Channel 9 is out !
2005-01-31 15:50:39
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 8 - Private television station Channel 9 has been sold to a new owner and will cease transmission from Jan 31 pending a relaunch. The deal, said to be worth RM25 million, had been finalised and was expected to be announced early next week. The deal also included the sale of THR.fm, the radio station owned by Ch-9 Media Sdn Bhd. Channel 9 had been put up for sale for some time after the station failed to take off in an already crowded TV market. It is the country's third private free-to-air television station.The sources said the major problem plaguing the station was its inability to extend its tranmission beyond the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, thus limiting its advertising support. Channel 9 went on the air on Sept 9, 2003 targeting the younger age group as well as the Mandarin speaking market. But soon after its launch, TV3, the pioneer private television station, came out with a sister television station, 8TV, which also eyed the same niche audience. The new owner, believed to be a major media group, is expected to relaunch the television station later this year. Full article Bernama.