TOKYO: AXN is steadily spreading its wings throughout Asia. Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) and Jupiter Programming (JPC) have announced that they have entered into an agreement. SPTI has sold a 35 per cent equity stake in AXN Japan to JPC.
JPC claims to be Japan's largest multichannel television programming and content provider. It is a joint venture between Liberty Media International and Sumitomo Corporation. With this announcement, JPC's experienced affiliate sales team - who are in regular contact with the more than 400 cable operators throughout the country - will assume responsibility for AXN Japan's affiliate sales.
JPC's president/ representative director Tetsuro Takeoka said: "AXN Japan has a clear and well-targeted programming schedule and is a welcome addition to our channel offerings. AXN's strategy of providing a variety of action and drama series as well as Japanese animation makes it a natural destination for viewers. We are pleased to be involved in the next stage of AXN's development."
AXN Japan is carried throughout the land of the rising sun on DTH platforms SkyPerfecTV! and SkyPerfecTV! 2 as well as on cable systems including J-Com Broadband, the largest cable platform in Japan.
AXN claims to be seen in over 86 million homes in 40 countries across Asia, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East.
Tokyo based JPC was formed in 1996 to develop, manage and distribute television programming and content to cable and satellite distributors in Japan. JPC operates or invests in CSN1 Movie Channel, Jupiter Shop Channel, LaLa TV, Jupiter Golf Network, Discovery Channel Japan, Animal J Sky Sports, Nihon Eiga (Japanese movie channel), Jidaigeki (Samurai drama channel), Kids Station, Anime Theater-X, and Nikkei CNBC.