Star India

Star India Private Limited is an Indian media conglomerate[1] and a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company India.[2] It is headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It has a network of 60 channels in eight languages, reaching out to 9 out of 10 cable and satellite TV homes in India.[3] The network reaches approximately 790 million viewers a month across India and more than 100 countries.[4] Star India generates more than 30,000 hours of content every year.[5]

Star India Private Limited
Subsidiary
IndustryMass media
Founded8 February 1994 (1994-02-08)
FounderStar TV
HeadquartersStar House, Urmi Estate, 95, Ganpatrao Kadam Marg, Lower Parel (West),
Mumbai, Maharashtra
,
India
Area served
South Asia, Middle East, United Kingdom, Anglo America, India, Africa
Key people
  • Uday Shankar (Chairman and CEO)
  • K Madhavan (Country head)
  • Gautam Thakar (CEO - Star Sports)
ProductsBroadcasting
Film
Entertainment
Web portals
Revenue₹84.25 billion (US$1.2 billion) (2018)
ParentThe Walt Disney Company India
SubsidiariesAsianet Star Communications
Disney+ Hotstar
Fox Star Studios
Mashal Sports (74%)
Indian Super League (40%)
Star TV
UTV Software Communications
Websitestartv.com

History

Founding

Star TV (Satellite Television Asian Region) was founded in 1991 as a joint venture between Hutchison Whampoa and Li Ka-Shing. It was launched as a Pan-Asian beam-to-air Hollywood English-language entertainment channel for Asian audiences.[6]

1990–2000

In 1990, Star TV included Star Plus (then an English-language entertainment channel), Prime Sports, Channel V, Star Movies.[6][7]

In 1992, Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp purchased 63.6% of STAR for $525 million, followed by the purchase of the remaining 36.4% on 1 January 1993. Star broadcasting operations were run from Rupert Murdoch's Fox Broadcasting premises.[8][9] Murdoch declared that:[10]

(telecommunications) have proved an unambiguous threat to totalitarian regimes everywhere ... satellite broadcasting makes it possible for information-hungry residents of many closed societies to bypass state-controlled television channels

Between 1994 and 1998, Star India was launched, later launched Star Movies, Channel V, and Star News with a limited Hindi offering.[11][12][13]

In 1998, STAR News was launched as a dedicated news channel with content from NDTV.[14]

2001–2010

In 2001, Star India acquired South India based Vijay TV.[15] In 2003, Star India's deal with NDTV ended and Star News was made into a 24-hour news channel. And it entered into a joint venture (JV) with Anand Bazar Patrika Group to comply with the regulations set for uplinking of news and current affairs channels by the Government of India. It subsequently exited from this joint venture in 2012. After the split the channel was renamed to ABP News and operated by Anand Bazar Patrika Group.[16][17]

In 2004, Star One was launched as a Hindi content channel.[18] In 2008, Star Jalsha, a Bengali language entertainment channel and Star Pravah, a Marathi language entertainment channel were launched.[19][20]

In 2009, Star India acquired Trivandrum, India based media conglomerate Asianet Communications Limited which served Malayalam language content.[21] In August 2009, the Star Group restructured its Asian broadcast businesses into three units – Star India, Star, and Fox International Channels Asia.[22]

In the same year, Star Affiliate and CJ Group of South Korea launched CJ Alive (later known as ShopCJ), a 24-hour Indian television shopping channel which used STAR Utsav for hosting the television marketing programs in six-hour slots in its initial stage of launch. Star Affiliate exited the joint venture in May 2014.[23] This venture was called Star CJ.

21st Century Fox launched a film production and distribution business in India through Fox Star Studios India, an affiliate of Star India in the same year.[24]

2011–present

In 2012, Star India acquired the BCCI Rights for India cricket for the period 2012 through 2018. ESPN was renamed Star Sports 4, STAR Cricket was renamed Star Sports 3, Star Sports was renamed to Star Sports 1 and Star Sports 2 kept its name. STAR Cricket HD and ESPN HD were renamed to Star Sports HD1 and Star Sports HD2 respectively.[25][26][27][28][29]

In 2015, Star India launched its video-on-demand service, Hotstar (now Disney+ Hotstar) and forayed into online streaming.[30]

In 2015, Star India has acquired broadcast businesses of Maa Television Pvt. Ltd to boost its presence in Telugu speaking markets where Star doesn't have any presence before. By this acquisition Star has regional presence in the entire South Indian markets.[31]

