StarHub Adds New Chinese Movie Channel

SINGAPORE/HONG KONG: Celestial Classic Movies will launch in Singapore on StarHub TV on January 25, with a 19-day free preview being offered. 

The 24-hour Chinese movie channel is packaged by Hong Kong’s Celestial Pictures. It features Chinese movies produced from the 1950s to the 2000s, mainly from Shaw Brothers, which has the largest library of Chinese movie titles in the world. The films on Celestial Classic Movies cover action, thrillers, romance, comedy and historic epics. 

StarHub TV customers will have complimentary access to the new channel from January 25 to February 12. During this free-preview period, StarHub TV customers using the High Definition (HD), HubStation, HubStation HD or digital set-top box can tune in to tune in to channel 64 to watch the movies for free. StarHub TV customers who wish to continue their access to Celestial Classic Movies can subscribe for monthly fee of S$6. 

"Celestial Movies has been popular amongst our customers since its launch in 2003," said Ong Bee Lian, StarHub’s head of pay TV and entertainment. "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." 

"After a successful launch in Hong Kong a few months ago, Singapore has become a natural market for Celestial Classic Movie Channel to land," added Terry Mak, the executive VP of distribution and 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 percent of the combined box office revenue in Asia between 1957 and 1977. 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."