Lifestyle rules on TV
> Astro is adding three new leisure channels to cater to viewers’ interest
WHEN I first started watching Astro, I was hooked by all the travel, cooking, fashion and home makeover shows that aired on its channels.
After a while, the shows started to look the same to me, and the excitement was gone.
However, the fact that Astro recently launched three new channels that offer more lifestyle programmes indicates that TV viewers cannot get enough of these shows.
The new channels – Nat Geo People HD (channel 725), HGTV HD (Astro channel 731) and Star Chinese Channel (channel 315) – will be available from Aug 31.
Since the Nat Geo People channel is part of the Family pack, it will be available to all Astro HD customers.
For the HGTV HD and Star Chinese Channel, Astro customers can enjoy a free preview until Sept 13.
After that, HGTV HD is only available to those who subscribe to the Metro Pack, while viewers can subscribe to the Star Chinese Channel at RM5.30 per month (inclusive of GST).
HGTV HD is the first regional channel dedicated exclusively to the growing home and lifestyle category in Asia.
Key programmes on the channel are Property Brothers, House Hunters, Ellen’s Design Challenge and Love It or List It.
Selected HGTV programmes such as Property Brothers had been aired on Astro Prima before.
Astro vice president of content management group Agnes Rozario said: “Spurred by a growing interest in the home and lifestyle trends in Malaysia, we are pleased to work together with Scripps Networks to introduce the popular home and lifestyle channel HGTV HD to Malaysians, who are known to be house proud.”
Agnes added that Astro essentially took advantage of the recent visit by Property Brothers Jonathan and Drew Scott to Malaysia to add this channel to its platform. Two hunks who like doing up homes is always good TV material.
Astro also continues its partnership with Fox International Channel (FIC) with Nat Geo People HD and Star Chinese Channel.
FIC territory head for Malaysia Vineet Puri said that with the launch of these two channels, FIC now has 20 channels on Astro.
He described Nat Geo People HD as a channel for lifestyle, food and travel, while Star Chinese Channel – FIC’s first Chinese-medium channel on Astro – offers Mandarin talk shows, game shows such as Champion Mission, drama series, lifestyle shows such as Taiwan Taste and variety shows.
Some of Nat Geo People’s programmes may seem familiar to viewers such as Poh & Co, Eat Street, David Rocco’s Dolce Vita, East Bites West with Chef Wan and Cesar to the Rescue.
Other lifestyle-inspired channels on Astro seem to be doing well at the moment while a few seem to be hardly getting any attention.
At the end of the day, it is the channel that packages itself well and brings forth new shows that remains popular with viewers. It also helps to have a breakout star or two on the shows.