Type | Television Network |
---|---|
Branding | Asianet |
Country | India |
Availability | Indian sub-continent, China, South East Asia, Middle East, Europe, United States and the lower half of the former Soviet Union |
Founded | 1991 (The first private TV channel in India) by Reji Menon and Sashi Kumar |
Owner | STAR India (21st Century Fox) |
Asianet Communications Limited (ACL) is an Indian media conglomerate owned by STAR India. Formed in 1991 by Reji Menon and Sashi Kumar and headquartered in Trivandrum, India. the company owns several television channels, including Asianet (1993), the first privately owned satellite channel broadcasting in Malayalam. Other television channels under Asianet Communications include Asianet Plus, Asianet Middle East, Asianet Sitara, Suvarna TV, Suvarna Plus and Asianet Movies.
Asianet Communications was completely acquired by STAR India in the early 2010s. Asianet News (formerly Asianet Global) and Asianet Suvarna News 24×7 channels are not a part of the STAR India owned Asianet Communications Limited, but comes under the Asianet News Network (ANN) wing of the Jupiter Media.
Asianet Communications Limited's television channels reach the homes of Indians in over 60 countries worldwide including the Indian sub-continent, China, South East Asia, Middle East, Europe, United States and the lower half of the former Soviet Union.
Asianet Communications Limited was originally incorporated as a private limited company named "Asianet Communications Private Limited" in New Delhi on 5 March 1991. The company began operations in 1991 with the promotion of Asianet, the group's flagship Malayalam language television channel . At the time, satellite television broadcasting in India was at its nascent stage. Asianet Communications Limited undertook the cable distribution of the channel as its own wholly owned subsidiary, ensuring maximum coverage across Kerala.