Misplaced Pages

Disney Star

Formerly	Star TV Star India
Company type	Joint venture
Traded as	Star India Private Limited
Industry	Media conglomerate
Founded	1 August 1990; 34 years ago (1990-08-01) (as Star TV)
Founder	Hutchison Whampoa & Li Ka Shing
Headquarters	Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Nita Ambani Chairperson Uday Shankar Vice Chairperson Kevin Vaz CEO - Entertainment Kiran Mani CEO - Digital Sanjog Gupta CEO - Sports
Services	Television broadcasting Films
Revenue	₹260 billion (US$3.1 billion) (FY 2024)
Owner	Li Ka Shing (1990–1995) 21st Century Fox (1995–2019) Disney India (100%, 2019–2024; 36.84%, 2024-present) Viacom18 46.82% Reliance Industries 16.34%
Divisions	Star Studios Viacom18 Studios Disney+ Hotstar JioCinema
Website	www.jiostar.com www.jiohotstar.com

Disney Star, registered as Star India Private Limited is an Indian media conglomerate joint venture. Though Reliance Industries owns 16.34% of the joint venture, while Viacom18 holds 46.82% and Disney India 36.84%, the JV is controlled by Reliance Industries. In November 2024, assets of Viacom18 merged with Disney Star to form JioStar. It is the largest television and entertainment network in India. It operates more than 100 TV channels and owns two major streaming platforms, Disney+ Hotstar and JioCinema.

History

Founding and early years (1990–2000)

Disney Star was founded as Star TV (Satellite Television Asian Region) in 1990 as a joint venture between Hutchison Whampoa and Li Ka-Shing. It launched Hollywood English-language entertainment channels for Asian audiences. Its first five channels included Star Plus (then an English-language entertainment channel), Star Chinese Channel, Prime Sports, Channel V and BBC World Service Television.

In 1992, Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation purchased 63.6% of Star India 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. It later launched Star Movies, Channel V, and Star News with a limited Hindi offering, and then Star Plus for Indian viewers.

2001–2017

In 2001, Star India acquired South India based Vijay TV. In 2003, Star India's Star News deal with NDTV ended. In the same year, the Indian government introduced a guideline limiting foreign equity in the national news business to 26%. At that time Star India was wholly owned by Hong Kong-based company Satellite Television Asia Region Ltd. As a result, Star India entered into a joint venture with the Ananda Bazar Patrika group (ABP) to form a new company, Media Content and Communications Services Pvt. Ltd. (MCCS), which took control of Star News's operations. ABP held a 74% majority stake, while Star India reduced its participation with the remaining 26% to comply with the regulations set for the uplinking of news and current affairs channels by the Government of India. Star India, subsequently exited from this joint venture in 2012. After the split, the channel was renamed ABP News and operated by Anandabazar Patrika Group.

In 2004, Star One was launched a Hindi content channel. In 2008, Star Jalsha, a Bengali language entertainment channel and Star Pravah, a Marathi language entertainment channel were launched.

In 2009, Star India acquired Kerala-based media conglomerate Asianet Communications, which served Malayalam language content. In August 2009, the Star Group restructured its Asian broadcast businesses into three units – Star India, Star China Media, and Fox International Channels Asia.

In the same year, Star Affiliate and CJ Group of South Korea launched CJ Alive (later known as Shop CJ), a 24-hour Indian television shopping channel that 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.

News Corporation launched a film production and distribution business in India through Fox Star Studios India, an affiliate of Star India in the same year.

In April 2012, Star India won the rights to Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) through 2018, replacing Nimbus Communications. Valued at ₹3,851 crore (equivalent to ₹73 billion or US$870 million in 2023), the agreement included rights to India national cricket team home matches on television and mobile streaming, as well as domestic tournaments such as the Ranji Trophy and Irani Cup.

On 6 November 2013, Star India rebranded its Star Sports channels, renaming the main Star Sports channel to Star Sports 1, Star Cricket to Hindi-language Star Sports 3, ESPN to Tamil-language Star Sports 4, and Star Cricket HD and ESPN HD to Star Sports HD1 and HD2.

In February 2015, Star India launched its streaming service, Hotstar, a mobile and online entertainment OTT platform that features content in 9 Indian languages and broadcasts sporting events. Star also acquired the broadcast businesses of Maa Television Pvt. Ltd to boost its presence in Telugu-speaking markets.

In February 2017, Star India and global media conglomerate TED announced a new TV series, TED Talks India – Nayi Soch. The programme starred Bollywood actor Shah Rukh 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.

On 28 August 2017, Star India rebranded its Hindi entertainment channel Life OK to Star Bharat.

On 5 September 2017, Star India won the global media rights to broadcast the Indian Premier League (IPL) under a five-year deal beginning in the 2018 tournament, and valued at 163.475 billion. Beating previous rightsholder Sony, the contract included domestic rights for Star Sports, and digital rights for Hotstar.