In February 2017, Star India and global media conglomerate, TED, announced a new TV series, TED Talks India – Nayi Soch. Its programmes starred Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan and featured newer TED talks made in Hindi language. The programme followed the signature TED format of prominent speakers voicing their opinions in an 18-minute or less monologue in front of a live audience.[32][33]

On 28 August 2017, Star India replaced its Hindi Entertainment channel Life OK with a free-to-air channel Star Bharat.[34]

On 5 September 2017, Star India won the global media rights to broadcast Indian Premier League (IPL) for 5 years beginning in 2018. The company bid INR 16,347.50 crore to secure the rights from the previous broadcaster, Sony Pictures Network.[35]

On 14 December 2017, The Walt Disney Company announced the acquisition of 21st Century Fox, which included Star India.[36]

On 13 December 2018, Disney announced Uday Shankar who serves as chairman of Star India will lead Disney's Asian operations and will become the new chairman of Disney India, which became a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, being re-organized under The Walt Disney Company (India) Private Limited.[37] On 27 August 2018, the channel Star Life was launched in Africa in English language offering the English dubbed Indian Hindi series from the Indian star channels.[38][39]

On 4 January 2019, Star TV shut down its television operations in USA for promotion of its digital counterpart, Hotstar.[40]

On 20 March 2019, Star India became a subsidiary of Disney India as the deal was closed. Now, Star India owns UTV and Disney India TV Channels.

Business results

In August 2012, Business Line of The Hindu group reported that Star CJ Alive is claiming average sale of products worth Rs. 9.5 million on week days and Rs.12 million on weekends.[41] Approximately 65% of the sales come from electronics segment while household segment stands second in the race. In December 2012, some sections of the media reported that Rupert Murdoch run News Corp may exit Star CJ by selling its entire stake to Providence Equity Partners.[42] This share transfer reportedly ran into trouble when the Department of Revenue discovered that funds from other jurisdictions were being channelised to exploit Indo Mauritius double taxation avoidance agreement.[43]

STAR India Entertainment provides 51 channels while STAR India Sports provides 15 channels.

Divisions

Owned channels

On air channels
Channel Language Category SD/HD availability Notes
Asianet Malayalam General Entertainment SD+HD
Asianet Plus Malayalam Movies SD
Asianet Movies Malayalam Movies SD
BabyTV English Kids SD+HD
Bindass[45] Hindi Entertainment SD
Disney Channel India[45] English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu Kids SD+HD
Disney International HD[45] English Entertainment HD
Disney Junior India[45] English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu Kids SD
Fox Life English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu Lifestyle SD+HD
Hungama TV[45] Hindi, Tamil, Telugu Kids SD
Marvel HQ[45] English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu Kids SD
National Geographic Channel English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu Infotainment SD+HD
Nat Geo Wild English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu Infotainment SD+HD
Star Bharat Hindi General Entertainment SD+HD Formerly Life OK
Star Gold Hindi Movies SD+HD
Star Gold 2 Hindi Movies SD+HD Formerly Movies OK
Star Gold Select Hindi Movies SD+HD
UTV Action Hindi Movies SD
UTV Movies Hindi Movies SD
UTV HD Hindi Movies HD
Star Jalsha Bengali General Entertainment SD+HD
Star Jalsha Movies Bengali Movies SD+HD
Star Maa Telugu General Entertainment SD+HD
Star Maa Movies Telugu Movies SD+HD
Star Maa Gold Telugu Movies SD
Star Maa Music Telugu Music SD
Star Movies English Movies SD+HD
Star Movies Select English Movies SD+HD
Star Pravah Marathi General Entertainment SD+HD
Star Plus Hindi General Entertainment SD+HD
Star Sports 1 English Sports SD+HD
Star Sports 2 English Sports SD+HD
Star Sports 3 Hindi Sports SD+HD
Star Sports Select 1 English Sports SD+HD
Star Sports Select 2 English Sports SD+HD
Star Sports 1 Hindi Hindi Sports SD+HD
Star Sports 1 Tamil Tamil Sports SD
Star Sports 1 Telugu Telugu Sports SD
Star Sports 1 Kannada Kannada Sports SD
Star Sports 1 Bangla Bengali Sports SD
Star Sports 1 Marathi Marathi Sports SD
Star Sports First Hindi Sports SD
Star Suvarna Kannada General Entertainment SD+HD
Star Suvarna Plus Kannada General Entertainment SD
Star Utsav Hindi General Entertainment SD
Star Utsav Movies Hindi Movies SD
Star Vijay Tamil General Entertainment SD+HD
Star Vijay Music Tamil Music SD launching soon
Star Vijay Super Tamil Movies SD
Star World English General Entertainment SD+HD

