Sony Pictures Television (SPT) Networks has announced that Sony Movie Channel and AXN Movies will launch in Canada as part of Hollywood Suite's four HD movie channels.
The Hollywood Suite is already the exclusive home of WarnerFilms and MGM Channel in Canada. It currently offers over 450 commercial-free HD movies per month as well as 250 movies per month on demand, online and on mobile and is carried by Bell Satellite, Bell Fibe, TELUS, EastLink, SaskTel, MTS, Westman Communications, Access Communications and NorthwesTel.
With the Sept. 4 launch of Sony's two channels, Hollywood Suite's Hollywood Festival channel will relaunch as Sony Movie Channel and Hollywood Storm will relaunch as AXN Movies.
"We are delighted to be partnering with Hollywood Suite on our first branded channels to launch in Canada," said Andy Kaplan, president of worldwide networks at Sony Pictures Television in a statement. "We continue to see strong demand for HD movies presented without commercial interruption, and these channels will bring our first-rate catalogue of feature films directly to viewers."
Separately, Sony Pictures Television Networks has announced a new senior management structure for its Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) businesses that splits the region into Western Europe, which will be led by Kate Marsh, and Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEEMA), led by Lyle Stewart. Both report into Andy Kaplan, president of SPT Networks.
As part of the change, March, who assumes the new title of senior VP for Western Europe, will oversee U.K., Italy, Iberia, the Netherlands, Scandinavia and France.
Meanwhile, Stewart has been promoted to senior VP for CEEMA, where he will oversee business across Germany, Russia, the Baltics, Africa, Central Europe, Turkey, Greece and the Middle East.