On 14 December 2017, The Walt Disney Company announced their intent to acquire Star India's parent company 21st Century Fox for US$52.4 billion.

2018–2022

In 2018, Star India renewed its BCCI rights through March 2023, in a contract valued at ₹61,384.1 crore (equivalent to ₹820 billion or US$9.8 billion in 2023).

On 13 December 2018, Disney announced Uday Shankar who serves as chairman of Star India would lead Disney's Asian operations and would become the new chairman of Disney India, which became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company, being re-organized under Disney India. 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.

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

On 20 March 2019, Star India became a subsidiary of Disney India after the US$71.3 billion deal in the acquisition of former parent company 21st Century Fox was closed. Now, Disney India owns television channels of UTV Software Communications and Star India.

In April 2020, the Walt Disney Company merged Hotstar with Disney+ in India to form Disney+ Hotstar with Hotstar operating independently and coexisting with Disney+ in Canada and US, since it launched on 4 September 2017; the United Kingdom on 13 September 2018; and Singapore on 4 November 2020, prior to Disney+ in the country.

On 30 December 2020, Disney announced that the Star branding would be replaced with Utsav from 1 February in the Netherlands, with the Utsav Gold, Utsav Plus and Utsav Bharat branding launching in the UK on 22 January 2021, Star Vijay's international feed also changed a new logo based with Utsav Network in yellow colour and rebranded as Vijay TV around the world on that same day, Utsav Network would separated to Star Gold, Plus and Bharat, the Asian feed would launch in South Korea.

On 31 August 2021, Disney announced that it would phase out Hotstar in the US and move all content into Hulu and ESPN+. Initially, it was announced that the service would shut down in the US by late 2022, until it got moved to an earlier date on 30 November 2021.

On 18 October 2021, Disney and Star announced that they would exit from the English general entertainment industry and that they would close down Star World and Star World Premiere in India originally planned by 30 November 2021 (although the Star Movies channels, alongside Disney International HD will not be affected). The Bangla and Marathi feeds of Star Sports 1 will also close on the same day. Meanwhile, the Star Gold brand would expand with the launch of an HD simulcast of Star Gold 2 that would replace UTV HD, alongside the rebranding of UTV Movies and UTV Action as Star Gold Romance and Star Gold Thrills. Star Movies Select HD, Star Movies Hindi, and Star Movies Tamil will also launch an SD simulcast, becoming the first niche premium English movie channel in India to do so. However, a delay in TRAI's new tariff order, followed by protests from digital cable operators and multi-system operators, caused the plans to be postponed till mid-March 2023.

On 14 April 2022, Disney India rebranded Star India to Disney Star. On 27 May 2022, Fox Star Studios was renamed just Star Studios, as part of the removal of the "Fox" name from the studios that had been acquired from 21st Century Fox by Disney.

Merger with Viacom18 (2023–present)

Some of this section's listed sources may not be reliable. Please help improve this article by looking for better, more reliable sources. Unreliable citations may be challenged and removed. (November 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

In July 2023, The Walt Disney Company began exploring strategic options, including a sale or formation of a joint venture, for their businesses in India. Between September and October 2023, the company held preliminary talks with Reliance Industries, billionaire Gautam Adani and Kalanithi Maran, owner of the Sun Group, for a potential sale of its streaming and linear television assets. In late October 2023, it was reported that Disney was nearing a cash and stock deal with Reliance Industries for the sale of its operations in India, including a controlling stake in Disney Star. The assets Reliance would acquire are reportedly valued at around $7–8 billion and a transaction was to be announced as early as November. Although Disney CEO Bob Iger refuted claims of a sale during a third-quarter earnings call, it was announced in December 2023 that Disney and Reliance had signed a non-binding term sheet for a merger. According to its terms, Reliance would hold 51% of the merged company in cash and stock, while Disney would own the remaining 49%. For purposes of the merger, a subsidiary of Viacom18 was created to absorb Disney Star through a stock swap, pending ratification and regulatory approval.

In February 2024, Disney and Reliance reached a deal to merge their streaming and television assets, with the joint venture valued at $8.5 billion including synergies. As part of the deal, Viacom18 would be merged into Disney Star with Disney holding a 36.84% stake in the combined entity, which would bring together assets such as linear television entertainment channels StarPlus, Colors TV and the Star Gold Network, sports channels Star Sports and Sports18 and the streaming services JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar with Nita Ambani serving as the chairperson of the joint venture, with Uday Shankar serving as vice chairperson with the deal giving 16.34% to Reliance and 46.82% to Viacom18, with the deal being expected to close sometime in late 2024 or early 2025 pending regulatory approval.

