Arena for local sports
From
www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles...2/Article/index_html
Local sporting events will be given a boost when Astro Arena, a 24-hour channel that showcases local sports, goes on air this Friday
MALAYSIANS will enjoy more local sports content when Astro Arena (Channel 801), the country’s first local sports channel goes on air on Friday.
The 24-hour local sports channel will be delivered predominantly in Bahasa Malaysia and available to all Astro customers under its family package.
Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek and Astro’s Group Chief Executive Officer Ralph Marshall were there to witness the signing of the Strategic Alliance between Astro and the Olympic Council of Malaysia.
With the alliance, both parties will collaborate and promote local sporting events regionally and internationally through the broadcast of these events over Astro Arena.
Measat Broadcast Network Systems chief executive officer Datuk Rohana Rozhan represented Astro while OCM president Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Jaa’far, represented OCM at the signing. The minister commended Astro Arena for supporting the government’s aspiration to instil sporting excellence and promote healthy sporting lifestyle among Malaysians.
Astro is committed to expanding its products such as High Definition (HD) services, digital video recording and IPTV connectivity, says Rohana
He added: “The launch of Astro Arena is timely and in line with the Education Ministry’s recent announcement in making sports a school subject, as opposed to a co-curriculum activity.
Astro Arena can further help motivate the younger generation to take up sports.” Rohana said: “In our continuous efforts to be the No.
1 choice for Malaysians, Astro is committed to expanding and strengthening our products through the introduction of innovative features such as High Definition (HD) services, digital video recording and IPTV connectivity.
“Astro Arena meets the unfulfilled demand for local sports content via ‘live’ coverage of major regional and local sporting events, in-depth and extensive news coverage of matches and development of sports and athletes in Malaysia.” Malaysians are able to follow the nation’s sporting heroes closely and see how they fare, especially in the upcoming events this year such as Commonwealth Games in Delhi, Asian Games in Guangzhou and the first Youth Olympics in Singapore. Tunku Imran said: “We are happy to be working with Astro to provide more opportunities for the national sports associations and other local sporting bodies to have their sports news and events viewed by a bigger audience on Astro’s platform.
We hope Astro Arena will further boost the growth of the local sports industry and talents.” In making sports more appealing to the younger generation, Astro Arena has appointed badminton star Datuk Lee Chong Wei, Esther Cheah (bowling), Daniel Bego (swimming), Mohd Hazizul Hasni Awang (cycling), R.
Puvaneswaran (karate-do), Mohd Aidil Zafuan, Mohd Zaquan Adha (both football) and P.
Mariappan (powerlifting) as channel ambassadors.
These ambassadors will be involved in sports clinics and roadshows to bring Astro Arena closer to the community.
Alongside the live coverage of sports news and events, the channel will also feature stories of Malaysian sporting heroes to relive the past glories of sports. Astro Arena completes Astro’s Family Package with sports offering alongside entertainment, information and education.
