Comcast Shutting Down AZN Network
Comcast Says Asian American Net Had Poor Prospects
By Linda Haugsted -- Multichannel News, 1/25/2008 7:45:00 AM
Comcast is closing down AZN Network as of April 9, stating that the channel is no longer financially viable.
The network, targeting the Asian Americans, has 13.9 million subscribers, mostly among Comcast-owned systems.
AZN is part of International Networks LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Comcast. Comcast acquired the network from Liberty Media in 2004.
Jennifer Khoury, senior director of corporate and consumer communications for Comcast, said Comcast's programming executives have been reviewing the performance of all of the company's entertainment networks, which include E! Entertainment Television and G4. Those are successful, she said. But there was little advertising interest in AZN or potential for distribution growth.
AZN's prospects were subjected to a third-party review, she said, adding that firm came to the same dire conclusion about the network.
She noted Comcast carries 13 other services targeting ethnic minorities, as well as video-on-demand content for Asian Americans.
Comcast intends to talk to Asian American community leaders to determine what programming they would like in the future to fill the AZN void.
Another network in the genre, the smaller ImaginAsian, is in about 4 million homes and has just received a content and financial investment from a Fuji Television Network subsidiary.
About a year ago, MTV Networks shut down MTV World, its three-channel digital programming suite targeting Asian Americans, amid a large corporate restructuring at the Viacom-owned programming stable.
A marquee programming event on AZN, the Asian Excellence Awards, will be moved to E!, Khoury said.
Local systems will decide how to fill the programming hole left when AZN goes dark, she added.
AZN has about 15 employees, Khoury said. Those employees can seek jobs in other Comcast business units, she said.
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So, it's been a year and I finally became curious as to why AZN was replaced by RFD-TV (thus, I find myself here). Yes, instead of Bollywood or Korean Drama I get Hee-Haw, Talkin' Tractors and shows on animal husbandry. You can only imagine the rude surprise I first got! This is more financially viable? Seriously? It was bad enough when they got rid of the Arabic, Persian and European stuff on the International Channel. I didn't realize how truly xenophobic Comcast was. I still miss AZN. Keeping up-to-date on Indian releases just hasn't the same on the internet. The unjust canning of AZN left a hole that still hasn't been filled... someone needs to hurl some antitrust legislation on Comcast for their sin against multicultural programming!
Kurt S. - 4/3/2009 7:09:27 PM EDT -
i livein an area with very few asian i afelt i was alone and it was the only
acess i had to my own cltre and as hard as i worked i knew i cold
always trn it on and see that i was not alone or the only asian going
threw hard times i will not keep comcast it was the only reason i kept it
as long as i did and the only reason i didnt complain on comcasts
terribly poor service bt now i feel bad anyone wants to help me raise
money to retrn the network pleaseemail me at
aokinakamura19@aol.com
aoki nakamura - 12/1/2008 1:34:00 AM EST -
AZN was my only reasoning for keeping Comcast for as long as I have. I would hope that Comcast would seriously reconsider their decision and bring this network back on the air. I too am caucasian and found this channel to offer superior programming in comparison to what can be found on other cable channels. Very disapppointed, indeed!
Tamara Hanberg - 6/4/2008 1:47:00 AM EDT -
AZN was my only reasoning for keeping Comcast for as long as I have. I would hope that Comcast would seriously reconsider their decision and bring this network back on the air. I too am caucasian and found this channel to offer superior programming in comparison to what can be found on other cable channels. Very disapppointed, indeed!
Tamara Hanberg - 6/4/2008 1:47:00 AM EDT -
Its been about a month now and I''''m still feeling the effects of losing the Azn channel...I am also not asian but loved the dramas that aired on azn. I rarely have time to surf the web to find asian dramas that I would like and I could always count on azn to air great ones and movies. I am truly disappointed!!!
Tracy - 5/13/2008 10:55:00 AM EDT
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