Sony Pictures Ent. (SPE) will further expand its international networks portfolio with the January 2004 launch of Animax Asia. Based in Singapore, Animax Asia will be the first 24-hour-a-day network outside of Japan dedicated to popular anime.
Launched in Japan in June of 1998 as a partnership between SPE and anime studios Toei Animation, Sunrise, TMS Ent. and Nihon Ad Systems, Animax has become the number one cable and satellite network in Japan.
Animax Asia will be a collaboration between Sony Pictures Television Int’l’s teams in Singapore and Tokyo. The Singapore team will contribute to market knowledge and the operations of the network while Tokyo contributes anime and brand expertise.
Animax Asia will be broadcast region-wide via three dedicated, customized services for Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Targeting the youth and young adult audience, the encrypted service will be distributed via satellite and cable. Basic cable carriage agreements have already been lined up in key territories including Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Indonesia.