Defunct channels
Channel Language Category SD/HD availability Notes
Star One Hindi General Entertainment SD replaced by Life OK
Life OK Hindi General Entertainment SD+HD replaced by Star Bharat
Movies OK Hindi Movies SD+HD replaced by Star Gold 2
Star Movies Action English Movies SD
FX English General Entertainment SD+HD
Fox Crime Hindi, English Infotainment SD
Star Sports 4 English Sports SD+HD
Star News Hindi News SD only rebranded as ABP News
Channel V Hindi Music SD
Nat Geo People English Lifestyle SD+HD
Nat Geo Music English Music SD+HD

Digital

In January 2015, Star India launched Hotstar, a mobile and online entertainment OTT platform owned by its affiliate, Novi Digital Entertainment. The platform features content in 9 Indian languages and broadcasts sporting events.[46]

In April 2020, the service merged with Disney+ in India forming Disney+ Hotstar . Hotstar operates independently and coexists with Disney+ in Canada, UK and US.

National Sports Network in India

The STAR sports group has planned to build a national sports network in India. The plan includes broadcasting in Indian languages. Starting from regional language Hindi to expansion for South Indian languages Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, and Malayalam. ESPN was renamed STAR Sports 4, STAR Cricket was renamed Star Sports 3, Star Sports was renamed to STAR Sports 1 and STAR Sports 2 kept its name. Star Sports Telugu, STAR Cricket HD and ESPN HD renamed to STAR Sports HD1 and STAR Sports HD2 respectively. STAR Sports 3 will be predominantly a Hindi-only channel. STAR plans to start with cricket, field hockey and football (soccer) initially. Domestic cricket of India like Deodhar Trophy and Ranji Trophy are considered. Besides this, two non-professional leagues like the University Cricket and University Field Hockey are also planned to be launched by STAR. In football, Barclays Premier League is also considered for regional broadcasting by STAR.[47]

Broadcasting rights

In September 2014, STAR India acquired a 35% minority stake in Football Sports Development Limited, a joint venture with IMG-Reliance to launch the Indian Super League, a professional soccer league. In March 2015, STAR India, in association with its affiliate, acquired a 74% majority stake in Mashal Sports Private Limited in March 2015, for the operation of the Pro Kabaddi League. In January 2015, STAR India launched Hotstar, a new mobile and online entertainment destination for television shows, movies and sports content. On 4 September 2017, STAR India acquired digital as well as media rights for Indian Premier League for a term of five years 2018–2023 with a whooping bid of ₹163475 million (US$2.55 billion). STAR India has acquired media rights for BCCI Domestic and International Cricket Series matches in India through 2023, International Cricket Council matches through 2023, Bangladesh National Cricket Team through 2020, New Zealand Cricket Board through 2020, Premier League Football through 2019, Federation International De Hockey through 2022, Wimbledon through 2022, and Bundesliga through 2020.

Reception

Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki, Kasautii Zindagii Kay, Kaun Banega Crorepati aired on Star Plus during 2000s, made the channel the market leader in India becoming the flagship channel of Star India.[48][49]

Disney+ Hotstar, a subsidiary of Star India, censored the Last Week Tonight with John Oliver's episode on Narendra Modi where John Oliver discusses Prime Minister Modi and his Hindu Nationalism as a growing threat to democracy in India.[50][51][52]

