StarHub TV launches Russian channel

[ Nov 19, 2009 ]

Singapore, 19 November 2009 – StarHub today announced that it will launch a new 24-hour English news channel, Russia Today, at 12am on 1 December. StarHub will be the first pay TV operator to offer Singapore viewers round-the-clock news and infotainment programmes from the Russian perspective, broadcasted in English.

Russia Today is delivered live from Moscow by GlobeCast via satellite to StarHub’s platform. GlobeCast also represents Russia Today’s channel distribution across the region. Available on StarHub TV Channel 174, Russia Today is the sixth channel to join StarHub’s existing tier of Complimentary International Channels. The other channels in this tier are Arirang TV, Australia Network, Deutsche Welle, KBS World and TVRI.

“StarHub is delighted to offer our StarHub TV customers with comprehensive, credible and in-depth news coverage with a fresh perspective from Russia. Always on the lookout for quality programmes from across the globe to present to our valued customers, StarHub once again breaks the barriers by offering Russia Today to customers at no extra charge,” said Ms Ong Bee Lian, StarHub’s Vice President of Home Solutions.

Russia Today’s content line-up covers a wide array of genres including news, entertainment, arts, technology and business. The channel’s correspondents around the world won numerous journalistic awards including the Silver World Medal for Best News Documentary from New York Festivals, Special Jury Award in the Best Creative Feature category at Media Excellence Awards in London and Russia’s most prestigious broadcasting award TEFI in Best News Anchor category.

Russia Today will offer:

• News & Headlines – 24/7 news programmes, interviews and analysis
• Entertainments & Arts – Features main events in Russia culture and arts, news from the film industry
• Business Today – Features exclusive interviews with Russian top managers, in-depth analysis of current business tendencies and trends.
• Documentary – Informative documentaries about Russia, exploring original traditions, historical and cultural heritage as well as unique images of the country
• Art – Programmes covering the arts, cinema fashion, travel and culture
• Technology Update – A monthly program covering innovative developments, the latest and most up to date technologies and scientific breakthroughs in Russia
• Sports – Topical Russian sports news, events and competitions
  

For more details, viewers can visit www.starhub.com/tv.

About StarHub:
StarHub is Singapore's fully-integrated info-communication company, offering a full range of information, communications and entertainment services for both consumer and corporate markets. StarHub operates Singapore's fastest two-way HSPA+ mobile network that delivers up to 21Mbps for downlink to complement its nation-wide GSM network, and an island-wide HFC network that delivers multi-channel cable TV services (including High Definition Television and on-demand services) as well as ultra-high speed residential broadband services. StarHub also operates an extensive fixed business network that provides a wide range of data, voice and wholesale services.

Launched in 2000, StarHub has become one of Singapore's most innovative info-communications providers, and the pioneer in 'hubbing' - the ability to deliver unique integrated and converged services to all its customers. StarHub is listed on the main board of the Singapore Exchange since October 2004 and is a component stock of the Straits Times Index. Visit www.starhub.com for more information.


Media Contacts:
Carrie Choong
Corporate Communications Executive
DID: +65 6825 5134
Mobile: +65 9270 5784
Email: carrie.y.choong@starhub.com

Chef-actres-singer Maria Cordero

ONLY about half-a-decade in existence, the Asian Food Channel now holds the honor of being “the only 24-hour food channel dedicated to airing the best food and lifestyle programming from around the region and around the world.”

It has become so powerful that many people we know are hooded to AFC. They are the same audience who’ve grown frustrated of the usual cable new fares that seem to broadcast the same political events, and of round-the-clock movie channels whose program lists feature titles that are already easily accessible in their favorite DVD stores.

“It’s the new porn for us,” a manager-owner of a bar in Malate tells us. And by “us,” he means guys in their mid-30s and up to late-50s, the same audience who would find the same hormonal rush to be had from an F1 race, a Wimbledon finals match, an NBA championship game—or that thing in your dirty mind—in a chef slowly chopping vegetables, meat or fishes before whipping ’em all in a frying pan.

And it has to be Asian Food Channel, where there’s 24 hours of nonstop cooking shows tackling everything not only Asian but the cuisines of the world. The unnamed Malate bar we mentioned is not the only one doing this. From our experience, other favorite hideaways are also tuned in to the AFC. People simply sit on the bar and watch while nursing a cold beer.

And most probably, it is not happening only in Manila. Though based in Singapore, AFC’s wide Asian distribution footprint covers seven territories and 20 million viewers.

In Southeast Asia AFC can be seen on Starhub Channel 69 in Singapore, Astro Channel 703 in Malaysia, First Media Digital 1 Channel 76 in Indonesia, Prime Indovision Channel 22 also in Indonesia, TV Channel 527 in Hong Kong, and SkyCable Channel 58 in the Philippines.

The good news for beer connoisseurs, hard drinkers and just about anyone who love food, AFC is literally cooking up something to watch out for these days.

Since August this year, AFC has made a tie-up with the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) for the city’s “Food and Wine Year” celebration.

The partnership involves an online, on-the-ground and onscreen campaign across Singapore, the Philippines and Malaysia, between August and October this year. If you’ve been following the channel, you already know that AFC and HKTB are now hosting a variety of Hong Kong celebrities and AFC faces, demonstrating the diversity of Hong Kong cuisine, showing their favorite eating haunts and explaining more about food and wine in the Asian culinary capital.

The highlight of this yearlong food-and-wine festival is a 10-day event from October 30 to November 8. It aims to “serve up superb Hong Kong taste and flavors in promotion of the Hong Kong Food & Wine Year” throughout Asia.

AFC and HKTB recently flew in the Hong Kong-based lady celebrity chef-actress-singer-TV host Maria Cordero, also known as Fat Mama, to inform us the good news. She’s like a walking encyclopedia of Asian cuisine.

Basically, the 10-day festival will feature a large-scale outdoor wine and dine; street carnivals organized by major food districts; wine-and-food appreciation and cooking classes by the catering and tourism sectors; and more affordable dining and drinking experiences offered by hotels and fine-dining restaurants.

Ground zero of the festival is the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade. Expected to participate are 140 booths showcasing the finest brews from different origins, local award-winning specialties and classic gourmet.

For her part, Cordero, a Portuguese-Chinese based in Hong Kong for decades, revealed that she’s been vacationing in the Philippines since the late 1970s. In fact, she’s been to Boracay, Cebu and other tourist destinations long before us baby boomers. She’s been to Chinatown in Binondo when it was the only “in” place to go for foodies.

But the better news for bar tipplers and foodies out there is that HKTB and AFC will be offering two lucky viewers to win an exclusive trip to Hong Kong to experience the festival for free.

With 20 million viewers throughout Asia, AFC is surely not to be missed these days, especially at night and you’re alone in a bar nursing an ice-cold beer. Yes, it’s the new porn—without the guilt.

***Visit www.asianfoodchannel.com for more information.