SPE Networks Asia will launch the highly successful anime channel, Animax, in India on July 5, 2004, on the heels of a successful Animax Asia rollout three months ago. Animax South Asia will be the first and only 24-hour-a-day network in India dedicated to popular animation from Japan.

Customized for India and dubbed in Hindi and English, Animax will target Indias youth and young adults with animation programming. The One Alliance will distribute Animax across India, and SET India will represent Animax in advertising sales.

This makes the fifth Animax operation in Asia. There are three Animax Asia feeds (servicing Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia) plus Animax Japan, the worlds first channel dedicated to anime and Japans #1 cable and satellite network. There are more than 5.5 million Animax homes in Japan and Southeast Asia.

The India-specific service will have four primetime blocks:* Kids Hour Weekdays from 3:00-7:00 pm, dubbed in Hindi, for children in primary school* Youth Hour Weekdays from 7:00-9:00 pm, dubbed in English, for teenagers and kids in secondary school* Mega Zone Weekdays from 9:00-11:00 pm, dubbed in English, featuring blockbuster anime series which appeals to a wide demographic* Weekend Anime Some of the hottest anime programs will also dubbed in English, premiering on weekends

Animax will feature some of worlds most popular Japanese animation SERIES FROM JAPANS TOP ANIME STUDIOS AND PRODUCERS, INCLUDING: ASTROBOY, GHOST IN THE SHELL, STAND ALONE COMPLEX (its original movie GHOST IN THE SHELL inspired the Wachowski Brothers blockbuster MATRIX TRILOGY), SAMURAI X and ARJUNA, a story about a young archer girl, which was inspired by the tale of Arjuna, one of the Pandava brothers in the Hindu epic Mahabaratha.

India is a youthful market. Animax will tap into this big, vibrant, and entertainment-hungry market, said

Todd Miller, md of SPE Networks said India is a youthful market since 43% of Indias one billion population is under age 20. He said, The unique programming on Animax will resonate with Indias youth.

Animax India will be a fun, hip, and locally relevant channel. We are localizing the channel and creating a customized service specifically for Indian viewers, Miller continued.

The arrival of Animax strengthens The One Alliances position as Indias leading bouquet, said SET India ceo Kunal Dasgupta. The One Alliance is well-positioned to provide top-rated television viewing experiences for viewers of all ages across all programming genres. The One Alliance is a joint venture between Sony Ent. Television India and Discovery Communications India.

Animax Asia is the first-ever channel dedicated to providing highly popular Japanese anime 24/7. Launched on Jan. 1, 2004, Animax Asia is now available in over 1.6 million homes in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Philippines and Indonesia. More information about Animax Asia can be found on www.animax-asia.com.

Animax Asia is a Sony Pictures Ent. company. Sony Pictures global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, home video acquisition and distribution, operation of studio facilities, development of new entertainment technologies and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries worldwide. Sony Pictures Ent. can be found on the Net at www.spe.sony.com.