In March 2024, it was reported that Paramount Global was looking to sell its 13.01% stake in Viacom18 to Reliance, which already owned a 73.91% share via TV18. Although Bloomberg News reported that the deal was unlikely to close, the deal was confirmed a week later for $517 million, its closure subject to regulatory approval and the completion of the joint venture between Viacom18 and Disney. Paramount would, however, continue to license its content to the company.

In August 2024, the National Company Law Tribunal approved a deal between Disney and Reliance Industries where JioCinema and Viacom18 would be merged into Digital18. In November 2024, Disney and Reliance Industries agreed to merge Star India and Viacom18. The deal was reported to be valued at $8.5 billion.

Owned channels

On-air channels

International

Dissolved channels

See also

• Paramount International Networks
  • Paramount Networks EMEAA
• Network18 Group

References

1. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/reliance-jio-and-disney-star-merger-complete-jiostar-com-is-the-go-to-website-this-means-a-big-not-interested-message-to-/amp_articleshow/115311446.cms
2. https://www.jiostar.com/pdf/14112024-JV.pdf
3. "RIL, Viacom18 and Disney complete merger to create a Rs 70,352 cr JV". The Economic Times. 14 November 2024. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
4. ^ Chang, Yu-li (2006). "Evolution of STAR TV in India and China" (PDF). globalmediajournal.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 January 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
5. Palmer, Rhonda (26 July 1993). "Murdoch catches rising Star". Variety. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
6. Shenon, Philip (23 August 1993). "The Media Business; Star TV Extends Murdoch's Reach". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
7. Hirani, Ayushi (30 November 2017). "Channel V: A walk down memory lane". www.indiantelevision.com. Archived from the original on 15 March 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
8. Ghosh, Devarsi (24 November 2017). "Channel V bids goodbye once and for all, leaving behind its madcap mascots". Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 28 January 2019. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
9. Chu, Karen (16 April 2014). "Fox's Star Chinese Movies Launches Asian Film Slate". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 1 September 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
10. ^ Kohli-Khandekar, Vanita (1 July 2013). "The race to become ABP News". Business Standard. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
11. "Vijay TV scripts a turnaround tale". www.indiantelevision.com. 30 April 2005. Archived from the original on 25 June 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
12. "Star One channel to target urban audiences". The Economic Times. 27 October 2004. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
13. "After Star Jalsha, Star India all set to launch Star Pravah HD on May Day". www.indiantelevision.com. 29 April 2016. Archived from the original on 15 August 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
14. "Star Jalsha goes in brand refresh with new diamond star identity". www.bestmediaifo.com. 18 June 2012. Archived from the original on 13 March 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
15. ^ "Star buys majority in Asianet; forms JV with Rajeev Chandrasekhar". Reuters India. 17 November 2008. Archived from the original on 27 July 2019. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
16. "STAR CJ Network launches "STAR CJ Alive"". Campaign India. 29 July 2010. Archived from the original on 14 October 2018. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
17. Ramnath, Nandini (2 December 2012). "Fox Star aims to be among the top three studios in India". Live Mint. Archived from the original on 14 October 2018. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
18. "Star TV bags rights for Indian cricket". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 30 October 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
19. "Star Sports: A new logo, packaging & brand identity". Indian Television. 8 November 2013. Archived from the original on 10 January 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
20. "STAR India rebrands; sheds 'ESPN' branding". www.afaqs.com. 6 November 2013. Archived from the original on 14 March 2018. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
21. Malvania, Urvi (21 March 2015). "10 million users in 40 days: Hotstar takes digital media world by storm". Business Standard India. Archived from the original on 21 March 2019. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
22. Dina, Arzoo (11 February 2015). "With Hotstar, Star India aims to change the way content is consumed in India". Live Mint. Archived from the original on 29 May 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
23. "Star India, Netflix Part of Global Coalition Fighting Online Piracy". India West. 4 July 2017. Archived from the original on 17 September 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
24. "STAR India acquires MAA TV's broadcast business for Rs 2.5k cr". Business Standard India. 12 February 2015. Archived from the original on 3 November 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
25. "StarPlus announces launch of TED Talks India – Nayi Soch on December 10". www.bestmediaifo.com. 20 November 2017. Archived from the original on 3 November 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
26. "StarPlus launches #DontKillIdeas with TED Talks India – Nayi Soch". www.exchange4media.com. 20 November 2017. Archived from the original on 3 November 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
27. "Life OK to be rechristened Star Bharat on August 28". www.bestmediaifo.com. 21 August 2017. Archived from the original on 5 November 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
28. Laghate, Gaurav (5 September 2017). "₹54.5 crore per match is not insane, look at it in right context: Star India CEO Uday Shankar". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 3 November 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
