AZN Television
AZN Television logo
Ownership
OwnerInternational Networks (Comcast)
History
Launched1990; 34 years ago (1990) (as International Channel)
ClosedApril 9, 2008; 15 years ago (2008-04-09)

AZN Television (formerly called International Channel) was a cable TV channel which promoted itself as "the network for Asian America". It was run by International Networks, a wholly owned subsidiary of Comcast Corporation. The channel's programming targeted the fast-growing, young, affluent, English-speaking Asian-American community. Genres included the most popular Asian films, dramas, documentaries and music as well as a diverse slate of original programming. It competed in certain markets with ImaginAsian Television.

History

This section needs expansion with: formation of channel, programs acquired, rebranding to AZN. You can help by adding to it. (March 2015)

The channel was launched as the International Channel in 1990,[1] and was initially owned by a joint venture of Liberty Media (which had a 90% stake) and JJS II Communications, LLC (which had the remaining 10% stake).[2] In 1996, the two companies founded the International Cable Channels Partnership, Ltd., which oversaw the channel. The channel was sold to Comcast when it purchased its parent company, International Networks (now International Media Distribution) in July 2004. In March 2005, Comcast rebranded and refocused the International Channel to AZN Television, which now focused purely on Asian and Asian-American culture.[3] In late 2005, news of mass layoffs at the network prompted fears that Comcast would shut down AZN.[4] However, the network remained on the air and continued to sponsor the annual Asian Excellence Awards, which highlights Asian American achievement in film and television. In January 2008, Comcast announced it would be shutting down AZN and moving the Asian Excellence Awards show to E![5] The channel went off the air on April 9, 2008, at noon.[6][7] The network was shut down as foreign language tiers with international networks, which have their own charges and feature content on networks International Channel struggled to balance onto a 168-hour weekly schedule, became much more popular, cost-effective, and had better quality controls, and more importantly, had programming originated on their own domestic networks.[6]

Programming

Dramas and sitcoms

News

Variety/music

Anime

Anime shows were broadcast in Japanese with English subtitles, or English dub.[14]

Other

References

  1. ^ "IC - About IC". International Channel. Archived from the original on August 16, 2000. Retrieved March 14, 2018. The company programs and distributes a basic cable television channel, International Channel. This service provides programming from around the world in more than 20 Asian, European and Middle Eastern languages. Programming includes news, sports, movies, music and general entertainment programs. International Channel is available to more than 8 million cable television subscribers in the United States. The channel launched in 1990.
  2. ^ "International Channel Networks". Archived from the original on April 3, 2003. Retrieved March 14, 2018. International Channel Networks is the trade name of International Cable Channels Partnership, Ltd. (a company 90% owned by Liberty Media Corporation [NYSE: L and LMC.B] and 10% owned by JJS II Communications, LLC).
  3. ^ Caramanica, Jon (July 30, 2006). "After the International Channel: AZN Narrows Its Audience and Widens Its Flaws". The New York Times.
  4. ^ Comcast Trims Staff at AZN Television Centennial Network's Programming Targets Asian-Americans, HighBeam Research, December 13, 2005
  5. ^ Szalai, Georg (January 27, 2008). "Comcast to shutter AZN". The Hollywood Reporter. AP. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  6. ^ a b Comcast Pulls Plug on AZN, Broadcasting & Cable, January 28, 2008
  7. ^ "AZN closing shop April 9". The Hollywood Reporter. April 6, 2008. Archived from the original on April 10, 2008.
  8. ^ a b c d e f "International Channel Program Schedule – Week of October 8 – October 14". internationalchannel.com. October 8–14, 2001. Archived from the original on October 13, 2001. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp "International Channel Program Schedule – Week of August 13 – August 19". internationalchannel.com. August 13–19, 2001. Archived from the original on August 16, 2001. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "International Channel Program Schedule – Week of April 1 – April 7". internationalchannel.com. April 1–7, 2002. Archived from the original on February 23, 2002. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "International Channel Program Schedule – Week of February 18 – February 24". internationalchannel.com. February 18–24, 2002. Archived from the original on February 23, 2002. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "International Channel Program Schedule – Week of May 27 – June 2". internationalchannel.com. June 2, 2002. Archived from the original on June 2, 2002. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "International Channel Program Schedule – Week of July 29 - August 4". internationalchannel.com. August 4, 2002. Archived from the original on August 3, 2002. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  14. ^ "International Channel - Anime News Network". Archived from the original on June 17, 2003.
  15. ^ a b c "International Channel Program Schedule – Week of February 5 - February 11". Archived from the original on February 7, 2001.
  16. ^ "International Channel Program Schedule – Week of December 9 - December 15". Archived from the original on December 14, 2002.
  17. ^ a b c "International Channel Program Schedule – Week of October 14 - October 20". Archived from the original on October 16, 2002.
  18. ^ a b "International Channel Program Schedule – Week of February 10 - February 16". Archived from the original on February 10, 2003.
  19. ^ "International Channel Program Schedule - Week of August 4 - August 10". Archived from the original on August 10, 2003.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to AZN Television.
Defunct English-language broadcast television networks in the United States(including still-existent networks removed from over-the-air distribution)
Chinese-language television in North America
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