HBO Asia is the Asian division of HBO, based out of Singapore. It was originally launched on 1 May 1992 as MovieVision, later rebranding on 1 June 1995 to its current name after being purchased by Home Box Office, Inc. The Singapore-based broadcast network offers channels and services with no advertisements– HBO, HBO Signature, HBO Family, HBO Hits and Cinemax – as well as HBO Go and HBO on Demand. HBO Asia is also the exclusive distributor of BabyFirst in Asia.[4]
HBO was the first American television network to set up its bases in Singapore in 1992, with its 20,000 square feet (1,900 m2) production facility based at New Tech Park in Lorong Chuan.[5]
HBO signed an agreement with Singapore Telecom in June 1992 in order to deliver its output to Singapore CableVision's MovieVision channel, as well as other broadcasters in the region.[6]
HBO Asia began 24 hour broadcasts on 1 March 1994 to cater to travellers who come to hotels. It also increased the number of programmes to 70 a month.[7]
HBO Central is a monthly program giving information about which movies and series will be shown in the coming month.
New seasons of HBO's Original Series or Original Productions air on Sunday nights/Monday mornings.
Original programming
HBO also aired their Original Series or Original Films from Asian creators which aired on Sunday nights. Some other Asian original title may also simultaneously release in other platform, for example Catchplay, which has co-produce some HBO Asian titles.
Typically, movies showcasing gestures like the middle finger, nudity, intense intimacy and vulgar language are edited out. Scenes revealing attire or exposed skin near private areas are commonly censored, especially in predominantly Muslim regions of Southeast Asia (excluding Vietnam). Additionally, depictions of alcohol or pork are often blurred as they are considered haram in Islam.
The HBO-made series Entourage was taken off-air for three weeks by one cable operator in the Philippines, pending clearance by the MTRCB.[citation needed] The entire series continued to air without disruption on all other Philippines cable operators.
In Vietnam, programs broadcast on HBO Asia undergo censorship overseen by Vietnam News Agency. Any film that is judged to contradict or misrepresent the Vietnam War (such as depicting the US as heroes, which contradicts the state's official stance), or critical of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam, or to contain explicit sexual or gruesome content deemed inconsistent with Vietnamese societal norms, will not be aired. Instead, it will be replaced with another film, accompanied by an on-screen disclaimer indicating that it is a substitute feature replacing a film with sensitive content.[50] Additionally, scenes depicting nudity, violence, or mild profanity are typically toned down.[51]
The live channels remain available on selected pay TV providers as HBO GO not longer provide the live channels in-app and online starting 25 May 2023.[54]
HBO formerly provided a separate feed with commercial breaks for audiences in South Asia, namely India, Bangladesh, and the Maldives. All movie promos in this beam are according to IST. A timeshifted feed for Pakistan was launched in the mid-2000s in partnership with ARY Digital Network.[56] The schedule was same as the Indian feed with the difference being the commercial breaks and timings in PST.
Before the launch of HBO South Asia, HBO tried replicating the premium model in India. But then HBO decided it wasn't commercially viable so the South Asia channel was launched in India and also in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Maldives.[57]
HBO Asia and Eros International launched HBO Defined and HBO Hits across India on 21 February 2013 on Dish TV and Airtel Digital TV. These channels are commercial-free. The content of both the channels include movies as well as most of HBO Original Programming. When the channels launched, the main HBO channel stopped airing original series.[58]
In 2015, HBO had decided to exit the Indian market and license the channel to Turner International India.[59] The channel was revamped in February 2016 after a survey conducted by the channel team to better suit the masses.[60][61] HBO Defined and HBO Hits would be handled by Star India, however HBO Defined and HBO Hits SD was shut down on 31 December 2015 while HBO Hits HD was replaced by HBO HD on 4 September 2016.[62] It only airs Hollywood movies, as Star India has the rights to HBO Original Programming which are available on Star World and Disney+ Hotstar.[63]
WarnerMedia International announced on 15 October 2020 that HBO South Asia and WB Channel would close down on 15 December 2020. The HBO channel would no longer be available in India and Pakistan, while WB Channel ceased to exist in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and the Maldives.[64]
HBO India had closed down at midnight with the last movie on the SD channel being Mad Max: Fury Road (completed 1 hour before the shutdown) and the last movie on the HD channel being Memoirs of a Geisha. HBO Pakistan was also closed down at midnight.[citation needed]
^Frater, Patrick (8 November 2023). "'Itaewon Class' Remake 'Fired Up' Sets Taiwan Cast for DaMou, KOKO and HBO Asia". Variety. Retrieved 11 November 2023. At an event held within the Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF) on Thursday, the two companies also confirmed plans for a second season of "The World Between Us," a 2019 drama series that premiered on Taiwan's Public Television Service and regional streamer Catchplay.
^Malvania, Urvi (24 February 2016). "HBO moves from niche to mass". Business Standard India. Archived from the original on 4 July 2022. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
