Sony to launch new channel in UK

Biz Asia has exclusively been informed about plans of Sony Entertainment Television Asia launching its second channel in the UK. Since Sony launched in the UK in 1995 it has been sold as an individual channel, it was only when Sky Digital was launched in 1999 that the station joined hands with B4U Movies.

Now the channel can boast about its newest addition SET Max (Sony Entertainment Television Asia Max) which is already a success in Asia and hopes to repeat the same here.

The channel’s success in India has been dependent on the mass coverage of cricket shown there, however due to cricket rights restrictions in the UK, the channel will only position itself as a movies and events channel competing directly with ZEE Cinema and B4U Movies.

The relationship between the latter will certainly be one to watch. Sony and Sony Max will be bundled together but where does that leave B4U Movies? “There is a tremendous potential in going global and we will take Max around the world soon. We are positioning it as a premium movies and events channel. Hindi movies are extremely popular among the South Asian audiences,” said Max executive vice-president and business head Rajat Jain.

Sony Max launches on Sky Digital later this year