Singapore — Mezzo Live HD Asia will soon be available in the Asia-Pacific region for the first time, after a deal between Globecast, MEASAT Satellite Systems Sdn. Bhd (MEASAT), and Mezzo to deliver the channel via the MEASAT-3 satellite.
Mezzo Live HD Asia is a new around-the-clock TV channel for the Asia-Pacific region. Broadcast in French, Mezzo Live HD Asia will be subtitled in 11 regional languages and adapted to the tastes of local markets in Asia to ensure it reaches the broadest audience across the region. The channel will be distributed by Lightning International across Asia Pacific. In addition, the programmes on the channel will be made available to cable, DTH and IPTV operators
Soo Yew Weng, Senior Vice President of Sales of Globecast Asia, said, “Globecast prides itself on helping channels expand to new regions. To this end, we are happy to partner with Mezzo and MEASAT. For Mezzo to expand its presence and bring such high-quality content to the Asia-Pacific is great news indeed.”
“MEASAT is pleased to expand its partnership with Globecast with the agreement to distribute Mezzo Live HD Asia across the Asia-Pacific,” said Raj Malik, Senior Vice President, sales and marketing, MEASAT. “Mezzo Live HD Asia’s addition to the 91.5°E video neighbourhood is a reflection of the growing popularity of HD content that is available over this region via our hotslot.”
The MEASAT 3/ 3a platform at 91.5°E covers 102 countries from Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and Africa. The platform currently leads HD channel distribution in Asia with 47 channels.
Lightning International, CEO, James Ross added, “We are very pleased that Mezzo Live HD has selected the MEASAT 3a satellite, as the platform to distribute the channel to operators in the Asia Pacific region. Asia has become an increasingly sophisticated and discerning market for music and Mezzo has fabulous potential to explore in the region. The launch of a specific feed programmed for the Asia-Pacific region is also hugely important”.
Globecast receives the signal for Mezzo Live HD Asia at its technical operations center in Paris. From there, the channel is sent via fibre to Globecast’s Hong Kong teleport for uplink onto the MEASAT-3 platform.
Mezzo Live HD Asia’s target audience is high income viewers aged 35 and above. The channel will feature musical performances including an ensemble of classical music, jazz, opera and ballet. Some of the performances include Bolshoi in Moscow, Teatro Alla Scala de Milano, Covent Garden in London and Opera National de Paris.
Other performances scheduled for January include the London Symphony Orchestra playing the works of Brahms, Ramsey Lewis at the Jazz Festival, and the State Symphony Orchestra of Russia playing Rachmaninov in Moscow.
With a greater ability to reach an even larger audience, Mezzo has been developing new programming material to include a wider range of material to suit an even broader range of audiences.
