Asianet

This article is about the television channel. For the press release distributor, see AsiaNet.
Asianet
Launched 30 August 1993
Owned by STAR India
Picture format 576i (SDTV),
1080i (HDTV)
Slogan Ahead with change, Ahead of others.
Country Indian sub-continent, China, South East Asia, Middle East, Europe, United States and the lower half of the former Soviet Union
Headquarters Trivandrum, Kerala, India[1]
Sister channel(s) Star Plus
Channel V India
Fox India
Life OK
Star Jalsha
Jalsha Movies
STAR Sports
STAR Vijay
STAR World
STAR Pravah
Asianet Plus
Asianet Middle East
MAA TV
MAA Gold
MAA Movies
Maa Music
STAR Suvarna
Asianet Movies
STAR Suvarna Plus
Website Asianet on hotstar
Asianet Suvarna on hotstar
Availability
Satellite
Sun Direct (India) Channel 201 (SD)
Airtel Digital TV (India) Channel 800 (SD)
Channel 801 (HD)
Tata Sky (India) Channel 1810(SD)
Channel 1809 (HD)
Reliance Digital TV (India) Channel 761 (SD)
Videocon d2h (India) Channel 603 (SD)
Channel 991 (HD)
Dish TV
(India)		 Channel 701 (SD)
OSN (Middle East
and North Africa)		 Channel 289
Cable
Kerala Vision Digital TV
(India)		 Channel 006 (SD)
Channel 652 (HD)
Asianet Digital TV
(India)		 Channel 101 (SD)
Channel 802 (HD)
StarHub TV (Singapore) Channel 139
Hathway
(India)		 Channel 197
DEN Networks
(India)		 Channel 601

Asianet is an Indian general entertainment channel broadcasting in Malayalam language. Based in Trivandrum, Kerala,[1] the channel is part of Asianet Communications Limited owned by STAR India.

Asianet was the first privately owned television channel in Malayalam and the second to broadcast in India.

Channel history

At a time when the only Malayalam-language television channel available was owned by Star India Pvt Ltd . The channel had hired a transponder on the Russian Ekran satellite, with an uplink from the USSR. Later, the company hired a transponder on the Rimsat satellite, and shifted the uplink to Subic Bay in the Philippines and then to Manila. Initially, the transmission time was only three hours per day which was gradually increased to 12 hours per day by the end of 1994 and later to round the clock broadcasting. In early 1995, the uplink was shifted to Singapore where it attained full operational status. With a change in the broadcasting policies of the Government of India, Asianet started an uplink from Chennai through VSNL. From 15 July 2002, Asianet had its own earth station at the Asianet Studio Complex in Puliyarakonam, Thiruvananthapuram. Over the course of more than two decades of operations, Asianet has developed its own in-house production facilities and now has full-fledged production studios in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.

The registered office of Asianet Communications Limited was shifted to Chennai on 3 December 1997. Asianet Communications Limited's majority share was then acquired by Jupiter Media and Entertainment Venture, owned by Rajeev Chandrasekhar. In 2008, the STAR India became a majority shareholder in Asianet Communications Limited.[2][3] In 2013, STAR announced buying of remaining shares of Asianet Communications Limited to get 100% ownership. In July 2012, Asianet, launched Asianet Movies, the first Malayalam satellite TV channel for movies.[4][5] On 13 August 2015, Asianet launched Asianet HD, the first Malayalam satellite TV channel for full high definition visual quality along with 7.1 Dolby Digital sound.

Coverage and viewership

Asianet reaches the homes of Malayalees in over 60 countries worldwide including the Indian sub-continent, China, South East Asia, Middle East, Europe, United States and the lower half of the former Soviet Union.[2][6]

Besides its large viewership base among Malayalam-speaking people in Kerala and other regions of India, Asianet enjoys huge popularity among Malayalee expatriate populations outside India, especially in the Middle East. Further catering to the region's huge Malayalee population, Asianet operates a radio station, Asianet Radio 657 AM and 1269 AM, from the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The radio channel is also available in the neighbouring Arab countries of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain.

Brand identity and signature song

The channel name Asianet was a product of its founder K. Sasikumar. The unique blue and pink logo was designed by acclaimed Indian graphic designer Sujata Keshavan and is one of the most recognizable brand identities in the television broadcasting field in south India. The current logo is red and white. The popularity of the brand is credited to K. Sasikumar and the then Vice President Prem Menon.

The signature song of Asianet, "Shyama Sundara Kera Kedara Bhoomi", is a much appreciated song among Keralites. Created in 1994, and originally airing in the early years of the channel in the mid-90s, the song was written by renowned Malayalam poet P. Bhaskaran, composed by two-time Academy Award-winning Indian composer A. R. Rahman (who at the time, was just at the beginning of his career and was relatively unknown) and sung by Sujatha and Kalyani Menon. The video for the song is a collage of the various tokens of ethnic, cultural and traditional heritage belonging to Malayalees, set against a backdrop of the beautiful natural sights and landscapes of Kerala.[7] Initially airing in the late 90s, the video quickly became a part of Malayalee culture. Later the symbol become recognizable by Malayalees and it is a long-standing emblem for Asianet.

Asianet Old Logo 2013

Award Shows

Award shows from 2010, has grown quite in number especially sponsored by TV Channels. Asianet is the first TV Channel to use this opportunity in its fullness. Asianet itself conducts more that five awards shows a year from 2012, with re-runs. The current shows are 2 megastars based award shows, asianet film awards, asianet TV awards, comedy awards...etc. Media Critics consider this trite exercise have made the meaning of awards lost. It has become more of a platform for publicity stunt and promotion for both the film stars as well as for the channel.

