Warner Bros Entertainment aims at Asian launch in 2010

Warner Bros' WarnerTV will be introducing entertainment programmes specifically for Asian audiences in Asia in 2010 with distribution exclusively by HBO Asia.

HBO will handle distribution exclusively for WarnerTV throughout Asia. HBO Asia is currently in discussions with various cable operators across Asia, and WarnerTV is targeted to debut in the first quarter of 2010.

WarnerTV will feature hit television series such as The Mentalist, starring Simon Baker; The Big Bang Theory, starring Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons and Kaley Cuoco; Fringe, from J.J. Abrams; and the trend-setting Gossip Girl. Additionally, WarnerTV will present the Asian television premieres of Dark Blue, starring Dylan McDermott and from Jerry Bruckheimer Television, as well as Southland, from Emmy Award–winning producer John Wells (ER).

"Following in the footsteps of the highly successful Warner Channel in Latin America, WB India and numerous WarnerTV–branded on-demand zones around the world – including the U.K., France, Germany, Japan and Italy – the addition of this new WarnerTV channel in Asia is expected to bring our total number of branded services to more than 30 in over 60 countries around the world," said Malcolm Dudley-Smith, EVP–business management, Warner Bros. International Branded Services

"WarnerTV is a perfect complement to our premium bouquet," said Jonathan Spink, CEO, HBO Asia.

The launch of WarnerTV continues the company's strategy of launching branded programming services around the globe, featuring content produced and distributed by the Studio. Like the highly successful Warner Channel Latin America, WarnerTV in Asia will be a 24-hour linear offering.