Asianet Communications

Asianet Communications Limited
Type television network
Branding Asianet
Country India
First air date
 1993
Availability Indian sub-continent, China, South East Asia, Middle East, Europe, United States and the lower half of the former Soviet Union
Founded 1991
by Reji Menon and Sashi Kumar
Owner STAR India (21st Century Fox)

Asianet Communications Limited (ACL) is an Indian media conglomerate owned by STAR India. Formed in 1991 by Reji Menon and Sashi Kumar and headquartered in Trivandrum, India.[1] the company owns several television channels, including Asianet (1993), the first privately owned satellite channel broadcasting in Malayalam. Other television channels under Asianet Communications include Asianet Plus, Asianet Middle East, Asianet Sitara, Suvarna TV, Suvarna Plus and Asianet Movies.

Asianet Communications was completely acquired by STAR India in the early 2010s. Asianet News (formerly Asianet Global) and Asianet Suvarna News 24×7 channels are not a part of the STAR India owned Asianet Communications Limited, but comes under the Asianet News Network (ANN) wing of the Jupiter Media.

Asianet Communications Limited's television channels reach the homes of Indians in over 60 countries worldwide including the Indian sub-continent, China, South East Asia, Middle East, Europe, United States and the lower half of the former Soviet Union.[2][3]

History

Asianet Communications Limited was originally incorporated as a private limited company named "Asianet Communications Private Limited" in New Delhi on 5 March 1991. The company began operations in 1991 with the promotion of Asianet, the group's flagship Malayalam language television channel . At the time, satellite television broadcasting in India was at its nascent stage. Asianet Communications Limited undertook the cable distribution of the channel as its own wholly owned subsidiary, ensuring maximum coverage across Kerala.

Asianet commenced operations by the end of 1992 and started transmission by August 1993, at a time when the only Malayalam language television channel available was the government-owned Doordarshan. The channel had hired a transponder on the Russian Ekran satellite, with an up-link from the USSR. Later, the company hired a transponder on the Rimsat satellite, and shifted the up-link to Subic Bay in the Philippines and then to Manila. Initially, the transmission time was only three hours per day which was gradually increased to 12 hours per day by the end of 1994 and later to round the clock broadcasting. In early 1995, the uplink was shifted to Singapore where it attained full operational status. With a change in the broadcasting policies of the Government of India, Asianet started an up-link from Chennai through VSNL. From 15 July 2002, Asianet had its own earth station at the Asianet Studio Complex in Puliyarakonam, Thiruvananthapuram. Over the course of more than two decades of operations, Asianet has developed its own in-house production facilities and now has full-fledged production studios in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode.

In 2003, the franchise started a second channel 'Asianet Global' targeting the huge expatriate Malayalee population in the Middle East region. The channel was relaunched as Asianet News signifying an increased focus on news and current affairs in accordance with viewers' demands. On 23 July 2005 Asianet launched its third channel Asianet Plus, a complete entertainment channel. Recently, the franchise has started rolling out channels in other south Indian languages like Kannada (Suvarna TV) and Telugu (Asianet Sitara).

The registered office of the company was shifted to Chennai on 3 December 1997. Asianet Communications Limited's majority share was then acquired by Jupiter Media and Entertainment Venture. In 2008, STAR India became a majority shareholder in Asianet Communications Limited.[2][4] In July 2012, Asianet, launched Asianet Movies, the first Malayalam satellite TV movie channel.[5][6]

Today, Asianet Communications Limited ( employs more than 4000 personnel and its channels have a viewership of over 40 million, making it one of the largest media conglomerates in south India. Asianet, Asianet Suvarna, Asianet Movies and Asianet Plus are available in over 60 countries worldwide including the Indian sub-continent, China, South East Asia, Middle East, Europe, United States and the lower half of the former Soviet Union.[2][3]

Asianet and its popularity

Main article: Asianet

Asianet is ACL's flagship channel and is one of the most popular among Malayalam-language channels. Asianet is a general entertainment channel with programmes in a wide variety of genres including Malayalam-language movies, soaps, reality shows, talk shows, news programmes, travel shows and music-based shows. While programming is mainly targeted at family audiences, there are several programmes aimed towards specific target audiences such as shows for children, teenagers, young working professionals and elders. The channel also hosts and broadcasts the Asianet Film Awards and Asianet TV Awards.

Besides its large viewership base among Malayalam-speaking people in Kerala and other regions of India, Asianet enjoys huge popularity among Malayalee expatriate populations outside India, especially in the Middle East. Further catering to the region's huge Malayalee population, Asianet operates a Malayalam-language radio station "Asianet Radio 657 AM & 1269 AM" from the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The radio channel is also available in the neighbouring Arab countries of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain.

The channel also broadcasts a successful musical talent reality contest - "Idea Star Singer". Sponsored by telecom company Idea Cellular, the show is one of the most popular shows of its type in south India and is currently in its sixth season.[7][8]

Other channels

The group's third channel Asianet Plus was launched in August 2005 and is a youth-oriented entertainment channel.

Launched on 25 March 2010, Asianet Middle East is a 24-hr entertainment channel exclusively dedicated to Malayalee expatriates in the Middle East.

Further catering to the region's huge Malayalee population, Asianet operates a radio station Asianet Radio 657 AM from the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The radio channel is also available in the neighbouring Arab countries of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain.

Currently available in the Trichur and Kannur districts of Kerala, Best FM 95 is ACL's Malayalam-language radio station in Kerala. Programming schedule and content is completely different from that of Asianet Radio 657 AM.

Suvarna is ACL's Kannada-language channel, aimed at the Kannada-speaking population in the south Indian state of Karnataka and neighbouring regions. Launched with the tag line "24 carat manoranjane", the channel airs soap operas, talk shows, news programmes, and game shows. One of the most popular among its programmes is the Kannada version of the hit music talent show Idea Star Singer - "Confident Star Singer".

Sitara is ACL's Telugu-language channel, aimed at the Telugu-speaking population in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring regions. The channel was launched in October 2009 and is the newest member of ACL's television network.

The group's third Kannada-language channel. Its genre is similar to Asianet Plus.

This is the first Malayalam language movie channel.

Subsidiaries and former group companies

Asianet Satellite Communications Limited (ASCL) owns Asianet Communications Limited's cable channels (like Asianet Cable Vision) and the internet service provider Asianet Data Line. Though promoted as a cable distributor by Asianet Communications Limited in 1992 as its wholly owned subsidiary, ASCL is not a part of Asianet Communications Limited at present. In 1994, Asianet divested 50% of its holding in favour of Hathway Investments. In May 1999, the company decided to exit from ASCL and sold off its balance holding to Hathway Group.

Asianet FZ LLC, Dubai, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Asianet and owns a majority stake in Asianet USA LLC.

References

External links

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