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MUMBAI:
US cable giant Comcast Corporation has announced it is shutting
down AZN Television, its cable channel targeting Asian Americans.
AZN's last day of broadcasting will be 9 April, the company
has stated.
“This
difficult decision was made after considerable review of the
network’s financial situation. Comcast, the network’s
parent company, will continue to broadcast additional Asian
programming through the International Networks and other independent
providers and remains committed to supporting the Asian-American
community through programming, civic and cultural events,”
the statement adds.
Comcast,
which acquired Colorado-based AZN Television in 2004 from
rival cable network Liberty Media, failed to build either
a subscription or advertising model that could sustain the
channel.
Reacting
to the announcement, the Asian American Journalists Association
(Aaja) expressed disappointment, calling it a big loss of
yet another important venue through which the American public
can learn more about Asians and Pacific Islanders.
Aaja
lamented the fact that AZN's closure was coming less than
six months after KQED in San Francisco discontinued its nationally
syndicated public radio program that focussed on Asian Americans
- Pacific Time.
In
a related development, ImaginAsian Entertainment, which targeted
the same demographic through its various media platforms,
including ImaginAsian TV, sought to allay fears that it too
might be facing problems.
Michael
Huh, ImaginAsian Entertainment VP, marketing and strategic
development was quoted in a release as saying, “Although
the news of AZN's closing is disappointing, there are very
few in the industry who were surprised. Like ImaginAsian,
AZN had a mission to serve Asian Americans and those interested
in Asian entertainment and culture. There is a tremendous
market for this type of content and while looking to serve
this vibrant audience, both television networks have raised
awareness of Asians in this country and in the media industry.
There is still much work to be done, and ImaginAsian, with
its growing base of quality strategic partners in Asia and
the US, will carry on and continue to grow the marketplace
representing all things Asian.”
Headquartered
in New York, ImaginAsian Entertainment addresses Asian Americans
through multiple platforms: ImaginAsian TV, The ImaginAsian
Theater, The ImaginAsian Center, ImaginAsian Pictures (distribution
of Asian films), ImaginAsian Home Entertainment, ImaginAsian
Radio, and iaLink (e-zine).
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