See also

References
  1. Choudhary, Vidhi (5 December 2017). "21st Century Fox appoints Star India chief Uday Shankar as Asia president". livemint.com. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  2. "Disney's $52.4 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox includes Star India too – MediaNama". www.medianama.com. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  3. Iyengar, Rishi (9 July 2018). "Disney's next 700 million viewers might be in India". CNNMoney. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  4. "Disney Acquires Star India, Tata Sky Stake Via Fox Deal". Bloomberg Quint. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  5. Bansal, Shuchi (27 June 2018). "What makes star a sought-after business in India". Mint. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  6. http://www.globalmediajournal.com/open-access/the-role-of-the-nationstate-evolution-of-star-tv-in-china-and-india.pdf
  7. "Entertainment Inc.: The story of Zee, one of India's first Hindi satelite channels". India Today. 11 August 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  8. Palmer, Rhonda. (26 July 1993) Murdoch catches rising Star – Entertainment News, Business News, Media. Variety. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
  9. THE MEDIA BUSINESS; Star TV Extends Murdoch's Reach. New York Times (23 August 1993). Retrieved 20 May 2012.
  10. Monbiot, George (21 April 2008). "George Monbiot: The most potent weapon wielded by the empires of Murdoch and China". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  11. "Channel V: A walk down memory lane". Indian Television Dot Com. 30 November 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  12. Ghosh, Devarsi. "Channel V bids goodbye once and for all, leaving behind its madcap mascots". Scroll.in. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  13. "Fox's Star Chinese Movies Launches Asian Film Slate". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  14. "The race to become ABP News". Business Standard. 1 July 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  15. "Vijay TV scripts a turnaround tale". Indian Television Dot Com. 30 April 2005. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  16. Kohli-Khandekar, Vanita (1 July 2013). "The race to become ABP News". Business Standard India. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  17. "The race to become ABP News". Business Standard India. 1 July 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  18. "The Hindu : Life Bangalore : Another 'One' from Star TV". www.thehindu.com. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  19. "After Star Jalsha, Star India all set to launch Star Pravah HD on May Day". Indian Television Dot Com. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  20. "Star Jalsha goes in brand refresh with new diamond star identity". www.bestmediaifo.com. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  21. "Star buys majority in Asianet; forms JV with Rajeev Chandrasekhar". Reuters India. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  22. VCC, Team. "Star buys majority in Asianet; forms JV with Rajeev Chandrasekhar". IN. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  23. "STAR CJ Network launches "STAR CJ Alive"". Campaign India. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  24. "Fox Star aims to be among the top three studios in India". Live mint. 2 December 2012. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  25. PTI (19 February 2018). "Star India wins audio-visual production rights for IPL, BCCI domestic season". livemint.com. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  26. "Rebranding was a part of ESPN's evolution in India: RC Venkateish". Indian Advertising Media & Marketing News – exchange4media. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  27. "STAR India rebrands; sheds 'ESPN' branding". www.afaqs.com. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  28. "Indian cricket media rights set to be e-auctioned on March 27". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  29. "Star Sports bags IPL media rights, in blockbuster deal, but at what cost?". The Indian Express. 5 September 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  30. "With Hotstar, Star India aims to change the way content is consumed in India". Livemint. 11 February 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  31. "STAR India acquires MAA TV's broadcast business for Rs 2.5k cr". Business Standard India. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  32. "Star Plus announces launch of Ted Talks India Nayi Soch on December 10". www.bestmediaifo.com. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  33. "Star Plus launches #DontKillIdeas with TED Talks India Nayi Soch". exchange4media. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  34. "Life OK to be rechristened Star Bharat on August 28". www.bestmediaifo.com. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  35. "Rs 54.5 crore per match is not insane, look at it in right context: Star India CEO Uday Shankar". The Economic Times. 5 September 2017. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  36. Faber, David (December 5, 2017). "Disney and Fox are closing in on deal, could be announced next week: Sources". CNBC. Archived from the original on December 5, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  37. Clarke, Stewart (December 13, 2018). "Disney Sets Out International Leadership Team Post-Fox Deal". Variety. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  38. "Zee World, Star Life to expand footprints in Africa amid growing popularity". The Financial Express.
  39. "Star TV to launch lifestyle HD channel in Africa, Star Life". Biz Asia.
  40. Star TV to shutdown television operations in USA – https://www.bizasialive.com/star-tv-ceases-television-operations-in-usa/
  41. Krishnamurthy, Gokul (13 August 2011). "Star CJ looks to coming 'alive' this festival season". Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  42. &, Aminah Sheikh. "Companies". Retrieved 10 November 2016.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  43. "News Corp entity plans to exit Star CJ run into FIPB hurdle". Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  44. "Star buys 74% stake in Pro Kabaddi".
  45. "Star India launches Disney Kids Pack with new campaign - Exchange4media". Indian Advertising Media & Marketing News – exchange4media.
  46. Malvania, Urvi (21 March 2015). "10 million users in 40 days: Hotstar takes digital media world by storm". Business Standard India. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  47. Choudhary, Vidhi. "Star plans to build national sports network in India". Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  48. "'Mother-in-law' canceled by Star India". The Hollywood Reporter.
  49. "Sony does a Star Plus". Business Standard.
  50. "Disney India Blocks John Oliver Show Critical of Narendra Modi". BloombergQuint. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  51. Reporter, Staff (26 February 2020). "Hotstar blocks John Oliver's 'Last Week Tonight' episode criticising Narendra Modi". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  52. "Disney India blocks John Oliver's show critical of Narendra Modi". The Indian Express. 26 February 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2020.

Further reading

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