INTERVIEW. ''We realized there's an opening in this market place; we can attract new TV audiences with Sony Max,'' says SPT exec.

Eddie Nelson (left), senior vice president for the EMEA region of Sony Pictures Television and Aletta Alberts, MultiChoice's general manager for content with a faux wrestler at the launch of the new Sony Max (DStv 126) channel. CMLL: Arena Mexico is one of the new shows on Sony Max.

Photo: Michael Stewart/Pixel Painter

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The first new TV channel of 2011 in South Africa launches tonight at 21:00 when Sony Max (DStv 126) makes it debut on DStv. I sat down with Eddie Nelson, senior vice president for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region of Sony Pictures Television to talk about how Sony Pictures Television sees Sony Max and the region, how the channel will be different and what the channel's aims are.

''If I look at where I sit, where EMEA sit, I can see exceptional growth rates for Sony Max in viewership, I see an opportunity to expand our programming into South Africa and Africa and I see us getting into places where people can access us when they want to be entertained and can get access to great, quality entertainment,'' says Eddie Nelson when I asked him how Sony Pictures Television that is launching Sony Max, sees Africa and Southern Africa as a TV market.

''I think that what we've shown with Sony Entertainment Television is that with the right shows and the right package you can get and keep viewers,'' he says. ''We've been talking with MultiChoice and together we realized there's an opening in this market place, we can attract new TV audiences with Sony Max and we can work with MultiChoice to build and expand the brand. We had to sit and work out what it was and will be; working out the right programming and the look and feel.''

So how will Sony Max be different in terms of its programming offering from not only Sony Entertainment Television (DStv 113) but also because Africa within the EMEA region has a specific viewers' taste? Eddie Nelson says that irrespective of region, the basic underlying principle that's also driving Sony Max's programming strategy is entertainment. ''The main thing is that wherever we are in the world the main thing is that people want to be entertained. That's the key thing. And there are multiple television stations available in almost every country in the world.''

''Our job is to say: ''Here's a specific country. We're going to try and go into that country and impact the viewers by building a channel brand through scheduling. We say: Okay, what kind of brand? What kind of programming proposition will be just right for this market?'' Of course Africa is different from everywhere else, but underlying it all our job is to find the right shows. Not every channel has Takeshi's Castle or science fiction. But in this market in South Africa we knew Takeshi's Castle is very, very successful. We knew from the responses we had that Takeshi's Castle really is a show we should have on Sony Max for instance.''

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Sony on how the new Sony Max channel's logo and the new name came to be.

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The new Sony Max (DStv 126) channel will make its debut on DStv tonight at 21:00 in the place of the defunct Animax - sporting a vibey and glossy black and orange channel logo with a textured 3D look. But how did that logo came to be and why Sony Max as the channel name?

''We looked at what kind of colours resonate with our audience,'' says Eddie Nelson, senior vice president of the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region of Sony Pictures Television when I asked him about the logo design and the logo creation process. ''We already have the Sony Entertainment Television (DStv 113) channel, so we thought around that. We went with and looked at a lot of different iterations,'' he says. ''Then the design team created the 3D effect and showed it coming out of the screen. It just seemed to leap just off the screen a lot more. It resonates with the action that will be on Sony Max. There's also a bit of drama in there. It shows quality. When we looked at all the logos this one for Sony Max was the best.''

I asked Eddie Nelson why Sony Max was chosen as the name, given that an Indian Sony Max (DStv 457) already exists as a channel name on DStv's Indian North bouquet and whether a whole new name for the channel was considered. ''Of course we considered all the different names we have and all different kinds of names for the channel,'' he says, ''but 'Max' is what identifies us. Max tells what we're trying to do. So we decided on Sony Max because we believe that's the best name for this particular channel. We're very happy with it. It's a great brand.''

BREAKING. ''Sony Max is a channel for guys, full of stuff you'll enjoy watching as a guy,'' says Sony Max channel exec about new channel.

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''Sony Max is a channel for guys, just for guys,'' said Eddie Nelson, senior vice president for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region for Sony Pictures Television at the official launch earlier this evening of the new Sony Max channel.

Sony Max (DStv 126) will start to broadcast on 1 February at 21:00 on MultiChoice's pay TV platform. ''Our aim is for Sony Max to be full of the stuff that you will enjoy watching as a guy,'' said Eddie Nelson. ''Regarding distribution we're on both DStv Premium and DStv Compact on channel 126 from February 1. We will immediately be in 3 million homes to begin with and will then try to extend this channel to sub-Sahara Africa to markets such as Nigeria and Kenia.''

''Sony Max is really made for guys. It's a channel full of attitude. We're going to be exciting. Sony Max will target a male audience between 24 to 49 who likes gripping drama and entertainment but of course there is a secondary audience as well of women who love shows such as Takeshi's Castle which just transcends gender. Sony Max will have lots of shows that just great to watch, fun and entertaining.''

''How have we scheduled Sony Max? In a nice easy structure with a ''Man stuff'' slot from Tuesdays to Fridays starting at 21:00,'' explained Eddie Nelson.

Dramas on Sony Max include The District, Nash Bridges, Call me Fitz (double episodes) and The Shield. Reality includes CMLL Presents: Arena Mexico, Ninja Warrior, Unbeatable Banzaki and Takeshi's Castle. Comedies include Kenny vs Spenny, Kung Faux, Dudesons and Manswers. ''Regarding movies Sony Max will feature terrific movies from our own studios, plus we'll pad out the Sony Max schedule with other studios as well as independent's who have good nuggets,'' said Eddie Nelson.

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