SINGAPORE: The action oriented AXN is growing viewer cachet in the Far East. According to Nielsen Media Research, the channel from Sony Pictures Television International’s (SPTI) stable was ranked number one in the average weekly reach for individuals in cable homes in Singapore, Taiwan and the Philippines among all international ad-supported channels for the first half of the year.
The channel also released results of its Viewer Lifestyle Study 2003 for this year. AXN’s VP ad sales and marketing in Asia Ricky Ow said, “In our recently concluded Viewer Lifestyle Study for 2003, we found that the modern woman is one of our core viewer groups and that both men and women seek out the action and adventure that AXN’s quality programmes provide. Action and adventure is no longer a male-only domain.”
AXN’s Viewer Lifestyle Study 2003 was conducted in seven cities (Mumbai, Delhi, Singapore, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Taipei) by the research company Synovate. It polled 200 respondents ages 15-44 years in each of the markets mentioned. According to the Viewer Lifestyle Study, AXN’s core audience is comprised of three main demographic groups. Yuppies are affluent professionals who enjoy a luxurious life; and are early adopters of high-end luxury and electronic products, and work out in gyms frequently.
The second viewer group, the Techno-Savvy are students or professionals who are early adopters of technology such as computers, mobile phones, MP3 players and Internet gaming. They are the most vocal among viewers and are strong supporters of AXN’s anime and reality programming. The third significant viewer group is the modern female. She is single, affluent, English-educated and is either a professional or a student. They enjoy a good social life, frequent pubs, and love to travel.
AXN viewers are daring, lead healthy lifestyles and are tuned in to the latest and most popular trends, including surfing the Internet AXN viewers are fun, adventurous, willing to try new things, preferred watching television, undertaking sports and exercises and surfing the web.
Almost half of the total number of AXN viewers surveyed claimed to lead a healthy and active lifestyle, preferring to exercise or engage in sporting activities at least twice a week.
Almost 90 per cent of all respondents in the countries have access to the Internet, and about 80 per cent of them surfed the web on a daily basis. Singaporeans and Taiwanese showed the greatest affinity for Internet shopping; while almost half of the respondents from Hong Kong and India stated that they had made online purchases.
AXN’s Anime time belt and blockbuster movie offerings are part of the favourites in Taiwan and India respectively. A couple of weeks ago AXN’s marketing VP Gregory Ho had told Indiantelevision.com that the Hot’n’Wild time band at 11 pm had increased the channels share by 30 per cent in that slot.
Dwelling on the channels success in the Far East SPTI’s executive VP Andy Kaplan was quoted in an official release saying: “AXN’s growth and success is driven by two key factors. First, AXN offers high-quality, award-winning programmes including CSI, CSI: Miami, Alias, 24 and Boomtown, which engage the viewer through high energy action and compelling adventure. Secondly, the variety found throughout AXN’s programming schedule appeals to a broad spectrum of viewers.”
Top Ten cable channels according to The Straits Times-Life!, (Singapore, 21 July 2003)
Average weekly reach (percentage)

January-June 2003    July-December 2002
AXN – 36.6    Discovery – 36.6
Discovery – 36.5    AXN – 35.4
ESPN – 33.5    ESPN – 34.2
National Geographic – 32.4    Supersports – 33.9
Supersports – 31.0    National Geographic – 32.7
Star World – 30.3    Star World – 29.5
Animal Planet – 29.9    MTV Asia – 28.9
MTV Asia – 28.0    Animal Planet – 28.9
Discovery Travel & Adventure – 25.3    Star Sports – 26.7
Star Sports 25.0    Cartoon Network – 26.4