29. Littleton, Cynthia (19 March 2019). "Disney Closes $71 Billion 21st Century Fox Deal". Variety. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
30. Faber, David (5 December 2017). "Disney and Fox are closing in on deal, could be announced next week: Sources". CNBC. Archived from the original on 5 December 2017. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
31. "Star Sports India bags BCCI media rights for Rs 6138.1 crore". The Times of India. 5 April 2018. Archived from the original on 29 November 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
32. Clarke, Stewart (13 December 2018). "Disney Sets Out International Leadership Team Post-Fox Deal". Variety. Archived from the original on 13 December 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
33. "Zee World, Star Life to expand footprints in Africa amid growing popularity". The Financial Express. 4 October 2018. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
34. Baddhan, Raj (20 August 2018). "Star TV to launch lifestyle HD channel in Africa, Star Life". Bizasialive. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
35. Baddhan, Raj (5 December 2018). "Star TV to shut down television operations in USA". Bizasialive. Archived from the original on 13 April 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
36. Choudhary, Vidhi (15 December 2017). "Fox deal set to make Disney India's biggest broadcaster". Mint. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
37. Laghate, Gaurav (13 March 2019). "Walt Disney's merger with Star India to cost 350 jobs". The Economic Times. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
38. "Hotstar Launches Its Premium Service in US and Canada". NDTV Gadgets 360. 4 September 2017. Archived from the original on 6 June 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
39. SN, Vikas. "Star India's Hotstar launches in United Kingdom". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 6 June 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
40. Ramachandran, Naman (19 October 2020). "Disney Streaming Platform Hotstar Set For Singapore Launch on StarHub". Variety. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
41. "Disney Renaming Star Channels In The Netherlands". www.whatsondisneyplus.com. 30 December 2020. Archived from the original on 4 October 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
42. "Star channels rebrand". RXTV. 15 January 2021. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
43. Hayes, Dade (31 August 2021). "Disney Shifts Hotstar Programming To ESPN+ And Hulu; Stand-Alone Hotstar U.S. Service To Sunset In 2022". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 31 August 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
44. "Hotstar will be discontinued in the US on November 30". Twitter. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
45. "Breaking News: Disney Star India exits English general entertainment; Star World, Star World HD and Star World Premiere HD to go off air by November 30". www.bestmediaifo.com. 16 October 2021. Archived from the original on 16 October 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
46. "Star defers new channel launches till further intimation". Exchange4media. 30 November 2021. Archived from the original on 10 December 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
47. "Star India is Now Disney Star". Telecomtalk. 15 April 2022. Archived from the original on 15 April 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
48. "Fox Star Studios rebrands to Star Studios". The Hindu. 27 May 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
49. "Disney Explores Strategic Options for India Business". Wall Street Journal. 11 July 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
50. "Disney India Sale Talks Draw Firms Including Reliance". Bloomberg News. 18 September 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
51. "Walt Disney in talks with Adani, Sun TV to sell India streaming, TV biz: Report". Mint. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
52. "Disney Said to Near Multibillion-Dollar Deal With Reliance". Bloomberg News. 23 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
53. ^ Prasad, Nikita (28 February 2024). "Reliance, Disney India merge streaming, TV assets to create ₹70,352 crore media powerhouse; 5 key highlights". Mint. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
54. Barman, Arijit; Farooqui, Jaaved (25 December 2023). "Reliance, Disney ink non-binding agreement for mega-merger". Economic Times. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
55. Sinha, Vaishnawi (25 December 2023). "Mukesh Ambani's Reliance-Disney Star deal explained: 10 points on mega-merger". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
56. Kaustubh, Abhinav (9 November 2023). ""We'd Like To Stay," Disney CEO On Hotstar's Alleged Sale To Reliance Jio, Adani Group". The Times of India. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
57. Akash, Sreenivasan. "What We Know About The $8.5 Billion Disney Merger With Reliance In India".
58. Goldsmith, Jill (28 February 2024). "Disney And Reliance Clinch Joint Venture In India". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
59. "Reliance and Disney announce strategic joint venture to bring together the most compelling and engaging entertainment brands in India" (PDF). BSE India.
60. Whittock, Jesse (7 March 2024). "Paramount In Talks To Sell Stake In Viacom18 To Disney India Partner Reliance — Bloomberg". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
61. Goldsmith, Jill (13 March 2024). "Paramount Global Sells Stake In Viacom18 To India's Reliance For $500 Million". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
62. "Reliance's Viacom18-Disney merger: Govt approves transfer of licence to Star India". The Economic Times. 29 September 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
63. Manfredi, Lucas (14 November 2024). "Disney, Reliance Industries Close $8.5 Billion Merger of Star India and Viacom18". The Wrap. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
64. ^ Satellite TV channels (Permitted)

External links

• Official website

• Conglomerate companies of India
• Television production companies of India