Astro Awani is a Malaysian news channel, founded by and currently broadcast through streaming service and pay TV provider owned by Astro Awani Network Sdn. Bhd. and operated by Astro. It broadcasts an array of programmes including bulletins, business & current affairs shows, special interviews, investigative reports, variety programmes, as well as selected magazine shows.
Its signature programmes include Awani 7:45, its primetime news programme; Agenda Awani, which discusses current affairs; and Buletin Awani, which provides rolling news bulletins on an hourly basis.
History
In 2002, Astro Ria had its own news programme titled Bloomberg RIA News made in collaboration with Bloomberg News. This was later spun off into a precursor news channel named Astro News carrying programming from Al Jazeera (broadcast in Arabic with live Malaysian dubbing), BBC World, CCTV-9, Eurosport News, the Australia Network and Deutsche Welle; almost all networks except DW carried on that channel were since available separately. It also aired a half-hour locally produced eponymous news program with the national news agency Bernama until February 2007 also translated into Mandarin Chinese on Astro AEC (Chinese: Astro华语新闻; pinyin: Astro Huāyu Xīnwen), Malaysian on Astro Ria (as Berita Astro) and Tamil on Astro Vaanavil (as Astro செய்திகள்Astro Sedhigal).
The brand Astro Awani was first launched on 15 June 2006 in Indonesia originally as a infotainment and lifestyle channel part of the main line-up for Astro's Indonesian operations or Astro Nusantara, a joint venture between Astro[1][2] and India-based NDTV. However, due to continued differences between the JV partners, the Indonesian version went off-air in October 2008. Meanwhile on 6 September 2007, Awani launched in Malaysia in a press conference at the Palace of the Golden Horses hotel, Seri Kembangan.[3]
On 26 February 2008, the channel was renumbered to channel 501,[citation needed] and has kept this designation ever since.
Programming
The programming of Astro Awani is focused primarily on news, business, and politics with weather updates, sports news, informative and lifestyle programs as secondary contents. The network also shows documentaries and television specials.
Unlike Berita RTM and Bernama TV, which airs news in Malay, English, Mandarin and Tamil, Astro Awani only airs news in both Malay and English.[4]
