Singapore – Cable operator StarHub will offer STAR Cricket, a 24-hour channel showcasing international cricket action to replace StarHub’s existing Cricket Channel. Cricket Extra, a channel for simulcast cricket matches, is also being added to StarHub Digital Cable’s Cricket Group which also includes Neo Sports. Both new channels are available from March 17, 2008. Packaged by ESPN STAR Sports (ESS), STAR Cricket was launched in India in June 2007 and aired the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Twenty20 tournament. The channel airs live and delayed international and regional cricket events, news, archived programming, as well as magazine and reality shows. Programming includes live coverage of the Pura Cup Final, as well as magazine programmes Inside Cricket, Timed Out, Star Mail, and shows from ESS’ archived shows Super Centuries and Boxing Day Knock Outs. Cricket Extra will cater to occasional simulcast of live cricket events to provide a choice of matches. The channel will also air selected cricket tournaments not broadcast on STAR Cricket and Neo Sports. The latter features home matches by the Indian and Bangladeshi cricket teams, and Cricket Extra. The Cricket Group is available at S$32.10 (US$23.25) monthly, to StarHub Digital Cable customers using the digital and HD set-top boxes and HubStation. Separately, StarHub sealed a deal with Indonesian media company MNC to carry MNC – The Indonesian Channel also from March 17. MNC – The Indonesian Channel is packaged by MNC as a 24-hour international GE channel in Bahasa Indonesia. Outside Indonesia, Singapore is the second country after Japan to air the channel. MNC – The Indonesia Channel offers programming from Indonesian channels including Rajawali Citra Televisi Indonesia (RCTI), Televisi Pendidikan Indonesia (TPI) and Global TV, including news and entertainment such as Indonesian sitcoms, mega sinetron (cinema electronic/ TV soap), variety shows, documentaries, music and reality shows. MNC – The Indonesian Channel adds to Malay entertainment channel Sensasi and Indonesian channel TVRI as offerings for Indonesian and Malay communities in Singapore. MNC – The Indonesian Channel will be available on StarHub Digital Cable at S$8.56 (US$6.15) monthly. There is a 50% discount off monthly subscription for the first three months to customers who sign up for MNC – The Indonesian Channel before April 30, 2008. Hary Tanoe Soedibjo, group president and CEO of MNC Group, said that MNC is looking to break into Saudi Arabia and UAE markets following the channel’s launch in Singapore.