News just in:

Nick Jr and MTVNHD set to air in Asia

Singapore/Kuala Lumpur – Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), today announced the launch of two of its channels in Asia, Nick Jr. and MTVN HD. The channels will be available on StarHub in Singapore beginning 18 May 2011 and on Telekom Malaysia Berhad’s ™ HyppTV in Malaysia from 1 June 2011.

Nick Jr., aimed at pre-schoolers and parents, builds on Nickelodeon’s reputation as one of the world’s leading multi-platform entertainment brands for kids. With a commitment to stimulate, educate, involve, excite and develop enquiring minds with award-winning and exclusive international properties including Dora The Explorer and Go, Diego, Go! MTVNHD – VIMN’s first international high definition service – is a return to MTV’s roots, broadcasting live shows, music videos, music documentaries and original productions. Broadcast in 1080i High-Definition and Dolby Surround 5.1, it targets a largely male audience aged 25 years old and above.

“The launch shows our commitment to deliver high-quality programming to our audiences in Asia,” said Indra Suharjono, Executive Vice President & Managing Director, Viacom International Media Networks North and Southeast Asia. “Nick Jr. is a highly recognized channel having won multiple Peabody Awards and Parent’s Choice Awards. With MTVNHD, discerning music lovers in this region now have a place where they can find rich content. We will be launching the channels aggressively to the rest of Southeast Asia.”

Nick Jr. will be available on StarHub TV’s Kids Basic Upsize Group while MTVNHD will be available to existing StarHub TV’s Entertainment Basic Group customers who are subscribed to the Basic HD Upsize group. TM will offer the two channels à la carte to its subscribers on HyppTV, Malaysia’s newest Pay TV service.

This is NOT competition. Competition is when the same channel is available over both systems and the consumer can choose which system they want and still get the same lineup i.e Dish vs DirecTV vs Verizon FIOS vs AT&T UVerse vs Cable in the US. What happening here is two companies tumbuk-menumbuk (in other words: SPARTA!)

This setup will be a bit weird tho. What if they show channel ad for main Nick channel on Nick Jr? Since Playhouse Disney will sometimes advertise Disney channel programs and vice-versa. Same for Cartoon Network and Boomerang (at least in Singapore and US. In Malaysia Astro cuts off any ads for the other channel).

In any case, if that happens then the playing field is level- Boomerang may come to TM IPTV.

Now remains the question of coverage. At TM's coverage rollout speed it will be very frust if I suddenly get posted to East Coast   

So jealous for having Unifi....

Ch830 should be left as a buffer channel for other ad-hoc screening.  ASSP HD2 should move to CH833 and etc as a permanent channel.
As usual, ASSthrow uses its ass to think and not the brain.