BRIEFINGS: Cinemax launches on HK's Cable TV

<p>HBO Asia has expanded its exclusive distribution agreement with </p><p>Cable TV to distribute its premiere movie channel Cinemax, in addition </p><p>to HBO in Hong Kong. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"We're finalising our plan to market the two channels and intend to </p><p>start carrying Cinemax in early July," said Cable TV CEO, president and </p><p>chairman Stephen Ng. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Being the only licence holder at present and having a large Cable TV </p><p>subscriber base, we feel that they are the best partner in the </p><p>marketplace," said Dan Murrell, president and CEO of HBO Asia. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Hong Kong's sole cable TV operator saw a 23 per cent jump in subscribers </p><p>in the first quarter of this year, to 470,000 households, and it </p><p>expected the number would increase to 500,000 by the end of the </p><p>year. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The recent termination of its distribution pact with ESPN has not caused </p><p>any significant drop in the number of subscribers on Cable TV which now </p><p>offers 31 channels. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>