The digital package planned under the name Asia Channel, aimed at people from Asian countries living in Europe, intends to launch this spring.

In an exclusive interview with Interspace, managing director Marina Doll revealed that the launch is currently planned for April, though there was the possibility of a delay. "But in any case we’ll launch this year," she said. The German-based Asia Channel bouquet will consist of five general interest channels with news, information, education, cultural and entertainment programmes from Vietnam, Korea, China, India and Japan in the original language. The channels are operated by Asia Channel’s mother company Media 22, based in Muggensturm in south Germany. The programmes will be produced by national and international TV production companies with selected progammes being bought directly from the national broadcasters in the Asian countries. Each channel will consist of an eight-hour programme block aired three times each day. Asia Channel will use transponder capacity on Eutelsat’s Hot Bird satellite system at 13 degrees East, uplinked by Deutsche Telekom. According to Doll, the package will stay free to air for the time being. Cable distribution is also planned. The channels will be advertising-financed initially. Asia Channel received a broadcast licence from Stuttgart-based media authority LfK in summer 1998.