HBO sister channel Cinemax gets limited mainland distribution approval

HBO Asia's sister channel Cinemax has been granted approval by mainland broadcasting regulator the Ministry of Radio, Film and Television to distribute the service in three-star and above hotels and foreigners' housing complexes.

Jim Marturano, HBO Asia's senior vice-president, sales and marketing, yesterday said the agreement gave the company a 'head start in the Chinese media environment'.

Mr Marturano said the company was a 'long way off' getting a 'broad distribution platform on the mainland, but we are convinced that we now have a strong base for long-term development'. The service was now looking to launch in India.

Only a handful of channels are permitted to be viewed directly from satellite in the mainland, and their distribution is limited to higher-class hotels and foreign compounds. Star TV's free-to-air channels and CNN International are among the few services permitted to be seen in this restricted distribution net.

Launched in November 1996, Cinemax can be seen in two million Asian homes, although not in Hong Kong. It focuses on genre viewing, grouping movies together in subjects like comedy, suspense and drama.

HBO, which is now carried in 3.2 million homes across the region, gained permission for limited distribution in the mainland three years ago.