TORONTO – Asian Television Network (ATN) International Limited says its new state-of-the-art broadcasting facility in Markham is now fully operational. It’s now working through final preparations to broadcast ATN's flagship ATN Channel in high definition by the beginning of this March.
ATN also reports that its licensing agreement for rights to the ZEE TV Hindi programming expires on January 31, 2013 and will not be renewed.
'We have had a very long relationship with ZEE TV and a happy and mutually rewarding one at that,” said Dr. Shan Chandrasekar, President and CEO of ATN. “The decision not to have it continue was not an easy one,” he added.
“We felt that with programming content from both Star Plus and from ZEE TV, we had a situation where we were unable to do justice to either one and from sheer lack of air time had to miss out on some very compelling programming content,” explained Dr. Chandrasekar. He also noted that ATN's positive relationship with ZEE TV is still ongoing with regards to the exclusive rights acquired by ATN in the programming content of Alpha Etc Punjabi channel.
ATN adds that its relationship with Star Plus continues and will continue to grow going forward with more of Star Plus programming content aired on the ATN channel as well as with better exposure for shows such as Nach Baliye, Veera, Saathiya Saath Nibhaana, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, Pyar Ka Dard Meetha Meetha Pyara Pyara and many more new reality shows.
ATN sees this as an opportunity to “join and to be part of the brave new cultural world and not only the opportunity to partake in that but also to contribute to that, even while firmly positioned with the security of its main stay of the first rate quality programming of Star Plus owned by a multinational broadcast company News Corp.” it said in a statement.
ATN plans to introduce Canadian television premiers of high caliber Indian Movies; and engage in production and exhibition of Canadian feature films based on South Asian themes; and produce and feature South Asian Canadian dramas in Hindi, Punjabi, English and Tamil and also invest in Canadian Independent production. It adds that it plans to roll out more channels and expand and upgrade its operations with more details to follow.
