AXN (Asian TV channel)

Programming

AXN typically focuses on broadcasting American and British television programs. Its content is sourced from major production studies, including Sony Pictures Television, Paramount Global Content Distribution, NBC Universal Television and Fremantle. Their wide range of partnerships enables AXN to air episodes of television series on the same day they premiere in the United States. The channel also acquires recently released, high-profile American films from Sony Pictures, Columbia Pictures and TriStar Pictures. AXN occasionally features region specific programming tailored to Southeast Asian audiences.

In addition, AXN Asia also airs special events, including the annual Rose Parade and the ContentAsia Awards.

Starting in 2025, the channel began incorporating sporting events to its schedule; currently its portfolio of such includes pan-regional broadcast rights to LIV Golf tournaments and selected Taiwan Professional Basketball League games.

Anime programmes

In its early years, during the late 1990s and early 2000s, AXN featured a variety of anime series, many of which were broadcast in their original Japanese with English subtitles. The channel also organised annual anime festivals across Southeast Asia, catering to the growing interest in Japanese animation within the region.

In 2004, AXN's anime content was transitioned to its sister channel, Animax Asia, a move that had been in preparation since the late 1990s. Despite this, in the Philippines, in the late 2010s, AXN began to reintroduce certain English-dubbed anime programs from Animax Asia during morning and late-afternoon time slots. However, this was soon discontinued in August 2016 as AXN shifted its focus back to its core content.

Original productions

• Adventure Your Way :adventure show; hosted by Atom Araullo.
• The Amazing Race Asia : a local version of the American reality competition series The Amazing Race; the fifth season premiered in 2016.
• The Apartment
• The Apprentice Asia : premiered in 2013, revived as The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition in 2021*.*
• Asia's Got Talent :premiered in 2015; second season premiered in 2017; third season to air in late 2018.
• Cash Cab Asia
• The Contender Asia :Muay Thai boxing reality show similar to The Contender; season 1 premiered on 16 January 2008.
• The Duke : men's lifestyle magazine talk show; season 1 premiered in 2009.
• e-Buzz :entertainment news show, hosted by Jaymee Ong; ended.
• The Kitchen Musical (was available in Singapore)
• Sony Style :lifestyle and entertainment magazine show sponsored by Sony; seasons two and three hosted by Oli Pettigrew.
• Ultimate Escape :holiday adventure show; the first season aired from 29 October 2007 to 19 November 2007.
• Project GO :business reality competition; premiered in 2021.

Feeds

The channel maintains two primary feeds: one tailored exclusively for viewers in Hong Kong and Thailand, and another for the broader Southeast Asian audience. Programming is the same besides local advertising. On top of this, the Filipino feed occasionally adjusts its programming due to specific broadcast considerations.

• AXN Southeast Asia (based in Singapore)
• AXN Philippines (separated from the SEA feed, including local advertisements and movies)
• AXN Taiwan (separated from the SEA feed including local advertisements and movies)
• AXN Vietnam (SEA feed delayed with certain programming replaced)

Former feeds

• AXN India
• AXN Japan (separated from the SEA feed including local advertisements, sold to Nojima in 2021 and relaunched as – used subtitles in October 2023)
• AXN Korea (joint venture with CU Media – airs local shows alongside international shows; replaced by NXT in 2025)
• AXN Mystery (separated from the SEA feed including local advertisements, sold to Nojima in 2021 and relaunched as – used subtitles in October 2023)
• AXN Beyond (later known as BeTV, Sony Channel; now defunct)

AXN HD

AXN first launched its high-definition feed in South Korea on 1 March 2009. This was made available in Singapore on StarHub TV from 25 May 2010. In Malaysia, it was launched on 16 June 2010 on Astro and 1 October 2023 on NJOI. In Thailand it was launched on 12 July 2011 on TrueVisions; in India it was made available on Videocon D2H on 19 July 2014. The HD feed premiered in Sri Lanka on Dialog TV 2013. In the Philippines it was launched on 20 April 2015; and on SkyCable, Sky Direct, Cignal and Singtel TV in Singapore.

References

References

1. "GET AXN".
2. Littleton, Cynthia. (January 7, 2020). "Sony Pictures Sells Asia Channels to Former Executives Andy Kaplan and George Chien (EXCLUSIVE)". [[Variety (magazine).
3. (2 May 2025). "KC Global Media Announces LIV Golf LIVE Broadcast Partnership, Reaching Over 94 Million Homes in More Than 19 Countries Across Asia".
4. (21 March 2025). "KC Global Media Announces Landmark Partnership with TPBL, Bringing LIVE Basketball Action to Asia".
5. (2016-06-02). "The Amazing Race Asia is back after six years". The New Paper.
6. Donato, Jerry. "Born to play on The Apprentice Asia". philstar.com.
7. (2017-10-24). "Asia's Got Talent Season 2 premiere topped ratings in Singapore". Asian Television Awards.
8. (19 November 2013). "'Reality television is here to stay'".
9. "''The Duke''".
10. "EBuzz".
11. "Sony Style TV Magazine".
12. "AXN Ultimate Escape".
13. "Project GO".
14. [http://www.starhub.com/corporate/newsroom/2010/05/axn_hd_in_singapore.html AXN HD in Singapore] {{webarchive. link. (May 25, 2010)
15. [http://www.axn-asia.com/news/axn-hd-debuts-malaysia AXN HD in Malaysia] {{webarchive. link. (June 5, 2010)