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AXN - THE ACTION CHANNEL: A DAMP SQUIB
AXN - The Action Channel - which is being distributed
in India by Sony Entertainment Television, is going through
a rough patch with several cable operators yanking it off
the prime band (most Indian TV sets can receive only 12-16
channels; this is called the prime band) and some of them
even refusing to carry it on their networks. Cable operators
have opined that the programming is not appealing to Indian
audiences.
When it was launched in India with tremendous fanfare last
year as a basic subscription cable TV service, cable ops had
welcomed it. The SET management had priced the channel reasonably
and SET was flexible when it came to agreeing upon the size
of the subscriber bases each cable op declared. (Other subscription
channels have in the past disagreed with the subscriber numbers
that cable ops declare and have clashed with them on how much
should be paid.)
However, as AXN's programming has not been tailored to Indian
viewers' requirements, nor has the channel been time-shifted
to India, audiences haven't been tuning in. "You see a lot
of B-grade series at wrong times and B-grade Hollywood cinema,"
says a cable operator. Adding to AXN's alienation from audiences
is the lack of any initiative to market and promote it.
However, SET marketing head Rajesh Pant says
that an India-specific beam is to be introduced within the
next couple of months. "We are also going to build excitement
around the channel through marketing initiatives," he says.
A local daily has reported that Sony Pictures Entertainment
has decided to invest an additional $1.1 million in India.
The report added that the Singapore-based management is introducing
newer series and better Hollywood films soon.
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