Earlier this month, we told you that Adam Ware, a former UPN and FOX Executive, joined Imaginasian. Changes are starting to take place over at there. Gone are the subtitled Asian dramas and Asian entertainment programming from the prime time block. A new television lineup will kickoff on June 30.
iaTV unveiled its new prime time line up for the 2008-2009 TV season, featuring programming that targets fans of the rapidly growing Asian pop culture craze. The lineup emerges from a counterprogramming strategy that targets primetime with unique shows on each night of the week. (Imaginasian is probably concerned with programming at ABC with “Wipeout” and “I Survived A Japanese Game Show” and Fox’s “Human Tetris” aka “Hole in the Wall”.) Mr. Ware has orchestrated agreements with SONY Pictures Television, MGM and Bandai Entertainment that will bring both TV series and movies to iaTV. “New Japanese-influenced game shows like Hole in the Wall on Fox and Wipe Out and I Survived a Japanese Game Show on ABC provide an affirmation of Asian pop culture as a mainstream success, at the core of which lies the fastest growing, most upscale and tech-savvy demographic: Asian Americans. Our new schedule is the first of many steps for iaTV as we build America’s preeminent Asian pop culture media destination,” stated Mr. Ware.
iaTV has also greenlit four new prime time originals: The Popper (iaTV’s version of E!’s “The Soup” – a weekly look at the top Asian pop culture moments, game show highlights, online clips, etc.), Chix Kix Flix (featuring bikini-clad girls hosting vintage Kung Fu movies), music series iaRadio and daily lifestyle strip iaLink. Additionally, iATV is renewing original comedy series Uncle Morty’s Dub Shack and Comedy Zen, and original mixed martial arts showcase Pancrase: Legends of Mixed Martial Arts, hosted by top-ranked heavyweight fighter Josh Barnett.
Here’s the new lineup schedule for primetime:
| PT | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| 7:00PM | IALINK starts June 30 |
IALINK | IALINK | IALINK | IALINK |
| 7:30PM | PACIFIC FUSION starts June 30 |
PACIFIC FUSION | PACIFIC FUSION | PACIFIC FUSION | PACIFIC FUSION |
| 8:00PM | GOOD MOVIE NIGHT starts June 30 |
CHIX KIX FLIX starts July 22 |
MAI HIME starts August 6 |
BANZAI starts July 31 |
THE MINISODE NETWORK |
| 8:30PM | SCRAPPED PRINCESS starts August 6 |
THE POPPER starts August 14 |
UNCLE MORTY’S DUB SHACK: BIGGEST HITS | ||
| 9:00PM | PLANETES starts August 6 |
UNCLE MORTY’S DUB SHACK: BIGGEST HITS starts July 3 |
RETROFADE FRIDAY starts August 8 |
||
| 9:30PM | GHOST SLAYERS AYASHI starts August 6 |
JOHNNY SOKKO starts August 7 |
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| 10:00PM | BANZAI repeat |
PANCRASE starts July 22 |
THE GREAT HORROR FAMILY starts August 6 |
THE MINISODE NETWORK starts July 3 |
|
| 10:30PM | THE POPPER repeat |
BLOODHOUND starts August 6 |
COMEDY ZEN starts July 3 |
With the changes in TV programming, we wonder how this will affect investors Japanese-based Fujisankei Communications Inc (undisclosed investment in February 2008) and Korean-based Sidus Corp ($20 million investment in August 2007). Their programming may be relegated to the weekends.
Beyond television, Imaginasian is also parting with it theaters. Adlabs has acquired both ImaginAsian movie theaters in Los Angeles and New York. New York has already converted over to Adlabs and Los Angeles is in the process.
Banzai to be on Imaginasian TV
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adlabs has not in any way acquired the ImaginAsian Center in Los Angeles. Too bad, it would be really nice to have a dedicated outlet for bollwood in LA…