[WPFreedom1]

New network will feature strictly Asian-themed programming
By Andrew Wallenstein
Hollywood Reporter
Updated: 6:17 p.m. ET Jan. 21, 2005

LOS ANGELES - Cable giant Comcast Corp. will expand its efforts in ethnic-targeted programming with the conversion of a recent channel acquisition into an all-Asian network.

International Channel Networks (ICN), which Comcast acquired from Liberty Media Corp. in July, will yank in-language programming for U.S.-based European and Middle Eastern audiences from its flagship network, International Channel. It will be rebranded and replenished with strictly Asian-themed programming in the second quarter of the year.

The retargeting reflects the increased attention being paid to the Asian-American market, which is 12.5 million strong and heavily concentrated in major urban areas. Although their sum is about one-third the size of the black and Hispanic population, they represent half the spending power — an appealing factor for advertisers.

The sector has attracted other all-Asian channels as well, including WorldAsia and ImaginAsia. Comcast, meanwhile, also has a stake in TVOne, a new channel targeting blacks in the 25-54 demographic.

International Channel, which is available in 10 million homes, is looking to drive distribution growth with the conversion. To help along that goal, ICN recently allowed cable operators to transmit International and premium channel TV Asia at no extra cost to give viewers access to Asian news broadcasts during the tsunami disaster.

The new channel’s morning block will be composed of acquired news broadcasts that originally air just hours earlier all over the Asian continent.

In primetime, the focus will be on English-language original programming, which International already has found success with through a block called Asia Street. ICN will triple its investment in original programming for efforts including an animated series pilot in development titled “Cooleyville,” which chronicles an Asian-American family.

Most of the channel programming will be composed of acquisitions in a mix of Asian languages, everything from Korean dramas to Bollywood films from South Asia.

ICN will still serve audiences no longer represented on its flagship network through its suite of 21 premium channels catering specifically to languages including Italian, Polish and Arabic.

report

-----------------------------------------------------------------------


If we are all Americans why do minorities get channels like this and BET?

[f1000]

If we are all Americans why do minorities get channels like this and BET?

Nobody said non-blacks couldn't watch BET.

[wataru]

We're not all chefs, so why should there be a Food Network? We're not all meteorologists, so why should there be a Weather Channel? We're not all idiots, so why should there be MTV?

There are special-interest channels because certain groups of people have special interests. Don't whine when you're not part of any given target audience.

[Mafia]

believe it or not, not all americans have the same taste in tv. there is no requirement for watching bet.

[macroy]

I speak no spanish... but I wouldn't mind more spanish/latin soap operas and variety shows. dem women are HOT!

[E's Lil Theorem]

Originally posted by WPFreedom1:
...

report

-----------------------------------------------------------------------


If we are all Americans why do minorities get channels like this and BET?

Originally posted by macroy:
... dem women are HOT!

[ASIMO]

I would not say no to foreign-tongued porn.

Or any other foreign organ.

[Kilbey]

Originally posted by wataru:
We're not all idiots, so why should there be MTV?

Post of the day.

[TheBadgerHunter]

WPFreedom, isn't he one of the nutters from the Poli forum? I recall him posting something stupid here before.

[phantomdragonz]

Originally posted by TheBadgerHunter:
WPFreedom,

is it me.... or could the WP in his name mean "White Power" in which case he should be shot in the head for being a f*cking retard... but if not... I still say.. .. it's an asian channel... yay!!! asian people exist!!!

Zach

[Kilbey]

Originally posted by phantomdragonz:
is it me.... or could the WP in his name mean "White Power" in which case he should be shot in the head for being a f*cking retard... but if not... I still say.. .. it's an asian channel... yay!!! asian people exist!!!

Zach

[phantomdragonz]

Originally posted by WPFreedom1:

If we are all Americans why do minorities get channels like this and BET?

you know when I posted I did not read the whole thing, now since I see this line, I am positive... people like this should seriously be shot... they are so f*cking retarted, grr... I am angry at people like this... there is no way for me to convey that anger by typing...

