Spain's Imagenio to carry Animax

Channel to launch April 12 on IPTV service

By EMILIANO DE PABLOS

MADRID — Sony Pictures Television International has inked with Spanish telco Telefonica to launch its third channel in Spain, the Japanese anime feevee feed Animax, which will be carried on Telefonica's IPTV service Imagenio.

Animax will air in Spain from April 12 as part of Imagenio's basic offer.

SPTI is in advanced talks with other Spanish pay TV operators to carry the Animax channel.

"Spain is a tremendously important market for our networks business," said Ross Hair, senior VP of international networks, SPTI.

"Expanding our presence with SPTI's third channel here is an exciting development for us."

Animax debuted in Japan June 1998 and in Latin America in July 2005.

Channel reaches 41 million homes in 49 countries across the world. Most recent TV markets hosting Animax include Central Europe, Germany and South Africa.

SPTI programs two other channels in Spain: free-to-air service SET, aired by digital terrestrial operator VEO TV since 2006, and pay TV channel AXN, which launched in 1998.