TV 99 goes off-air under financial strain

British Pakistani entertainment channel, TV 99 has gone off-air on Sky Digital and BizAsia has learnt that the service is re-working its strategy after facing financial strain.

Since earlier today, TV 99 is showing a “technical problems” message. It is expecting to return later this week but how it plans to make ends meet in the saturated UK Asian TV market, remains to be seen. According to sources close to the channel, TV 99 has gone off-air due to issues with play-out costs.

TV 99 has been running as a hybrid channel selling dayparts to various Asian services including a cookery strand to Zaiqa and Islamic World Network serving viewers with Islamic religious content.

TV 99 launched in February as a free-to-air channel on Sky EPG 857.