Comcast Pulling Plug on AZN Television
Asian-American-Targeted Cable Network to Go Black April 9
By Anne Becker -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/25/2008 11:25:00 AM
Comcast is shutting down AZN Television, its distribution- and advertising-challenged cable network programmed for Asian Americans. The network will cease broadcasting April 9. Its staff of some 15 was notified Friday that they will lose their jobs at the network.
The channel, led by general manager Rod Shanks, never gained distribution beyond Comcast’s footprint of about 13.9 million homes and also had trouble securing advertising. That was despite efforts to build it into a viable niche network by Comcast, which acquired it from Liberty Media in 2004 and subsequently tweaked programming to be more advertiser-friendly.
The cable operator brought in a management-consulting firm several months ago to assess whether the network could be saved, ultimately deciding to pull the plug.
“AZN Television’s last day of broadcasting will be April 9, 2008,” Comcast said in a statement. “This difficult decision was made after considerable review of the network’s financial situation. Comcast, the network’s parent company, will continue to broadcast additional Asian programming through the International Networks and other independent providers and remains committed to supporting the Asian-American community through programming, civic and cultural events.”
The relative youth and affluence of the Asian-American audience was an attraction for Comcast and its competitors, which included startup cable channel ImaginAsian TV and local independent stations, like KSCI Los Angeles, aimed at that city’s 2.5 million Asians.
The median income of Asian-American households is $55,521, compared with $45,904 for non-Hispanic white households and $33,447 for Hispanic households, according to recent U.S. Census Bureau data. And with a median age of 31, the Asian-American population is four years younger than the overall U.S. median age.
Despite those inviting figures, Comcast and its competitors face a couple of significant hurdles for ad sales. The total Asian-American population in the United States, according to the Census Bureau, is 13.5 million -- not an enormous ethnic bloc in a country with 40 million Hispanics. The population is also subdivided into a variety of ethnicities. KSCI, for example, programs in five languages, and many advertisers are reluctant to cut different spots for each one.
Comcast also owns larger cable networks E! Entertainment Television, Style, The Golf Channel, Versus and G4, and several regional sports networks, as well as part of PBS Kids Sprout and TV One.
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that sucks balls
Big Deez - 11/11/2008 2:06:00 AM EST -
AznTv was the best channel out there by far. through the vas t wastland of garbage being shown on other channels, AZN was the only bright light. How dare Comcast discontinue its service. there has to be some way to revive it. By the way, I'm not Asian. The programming on the channel was enlightening and creative. I loved the historical dramas to the anime. Shame on you Comcast for getting rid of such quality television.
Denina Mance - 5/29/2008 10:12:00 PM EDT -
I am thoroughly upset about this. I would watch it every night. I would always DVR what i couldn't catch. It's not fair because my husband is Korean and he can't even watch tv shows that he is used to!
crystalsr4eva - 4/24/2008 9:43:00 PM EDT -
Because Comcast has ended AZN TV, I have canceled my multiple Comcast services and went with one of their competitors. Two of my neighbors asked how I like the competitor's FiOS service and one has now switched and the other said they are also switching. The other writers have already written about the great programs that AZN had like the historical drama series. It is a shame that Comcast did not ask its customers about ending AZN.
JSmith - 4/13/2008 5:44:00 PM EDT -
Why couldn't Comcast sell AZN rather than taking it off the air. It's not like Comcast came up with AZN, they bought it from Liberty Media.
I'm addicted to AZN, and know I'm going to go through withdrawals in the coming days!
There really isn't any other broadcaster that hits the target as well as AZN!
S Lee - 4/9/2008 6:11:00 PM EDT
