Channel East

Channel East was a British television channel available on the Sky Digital service targeting the British South Asian population. The channel existed for roughly a year and a half before shutting down due to financial difficulties, ultimately losing its satellite slot. 80% of its programmes were in English.^[2]

Channel East started broadcasting on 26 January 2000, targeting the 18-40 demographic.^[3] In the three months leading to its launch, it only aired a promotional tape.^[4] The channel targeted second- and third-generation Asians and promoted British Asian culture beyond bhangra and Bollywood, by offering a line-up for the homogenous community that did not include content such as cricket matches and feature films. Advertising sales were handled by Carlton Communications and programming was done in-house at HDS Studios in London. Viewer data, however, was unavailable.^[5]

Initially, the channel was available free to all Sky Digital subscribers, but aimed to start encrypted broadcasts in June 2000.^[2] In February 2001, the station was nominated for the 2001 Race in the Media awards alongside Channel 4 and the BBC Asian Network,^[6] subsequently winning the category on 26 April.^[7]

In February 2001, 100 of its 126 staff were fired. Most staff were working under "sweatshop" conditions, while BECTU blacklisted the channel following problems facing its staff.^[8] Following these problems, Channel East shut down.

Most of Channel East's programmes were in-house productions. One of its talk shows, Cook and Chaat, was likened by The Guardian to the early years of TV-am; Lisa Aziz, who previously worked with the breakfast TV station, was its presenter.^[5] Other programmes included Fusion East, a music show, and imported animated series such as Sandokan.^[2] The channel's programmes not only catered South Asians in the UK, but also on the European mainland.^[1]