NOV 12 — Despite losing close to RM100 million a year for its all-local content sports channel Arena, Astro has no intention of shelving it as it considers catering for local sports as a national service.
And Astro’s commitment towards local sports is so unwavering that they are the only TV station that provides live coverage of the Malaysian Games.
In calling on corporate bodies to do their part towards helping local sports, Astro’s chief operating officer Henry Tan said every bit would go a long way towards helping promote local sports.
“We are committed to local sports, hence the creation of the Arena channel to cater to local sports events. But it has come with a heavy price as we incur loses of RM100 million every year for the past three years.”
“Although local football has a high rating, we find it tough to convince advertisers.
“There is much we want to do in local sports, but budget constraints and lack of financial support for corporate bodies hampers our efforts.’
Tan also revealed that Astro purchased a state-of-the-art camera to capture defining moments in badminton and sepak takraw.
Arena has provided a platform for national sports associations by providing them airtime to showcase tournaments they host.
And in other cases, Astro pays national associations broadcast rights fees that run into hundred’s of thousands of dollars.
Olympic Council of Malaysia president Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Jaafar said Arena was the best thing ever to happen to sports in Malaysia.
“I sympathise with them as it is not easy running a sports channel as Malaysian advertisers are selective,” said Tunku Imran.
For the Badminton Association of Malaysia, the emergence of a local sports channel was music to their ears.
“They provide us coverage of international and domestic badminton. Each week we get to view badminton something unheard of in the past,” said BAM general manager Kenny Goh.
