Thiruvananthapuram, March 24 (IANS) Asianet, the first TV channel launched in Kerala, Wednesday announced the launch of a dedicated channel for the Middle East.

The official launch of Asianet Middle East 24x7 will be held in Dubai on April 7.

"There is a considerable difference in the lifestyle of Keralites in Kerala and the Keralite community living in the Middle East," Asianet Communications Managing Director K. Madhavan said.

"As the leading and trusted television channel of thousands of Malayalis in the region, we believe that the difference in outlook and aspirations must reflect in our channel's programming to fully connect with our audience here," he said.

The channel was launched in 1993.

The viewers of Asianet in the Middle East are presently offered the same programming schedules as that of the channel in Kerala. The dedicated channel has been structured to suit the lifestyle of people residing in the south Indian state.

The new dedicated 24x7 channel will structure its mainline programming schedule to suit prime time, as per the time zone in the Middle East.

"Viewers in the Middle East can watch new blockbuster movies and all the weekend shows on Fridays instead of having to miss them on Sundays," Madhavan said.

The timing of other popular programmes will also be structured to suit viewers in the Middle East.

There are about two million Keralites settled in various Middle East countries.