****ing retard,

<edit>either that or a sick twisted troll.... whatever, being angry about comments like this will get nothing done, besides raise my blood pressure. If i ever meet a person like this I will proceed to share my mind... and possibly my fist...


Zach

[deej5871]

While there's nothing wrong with making channels with a target audience, such as BET, what would happen if someone went and tried to create WET? I'd imagine they might be called racist, or white supremacist or any number of remarks like that. I think that this is a valid point, while saying there shouldn't be any networks that target specific groups, is not one.

[DigitalEl]

Originally posted by deej5871:
While there's nothing wrong with making channels with a target audience, such as BET, what would happen if someone went and tried to create WET?

It's called CMT.

[Mithras]

Originally posted by DigitalEl:
It's called CMT. [/B]

[Apple Pro Underwear]

Originally posted by WPFreedom1:

If we are all Americans why do minorities get channels like this and BET?

because minorities get sick of watching white people and the token black guy 24/7

i don't care but there are plenty of my fellow asians that like to see a similar face every once in awhile not in a sterotype role. some like to hear their second language every once in awhile too. also the minority channels feature news from the ethnic regions that mainstream news does not have. if you have family over there then news is always interesting to you.

BUT I WANT TO SAY THAT IF YOU LIVE IN AMERICA, YOU SHOULD LEARN TO SPEAK ENGLISH FLUENTLY.

[wdlove]

Asians are a large enough population that they should have their own channel.

[wataru]

Originally posted by wdlove:
Asians are a large enough population that they should have their own channel.

Actually, just for fun, could you tell us what percentage of the total US population you estimate to be Asian? (Don't cheat by looking it up!) I don't mean to single you out, but in general people way overestimate their size because they have disproportionately more influence and wealth.

[hayesk]

Originally posted by wataru:
Actually, just for fun, could you tell us what percentage of the total US population you estimate to be Asian? (Don't cheat by looking it up!) I don't mean to single you out, but in general people way overestimate their size because they have disproportionately more influence and wealth.

I don't know the answer, but I'm guessing it is quite a bit larger than the white population divided by the number of TV channels that feature predominantly "white culture."

[Kilbey]

Originally posted by hayesk:
I don't know the answer, but I'm guessing it is quite a bit larger than the white population divided by the number of TV channels that feature predominantly "white culture."

True, so far the number is Zero. Which is infinitismally (is that a word?) smaller than the percentage of Asians to non-Asians.

Hey, if someone is going to make money off this channel, and it impinges on noone's rights, then it is A.O.K.

[wataru]

Originally posted by Kilbey:
True, so far the number is Zero. Which is infinitismally (is that a word?) smaller than the percentage of Asians to non-Asians.

Hey, if someone is going to make money off this channel, and it impinges on noone's rights, then it is A.O.K.

No, if the number of such channels is 0, then the ratio of the white population to the number of channels is undefined. However, if you take the limit as the number of channels goes to zero then the answer is infinity, so the result is in fact larger.

But I don't think you can dismiss offhand the idea that most stations feature predominantly "white" programming.

[Kilbey]

Originally posted by wataru:
No, if the number of such channels is 0, then the ratio of the white population to the number of channels is undefined. However, if you take the limit as the number of channels goes to zero then the answer is infinity, so the result is in fact larger.

But I don't think you can dismiss offhand the idea that most stations feature predominantly "white" programming.

I was making a point. Asians are underrepresented.

I am not dismissing offhand. I am promoting.

[wataru]

Originally posted by Kilbey:
I was making a point. Asians are underrepresented.

I am not dismissing offhand. I am promoting.

Sorry, I thought you meant that the number of "white" stations was zero.

[Lancer409]

Originally posted by WPFreedom1:
If we are all Americans why do minorities get channels like this and BET?

.... mmmkay ... yeah ...


anyways, the thing that bothers me about an asian channel is the affect it will have on asians. Will we be influenced by the channel? (viewing will lead to the belief that we are to emulate what goes on on that channel, how we dress, how we speak...)

if you guys think i'm just being a retard, look at mtv/vh1 and it's effect/affect?!? on teenagers. i forgot what this is called .. but i'm sure someone out there will understand what i'm trying to say..