MUMBAI: The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) has launched an initiative for the television industry to generate new revenue streams as part of a unified channel and network strategy.

The initiative is designed to demonstrate the effectiveness of using Regional TV channels to reach audiences most likely to maintain spending in an economic downturn.

According to CASBAA, this is the first time the Pan Regional TV channels in Asia have worked together to create a single voice to reach clients and agencies on the benefits of the medium rather than on an individual channel basis.

Top regional media planners are working with CASBAA’s advertising team to develop the strategy for Regional TV to move forward. The initiative is supported by a comprehensive marketing plan.

To kick start the project, the Pan Asian Regional TV Sourcebook will be published at the end of May and supported by an online presence and a commercially oriented website providing advertisers and agencies with essential marketing information and media sales kits.

Major stakeholders in the project are CNN and Cartoon Network, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific, Sony Entertainment Television, National Geographic Channel and FOX Networks, STAR TV, BBC Global Channels, CNBC Asia, Bloomberg Television and Australia Network.

“The year 2009 will be a tough year for the region‘s marketing industry. Planners are already focused on maximizing reach and share of voice by utilizing the tried and tested medium of TV. This is a time of great opportunity as well as challenge,” said CASBAA advertising consultant Julie Petersen.