ITV

Tag: Astro

  • Animax turns 24×7 in Malaysia; available on Astro

    Animax turns 24×7 in Malaysia; available on Astro

    MUMBAI: Animax, the animation channel in Asia has announced that it will be available 24×7 in Malaysia starting 31 August and will be carried exclusively on cable provider, Astro.

    As part of the channel’s expansion plans, Animax will upgrade from a time-block channel to a full service channel to provide target demographic – youths and young adults. It will thus reach out to over 1.9 million Astro subscribers.

    Animax viewers in Malaysia will get to watch cutting edge animation in both English and original Japanese language, with Bahasa Malaysia subtitles during the primetime belt (6pm-8.30pm), informs an official release.

    Animax Asia vice-president Betty Tsui says, “We are excited to launch Animax in Malaysia with a strong partner like Astro and bring viewers exceptional anime entertainment like never before.”

    Greater youth-driven plans are in the pipeline, beginning with a Malaysia edition of on-air initiative, Imagine-Nation, featuring local talents that go beyond the ordinary. Imagine-Nation was launched last June in Singapore, Hong Kong and the Philippines. It features famous people connected to the creative world of games, film and design, sharing their visions and inspirations with viewers in a series of candid interviews, adds the release.

    In keeping with the channel’s commitment to engage and inspire the youth, recently two lucky Malaysia Animax contest winners gained exclusive backstage tours and met with top gamers at the World Cyber Games 2006 Asian Championship, where Animax was a principal partner.

    Tsui adds, “The host of talent in creative fields are aplenty in Malaysia and I am thrilled to be able to share creative passion with the youths in Malaysia. We hope to inspire them through the Imagine-Nation project and more.”

    Animax Asia, a regional youth cable and satellite TV channel dedicated to Japanese animation (anime) programming under SPE Networks – Asia, brings to Asian viewers animation from Japan and anime-inspired original productions and activities.

    Offering programmes of various anime genres from sci-fi (Ghost in the Shell), action (Blood+), romance and fashion (Honey and Clover, Paradise Kiss) to drama (Black Jack, Girl from Hell) and anime favorites (Dragon Ball), Animax will showcase a line up of high-quality programmes targeted at its youths and young adults demographic in the coming months – including first-run series, Girl From Hell during Halloween this October 2006, adds the release.

  • Astro teams up with Thomson for STB with DVR

    Astro teams up with Thomson for STB with DVR

    MUMBAI: Thomson, the provider in digital video technologies, has entered into an agreement with Astro, the satellite TV operator in Malaysia to provide a new set-top box with digital video recorder. 

    At present, Thomson is providing Astro with an entry-level digital satellite TV set-top box in support of the operator’s ongoing customer acquisition programme. The new Thomson set-top box will enable Astro to launch Malaysia’s first DVR service, according to an official release.

    The deal to provide the new set-top box with digital video recorder coupled with an extension to the existing contract for entry-level set-top boxes is the fruit of Thomson’s commitment to broaden both its media and entertainment product offering and client base globally including in the Asia Pacific region.

    Thomson technology to help drive Astro’s growth strategy

    With over 1.8 million residential TV subscribers across Malaysia, Astro is the largest multi-channel TV business in Asia, outside Japan. The company is continuing to increase subscriber numbers by extending the content and services it provides customers.

    The new Thomson set-top box will enable Astro to launch the DVR service. In addition to the recording functionality, advanced features such as pausing or rewinding live TV, will give Astro subscribers greater control, choice and flexibility over what they watch and when, than ever before. Customer acquisition is a priority for Astro and Thomson’s set-top box expertise and technology will provide it with fully-featured products to help the operator achieve its new subscriber targets and tap new revenue streams, informs the release.

    “We are very excited to be launching the new DVR technology in Malaysia, re-enforcing our position of product innovator in the television domain. The continued expansion of our subscriber base in Malaysia is testament to the quality and variety of programmes and services we offer and the new generation platform is a perfect example of our desire to lead the field. We are very pleased to renew our long term partnership with Thomson drawing on its innovations, expertise and proven international track record.” said Astro Group COO David Butorac.”We are delighted to have achieved yet another milestone as Astro’s lead supplier for set-top boxes,” said Thomson CEO Satellite, Terrestrial and Cable Business unit Koen Van Driel. 

    “In selecting our DVR solution, Astro has demonstrated its confidence in Thomson’s ability to bring advanced content-delivery platforms to market. When taken with our agreements with major operators in the region such as Starhub in Singapore, AUSTAR in Australia and Tata Sky in India , this contract places Thomson at the forefront of the Asia-Pacific set-top box market,” he concluded.
     

  • NDTV, Astro launches Astro c in Indonesia

    NDTV, Astro launches Astro c in Indonesia

    MUMBAI: NDTV and Astro jointly announced the launch of a 24 hour news, infotainment and lifestyle channel called Astro Awani in Djakarta, Indonesia. The language of the channel is primarily Bahasa Indonesia. Astro Awani is the first channel launched by NDTV outside of India.

    With this launch Astro Awani becomes the first news channel in Astro’s bouquet, and will be distributed throughout Indonesia on PT Direct Vision’s platform, that is currently licensing the ‘Astro’ trademark. Astro is expected to complete its 20 per cent investment in PT Direct Vision soon, states an official release.

    “Astro Awani has been launched to provide incisive, up-to-the-minute news, lifestyle, debate, current affairs and infotainment to discerning viewers in Indonesia. By partnering with NDTV, we’ve ensured that we bring nothing less than the best practices in news gathering and infotainment programming to our viewers,” says PT Direct Vision CEO Nelia Sutrisno.

    Commenting on the launch, Prannoy Roy of NDTV said, “This is a landmark for NDTV. For India’s media industry this is the first time that an Indian company has launched a news and infotainment channel outside India in partnership with an international media company. We regard this as one our most exciting new ventures and look forward to launching many more channels outside India in the future.”

    Astro Awani fills the need for an information-based channel in Indonesia. Aimed at urban educated viewers around Indonesia, the channel is in the local Indonesian language – Bahasa Indonesia. The content is made up of news bulletins, current affairs shows, lifestyle programming and documentaries, adds the release.