. ▁Program ming ▁includes ▁disc ourses , ▁dev ot ional ▁music , ▁med itation ▁and ▁y oga ▁techniques , ▁coverage ▁of ▁religious ▁festiv als , ▁and ▁ancient ▁Indian ▁scientific ▁practices ▁such ▁as ▁ay ur ved a . ▁Program ming ▁is ▁primarily ▁s our ced ▁from ▁A as tha ▁TV , ▁an ▁Indian - based ▁television ▁channel , ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁Canadian ▁content . ▁ ▁History ▁In ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁AT N ▁was ▁granted ▁appro val ▁from ▁the ▁Canadian ▁Radio - tele vision ▁and ▁Tele communic ations ▁Commission ▁( CR TC ) ▁to ▁launch ▁a ▁television ▁channel ▁called ▁AT N ▁- ▁South ▁Asian ▁Dev ot ional ▁Music ▁& ▁Disc ourse ▁Channel , ▁described ▁as ▁" a ▁national ▁eth nic ▁Category ▁ 2 ▁pay ▁television ▁programming ▁undert aking ▁devoted ▁to ▁religious ▁programming ▁presented ▁in ▁South ▁Asian ▁languages ." ▁ ▁The ▁channel ▁launched ▁on ▁October ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁as ▁AT N ▁A as tha . ▁ ▁On ▁September ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁the ▁CR TC ▁approved ▁Asian ▁Television ▁Network ' s ▁request ▁to ▁convert ▁AT N ▁A as tha ▁TV ▁from ▁a ▁lic ensed ▁Category ▁B ▁special ty ▁service ▁to ▁an ▁ex empt ed ▁Cat . ▁B ▁third ▁language ▁service . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁▁ ▁Category : Ind o - Can ad ian ▁culture ▁Category : Rel ig ious ▁television ▁networks ▁in ▁Canada ▁Category : Mult icult ural ▁and ▁eth nic ▁television ▁in ▁Canada ▁Category : T ele