From www.thehindubusinessline.com/2010/03/25/...2010032551851300.htm

Asianet Communications Ltd (ACL) has announced the setting up of a dedicated West Asia channel that would witness a soft launch on Thursday.

The official launch of Asianet Middle East 24x7 will be held at a function to be held in Dubai on April 7.

The flagship Asianet Malayalam entertainment channel already has a footprint spanning the Indian sub-continent, West Asia, the US, Europe and South Asia.

Asianet would be the first ethnic channel to move a full-fledged studio and production team into West Asia to beam dedicated feed to a captive audience, says Mr K. Madhavan, Managing Director, ACL.

This audience is estimated to number 4.5 million, Mr Madhavan told Business Line.

Asianet Middle East will effectively replace the flagship Asianet channel in West Asia.

Currently, these viewers are offered the same programming schedules as that of the flagship channel in Kerala. “But there is considerable difference in the lifestyles of Keralites back home and those of the expatriate community.

“We believe that the difference in outlook and aspirations must reflect in the programming to fully connect with the audience there,” Mr Madhavan added.

MIDDLE EAST TIME

The new channel will structure its mainline programming schedule to suit the prime time set to the West Asian time zone.

Thus viewers can watch new blockbuster movies and weekend shows on Fridays which currently they miss out on Sunday, a working day.

The timing of other popular programmes also will undergo a re-jig to suit local viewing convenience.

On selection of the mix, Mr Madhavan said he would go by what rating agency Ipsos, the TAM equivalent in West Asia, suggests.

The new channel will enable the creation of special programmes for the expat population and provide advertisers with more convenient time-slots.

With a 60 per cent viewership, Asianet is already the leader in Malayalam television and has two other channels – Asianet News, dedicated to news, views and analysis; and Asianet Plus, an entertainment channel for the younger audience.

CONSOLIDATION PHASE

It has a Kannada channel, Asianet Suvarna, which is number 2 in Karnataka; Asianet Sitara, a regional language channel in Telugu; and Star Vijay in Tamil.

ACL is trying to consolidate its position further in South India and abroad, Mr Madhavan said.

Established in 1993 in Kerala, Asianet had launched its West Asia operations in 2000. In addition to setting up a dedicated office in Dubai Media City, it also launched the Asianet 657 AM radio, which has extensive listenership across the Gulf region.

Asianet Middle East has a dedicated events team, which organises special stage shows across the Gulf region during festive occasion of importance to the Keralites.