EXCLUSIVE: Channel Punjab to go off-air

UPDATED: The future of Channel Punjab looks very much uncertain as the niche marketed channel is to go off-air next week.

BizAsia.co.uk understands that Channel Punjab will be going off-air between Monday 7th and Tuesday 8th of July and subsequently will be removed from Sky Digital.

Currently there are no further details as to why the channel is going off-air.

Channel Punjab launched in September 2006 and specialises in pure family entertainment by taking Punjabis back to their roots.

The CEO of Channel Punjab, Jasbir Singh Derewal told BizAsia.co.uk prior to the launch of the channel: “The USP of our channel will be the family values, which we will convey through our shows. There won�۪t be a single moment on Channel Punjab where the viewer will feel ashamed or the need to be switching to another channel because of embarrassing content. We have commissioned programmes carefully keeping our family audiences in mind. This is why our channel will be known as the ‘true Punjabi entertainment channel’.”

Keep it with BizAsia.co.uk for the very latest on the future of Channel Punjab.

UPDATE: 3/07/2008
Channel Punjab have today released a statement denying rumours that the station is about to close down.

The statement reads as follows: “There has recently been a spate of rumours and allegations that Channel Punjab is to go off-air and ultimately cease trading.

Channel Punjab in view of the move in the EPG numbers scheduled for the 7th July intends to temporarily go off air whilst it rebrands and remarkets under its new EPG number of 821. The Channel intends to be back on the air within a few weeks.”