increase from Rs 1,969 crore in Q3 FY25. Advertising revenue stood at Rs 852 crore, down 9 per cent compared with the same period last year. Subscription revenue rose 7 per cent year on year to Rs 1,050 crore, supported by digital growth.
The channel reclassification comes at a time when broadcasters are increasingly leaning on sports as a high engagement category, even as English entertainment continues to face headwinds on linear television.