Asianet Film Awards

Main article: Asianet Film Awards

The Asianet Film Awards were instituted by Asianet to honour both artistic and technical excellence in the Malayalam film industry. Held and broadcast annually since 1998, the ceremony has gained in popularity over the years and is currently one of the most-watched award ceremonies in Kerala in television rating. It has become a tool for influencing mindset of Malayalees in general with an array of big-small time actors and actress'.

Asianet Television Awards

The Asianet Television Awards (ATA) is one of Asianet newer ventures. It is promotional platform of Asianet's TV shows. Since TV actors and actress' lack a society like Association of Malayalam Movie Artists, Asianet conducts functions to token their actors, directors, producers and production houses alternatively.

Main Awards
Best serial
  • 2005 - Swapnam
  • 2008 - Ente Manasaputhri & Swamy Ayyappan
  • 2011 - Harichandhanam
  • 2012 - Kumkumapoovu
  • 2013 - Sthreedhanam
  • 2014 - Parasparam
  • 2015- Karuthamuthu
  • 2016- Parasparam
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Director
  • 2005 -K. K. Rajeev for serial Swapnam
  • 2006 -K. K. Rajeev for Serial Amma manassu
  • 2008 - Suresh Unnithan for serial Swamy ayyappan
  • 2011 - Sujit Sunder for serial Autograph
  • 2012 - Praveen Kadakkavoor for serial Kumkumapoovu
  • 2013 - Krishnamoorthi for serial Sthreedhanam
  • 2014 - Harrison for serial Balaganapathy
  • 2015 - Praveen Kadakkavoor for serial Karuthamuthu
  • 2016 - Praveen Kadakkavoor for serial Karuthamuthu
Best Negative Character (Male & Female)
  • 2005 - Chandra Lakshman
  • 2006 - Chandra Lakshman
  • 2008 - Archana Susheelan
  • 2011 - Krishnakumar & Aishwarya
  • 2012 - Rajesh Hebbar & Ashwathy
  • 2013 - Devendranadh & Ashwathy / Sonu SK
  • 2014 - Shobi Thilakan & Kanya Bharathi
  • 2015 - Jishin Mohan & Shalu Kurien / Sonu SK
  • 2016 - Naveen Arakkal & Archana Susheelan
Best Character Artist (Male & Female)
Popular actor/actress
child artist
  • 2005-Sanusha
  • 2006-Sanusha
  • 2008-Nikitha
  • 2011-Jeevan & Sandra
  • 2012-Malavika
  • 2013-Lekshmipriya
  • 2014- Sidharth,Biswas Chaitanya,Niranjana,Sebin,Aditya
  • 2016-Akshara Kishor

Programming and shows

Asianet is a general entertainment channel with programmes in a wide variety of genres including Malayalam-language movies, soaps, reality shows, talk shows, news programmes, travel shows and music-based shows. While programming is mainly targeted at family audiences, there are several programmes aimed towards specific audiences such as shows for children, teenagers, young working professionals and elders.

The channel also broadcasts a successful musical talent reality contest - Idea Star Singer.

Current shows

Title Time slot Number of Episodes
Primetime soap operas
Seethayanam 6.00 pm IST 183(as of 21 Nov)
Pranayam 6:30 pm IST 411 (as of 21 Nov)
Chinthavishtayaya Seetha 7:00 pm IST 69(as of 21 Nov)
Karuthamuthu 7:30 pm IST 636 (as of 21 Nov)
Parasparam 8.00pm IST 1008(as of 21 Nov)
Chandanamazha 8:30 pm IST 850(as of 21 Nov)
Bharya 09.00pm IST 157(as of 21 Nov)
Kavacham 9:30 pm IST 54(as of 21 Nov)
Vellanakalude Nadu 10.00pm IST 108 (as of 21 Nov)
Other Shows
Mukthi Sudhakaram6:15am IST(Monday to Saturday)2043(as on 3 oct)
Taste Time 12:00 Noon / 4:00pm IST (Monday to Friday) 891 (as of 3 oct)
Comedy Stars Season 2 9:30 pm IST (Sat/Sun) 520 (as of 8 oct)
Badai Bunglow 8:00 pm IST (Sundays) 134 (as of 2 Oct)
Anantham Ajnatham 6:30 am IST (Sundays) 1125 ( as on 2 oct )
Cinema Diary1:00pm IST(Sundays) 819 (as on 2 oct)
Kissan Krishideepam7:30 am IST(Sat/sun)657(as on 2 oct)
Singapore Choice 6:00am IST(Sundays)467(as on 2 oct)
Singapore Taste 6:45 am IST (Saturday)8 (as on 27 Aug)
US Weekly Roundup7:00 am IST(Saturdays)645(as on 27 Aug)
Surya Festival 20157:00am IST(Sundays)43(as o 2 oct)
Vandhyatha oru Shaapamalla8:45 am IST(Sundays) 32 ( as on 2 oct)

References

  1. 1 2 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 12 January 2015. Retrieved 2015-01-27.
  2. 1 2 "Star buys majority in Asianet; forms JV with Rajeev Chandrasekhar | Reuters". In.reuters.com. 2008-11-17. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  3. ↑ "Star TV buys majority in Jupiter Entertainment". Business Standard. 2008-11-16. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
  4. ↑ "Asianet to launch movie channel on July 15". Business Line. 11 July 2012.
  5. ↑ "Asianet to launch 24 hour movie channel". Business Standard. 11 July 2012.
  6. ↑ VCCircle (2008-11-17). "M & A Star Buys Majority In Asianet; Forms JV With Rajeev Chandrasekhar". contentSutra. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  7. ↑ "" (2009-05-15). "SHYAMASUNDARA Signature song of Asianet By Pavitra online". YouTube. Retrieved 2010-07-16.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/1/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.