Ask and it shall be given, it seems. Unspun was asking the other day who was behind the pay TV station PT Karyamegah Adjaya and what sort of creds does it have to be able to snare the rights boadcast the Olympic games.

The answer comes in the from of a news story in Kontan today and the person behind the company appears to be none other than former Trade Minister and Astra president director Rini Soemarno, who’s been a bit out of the public spotlight rcently.

New TV station: Aora TV enters pay TV market
Karya Megah Adijaya yesterday (7/8) launched Aora TV pay television service. The station belongs to former Minister of Trade Rini M. Soemarno who partnered with her brother Ongki P. Soemarno. They invested Rp40 billion for the station’s 12 channels initial broadcast. Aora TV used US$1 million from the funds to buy broadcasting rights for Beijing 2008 Olympics.

Ongki, who is also Karya Megah President Director, said they will boost the investment into US$50 million to increasethe station’s channel into 50 channels for commercial broadcasting.

For the initial broadcasting, Aora TV set a Rp70,000 monthly subscription fee, valid until end of this year, with a target of 50,000 subscribers. Aora TV’s commercial broadcast is scheduled in January 2009. Ongki said Aora TV focuses on sport and local contents and hoped that the station could get 300,000 subscribers.

Minister of Communication and Informatics Director General of Communication and Information Dissemination Facilities Freddy Tulung said the ministry has issued the Broadcasting Operation Permit (IPP) for Karya Megah. He said all permits for the station have been finalized.

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