Press Release

ImaginAsian TV Reaches New Carriage Agreement with Time Warner Cable of New York and New Jersey

Nation’s First 24/7 Asian American Television Network to Premiere in New York Metro Area November 17 on Digital Basic Channel 560
 

NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 16, 2005 — ImaginAsian Entertainment, Inc., today announced that ImaginAsian TV (iaTV), America’s first 24/7 Asian American television network, will premiere in the New York metro area on Time Warner Cable of New York and New Jersey. Beginning November 17, the network will be carried on Channel 560, bringing top pan-Asian programming to digital homes in the number one Asian market in the U.S.

“Launching ImaginAsian TV in New York is a dream come true. I can’t overemphasize how fulfilling it will be for me and the other Asian Americans on our team when we will finally be able to tune in to iaTV at our corporate headquarters on W. 44th Street, and see all of our hard work first hand,” said Michael Hong, co-founder and CEO of ImaginAsian Entertainment. “This deal significantly increases our presence in the New York metro area, building upon the foundation that has already been established through our radio, theater and online properties.”

The agreement comes less than a month after iaTV and Time Warner Cable announced a corporate MSO carriage agreement and the launch of the network in Los Angeles, and four months following iaTV and Time Warner Cable of New York and New Jersey’s successful Hit Asian Film Festival, made available to the system’s digital subscribers through a partnership with iN DEMAND Networks from May through July. Via Time Warner Cable’s Movies on Demand Channel 1000, viewers were exposed to popular and critically acclaimed films from all over Asia which spanned multiple genres – from Bollywood to Hong Kong action, Korean horror, anime and more. iaTV plans to offer additional video-on-demand services to Time Warner Cable subscribers, to be announced at a later date.

Time Warner Cable of New York and New Jersey will have access to ImaginAsian Entertainment’s innovative marketing platforms, including The ImaginAsian theater in Manhattan. As the premier Asian American theater in the city, The ImaginAsian has brought international blockbusters, beloved classics, and film festivals featuring the best action, drama, comedy, horror, Bollywood and anime from all over Asia to the community. The theater is supplied with in-lobby kiosks and cinema advertising as part of an integrated approach to consumer outreach and marketing.

Since its on-air premiere in August 2004, iaTV has brought the finest programs from Asia to the U.S., including anime, hit drama series, blockbuster films, documentaries, music, sports, variety programs and more from Korea, Japan, India, Hong Kong, China, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. Additionally, iaTV has developed and produced critically acclaimed original programs such as “Uncle Morty’s Dub Shack.” All programming is either in English or English-subtitled.

“The time has come for high-quality, Asian-inspired television programming to become available and accessible to both Asians and non-Asians alike,” said Anil Srivatsa, iaTV’s senior vice president of affiliate sales and operations. “Being available on basic digital will give New York and New Jersey residents an opportunity to appreciate the level of complexity and depth that exists among Asian cultures, and allow us to contribute to the mainstream like never before.”

Time Warner Cable of New York and New Jersey serves customers in four NYC boroughs (Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island and western Brooklyn), Mt. Vernon, Hudson Valley (Orange, Sullivan, Ulster Counties and parts of Dutchess, Greene and Delaware Counties) and Bergen and Hudson Counties, New Jersey. Fully advertiser-supported, ImaginAsian TV is also currently carried on cable systems in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston and parts of New Jersey, as well as via broadcast in other areas, including Las Vegas, NV and Edison, N.J.

About ImaginAsian TV

ImaginAsian TV (iaTV) is America's first national 24-hour Asian American network, catering to American audiences with a passion “for all things Asian,” including more than 14 million Asian / Pacific Americans. iaTV (www.iatv.tv) offers top-notch entertainment, news, music videos, movies, and original programming from Asia and the U.S. All foreign-language programs are subtitled in English to meet the needs of the general public, and English-speaking hosts introduce shows during prime time. Along with The ImaginAsian Theater, ImaginAsian Radio, and iaLink, ImaginAsian TV is an integrated division of ImaginAsian Entertainment, Inc.

ImaginAsian Entertainment, Inc. (www.iaei.tv) is a multimedia organization committed to providing a voice for Asian America through multiple outlets, including television, radio, event promotion, and theatrical exhibition. Headquartered in New York City, ImaginAsian Entertainment aims to promote Asian Pacific American culture to mainstream America using a fully integrated marketing strategy through multiple platforms: ImaginAsian TV (America’s first 24/7 Asian American network), The ImaginAsian Theater (New York’s premier Asian American Theater), ImaginAsian Radio (including Anil-ki-Awaaz, iaRadio, and Total Time Pass), and iaLink (ImaginAsian’s community-based e-zine).