BBC Asian Network radio is launching its long awaited documentary strand next week with a broad range of topics including Asian porn and so-called 'honour' killings.

Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq will make her debut in news presenting with Love 'Honour' and Obey - looking at horrifying instances of the practice within the British Asian community. It will debut on September 4th.

An Asian Network insider told AIM magazine that the station was initially looking to focus on populist topics to build a strong presence for the strand.

The radio station has been under pressure to demonstrate a wider focus on current affairs and news since it was criticised by the Gardam report last year.

BBC governors admitted a few weeks later that the station needed to be "less a news processor and more a news breaker", and that "it should do more to report the Asian communities throughout the UK".

The new strand is part of that promised change in output. Starting from Monday 4th September the station will broadcast a half-hour documentary from 6:30 - 7pm. Konnie Huq will be one of several presenters to front the programmes.

Upcoming features include an examination of attitudes of Asians in the British Army and the role they play, a programme on the controversy surrounding the filming of Brick lane and on how well British citizens fare when in trouble with the laws of the Indian sub-continent.

Exploring the role of Asians in the porn industry will take place on 2nd October, with a look at the characters who participate and profit from the trade.

Asian Network aired three documentaries late last year as a test run for the new strand covering music, the Gate Gourmet strike and the Kashmir earthquake.

The series of features will run to over 20 programmes until March 2007. They are being produced by the Asian Network’s own news teams and a number of independent producers.

www.bbc.co.uk/asiannetwork/documentaries