Curtains down on HBO Hits and HBO Defined; HBO Hits to be rebranded as HBO HD

The two channels were launched in January 2013. The rebranding will be effective from 2016 while HBO Defined will no longer be available in India from December 31, 2015

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Mumbai | November 20, 2015

Turner International India Private Limited today announced plans to relaunch HBO Hits as HBO HD, the high definition version of HBO in India, subject to regulatory approvals. In January 2015, Turner had assumed full operational responsibility including content acquisition, programming, distribution, advertising sales and marketing, for the HBO channel in India and other South Asia markets namely Maldives, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

HBO Hits will be rebranded as HBO HD from 2016, subject to regulatory approvals. This will make the high definition HBO movie experience, currently available only to premium audiences, accessible to a far wider audience base in India. HBO Defined will no longer be available in India from 31 December 2015.

It may be recalled that HBO Asia and Eros International had launched two new premium advertising-free movie channels, HBO DEFINED and HBO HITS, in India in January 2013. The channels were available on subscription.

With the expansion of its English entertainment portfolio that includes WB and now HBO, Turner plans to keep the on-going commitment to invest in the HBO channels, and has recently completed a pan-India consumer research to better understand its audience and how it can best meet their expectations. The results of this initiative will be visible on-air soon, with a HBO brand refresh.

Siddharth Jain

Siddharth Jain, SVP and Managing Director of Turner International, South Asia, said, “With the inclusion of the HBO channels, the Turner portfolio houses some of this region's biggest and best-loved brands in English entertainment. We will lead the HBO channel operations in India capitalizing on the enormous synergies and experience we have in managing industry leading networks. We are excited to bring our first high definition offering, HBO HD to Indian viewers. Come Q1 2016, the viewers will get to see a more glitzy and invigorated HBO. Do stay tuned for more on that.”

Under Jain's leadership, who oversees the Turner International portfolio in South Asia, programming and marketing for the HBO channels will be managed by Rohit Bhandari; advertising sales and distribution will continue to be led by Juhi Ravindranath and Kishan Cheranda respectively.

The HBO channel continues to reign and entertain viewers in South Asia with the best and latest of Hollywood blockbuster premieres along with popular hit films spanning primarily the action, adventure and romantic comedy genres.

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