ATN discontinues deal with Zee

MUMBAI: Asian Television Network International (ATN), which serves Canada?s Asian community, has decided not to renew its licensing agreement for rights to Zee TV?2 Hindi programming when it expires on 31 January, 2013.

The licensing agreement would have automatically got renewed but ATN is not renewing it. The US affiliate of Zee was notified of the decision on 28 October, 2012.

ATN president, CEO Shan Chandrasekar said, "We felt that with programming content from both Star Plus and from Zee TV, we had a situation where we were unable to do justice to either one and from sheer lack of air time, had to miss out some very compelling programming contents".

Chandrasekar also observed that ATN?s positive relationship with Zee TV is still going to continue relating to the exclusive rights acquired by ATN in the programming content of ALPHA ETC PUNJABI channel.

ATN?s relationship with Star Plus continues and shall continue to grow going forward with more of Star Plus programming content aired on the ATN as well as with better exposure for shows such as ?Nach Baliye?, ?Veera?, ?Saathiya Saath Nibhaana?, ?Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai? and ?Pyar Ka Dard Meetha Meetha Pyara Pyara?.

ATN also plans to introduce Canadian television premieres of Indian movies and engage in production and exhibition of Canadian feature films based on South Asian themes; and produce and feature South Asian Canadian dramas in Hindi, Punjabi, English and Tamil and also invest in Canadian independent production.

ATN is rolling out more channels and expanding and upgrading its operations.