MUMBAI: MGM Networks, the broadcast unit of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc, is slowly expanding its presence in Asia and Africa. It was in March that MGM forged an alliance with the Orbit Satellite Television And Radio Network for a digital, 24-hour MGM-branded movie channel it launched in the Middle East region.

Now MGM has signed a deal with South Africa-based Multichoice Africa to broadcast to sub-Saharan Africa as a 24-hour movie channel. The channel will be airing movies from a 4000-strong MGM library, a company release says.

Additionally, MGM Networks Latin America will provide a Portuguese language channel to subscribers in Angola, Mozambique and Guinea Bissau, where Portuguese is the language of communication.

In India MGM already has a tie-up with the Zee Network. Zee Movies hived its English movie channel into a separate 70:30 joint venture in September 2000 where Zee held the majority stake. Zee Movies was co-branded and relaunched as Zee-MGM Movie Channel in October 2000.