Singapore and Hong Kong, 22 January 2009 – StarHub and Celestial Pictures jointly announce today that Celestial Classic Movies will be available in Singapore via StarHub TV from 25 January 2009. With this addition of Celestial Classic Movies, StarHub will further extend its lead in the provision of Chinese TV content in Singapore, as this marks the launch of its 25th Chinese linear channel and fourth dedicated Chinese movie channel.
Celestial Classic Movies is a 24-hour Chinese movie channel packaged by Hong Kong’s Celestial Pictures. The channel presents Chinese movie masterpieces produced from the 1950s to the 2000s, mainly from the renowned Shaw Production which has the largest library of Chinese movie titles in the world.
The wide variety of movies on Celestial Classic Movies - covering action, thrillers, romance, comedy and historic epics, will give viewers access to some of the best Chinese films ever produced, and definitive movie moments from master directors John Woo, Yuen Woo Ping, Tony Ching Siu Tung, Chang Cheh, King Hu, Liu Chia Liang and Chu Yuan. Viewers will also be treated to skilful deliveries by leading artistes such as Jet Li, Chow Yun Fat, Stephen Chow, Cheng Pei Pei, Maggie Cheung, Andy Lau, Ti Lung and Gordon Liu.
“Celestial Movies has been popular amongst our customers since its launch in 2003. We are more than delighted to partner Celestial Pictures once again by bringing Celestial Classic Movies to local viewers, as this would give them unprecedented access to over five decades of quality Chinese movies by Shaw Productions and other leading production houses in Hong Kong, China and Taiwan,” enthused Ms Ong Bee Lian, StarHub’s Head of Pay TV & Entertainment.
“After a successful launch in Hong Kong a few months ago, Singapore has become a natural market for Celestial Classic Movie Channel to land,” said Mr Terry Mak, Executive Vice President, Distribution & TV Networks for Celestial Pictures. “Viewers today are more demanding. They do not expect us to label movies as classics just because they are old. Shaw films commanded over 50% of the combined box office revenue in Asia between 1957 and1977. Celestial has spent six years to restore each film, frame by frame, through the highest standard of digital re-mastering. Viewers shall find the quality of each picture in the Celestial Classic Movies stunning.”
To celebrate the launch of Celestial Classic Movies and to add cheer for Chinese viewers during the Lunar New Year period, StarHub TV customers can enjoy complimentary access to the new channel from 6am on 25 January to 12 February 2009! During this free preview period, StarHub TV customers using the High Definition (HD), HubStation, HubStation HD or digital set-top box simply need to tune in to Channel 64 to enjoy the quality movies for free.
StarHub TV customers who wish to continue their access to Celestial Classic Movies on Channel 64 following the free preview can call 1633 from 10 February, to subscribe to the channel at a monthly fee of $6 ($6.42 with GST). New customers can call 1630 to take on a StarHub TV package. To encourage more customers to subscribe to Celestial Classic Movies, StarHub will offer a 50 per cent discount off the channel’s monthly subscription fee for the first three months, to all existing and new StarHub TV customers who sign up for the channel between 10 February to 23 March 2009.
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