 | |
| Formerly |
|
|---|---|
| Company type | Joint venture |
| Star India Private Limited | |
| Industry | Media conglomerate |
| Founded | 1 August 1990; 34 years ago (1990-08-01) (as Star TV) |
| Founders | Hutchison Whampoa Li Ka-shing |
| Headquarters | |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people |
|
| Services | Television broadcasting Films |
| Revenue | ₹260 billion (US$3.0 billion) (FY 2024) |
| Owner |
|
| Divisions | |
| Website | www |
Disney Star (also known asJioStar), registered asStar India Private Limited, is an Indianmedia conglomeratejoint venture owned with a share of 16.34% byReliance Industries, 46.82% byViacom18 and 36.84% byDisney India.[1][2] On 14 November 2024, it merged its assets with the assets of Viacom18 to form JioStar.[3] It is the largest television and entertainment network in India, operating more than 100 TV channels and a major streaming platform calledJioHotstar.
Disney Star was founded as Star TV (Satellite Television Asian Region) in 1990 as a joint venture betweenHutchison Whampoa andLi Ka-shing. It launched Hollywood English-language entertainment channels for Asian audiences.[4] Its first five channels includedStar Plus (then anEnglish-languageentertainment channel),Star Chinese Channel,Prime Sports,Channel V andBBC World Service Television (now simplyBBC News).[4]
In 1992,Rupert Murdoch'sNews 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.[5][6] It later launchedStar Movies,Channel V, andStar News with a limited Hindi offering, and thenStar Plus for Indian viewers.[7][8][9][10]
In 2001, Star India acquired South India basedVijay TV.[11] In 2003, Star India's Star News deal withNDTV 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 companySatellite Television Asia Region Ltd. As a result, Star India entered into a joint venture with the Anandabazar Patrika group (ABP) to form a new company, Media Content and Communications Services Pvt. Ltd. (MCCS), which took control of Star News' 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 theGovernment of India. Star India, subsequently exited from this joint venture in 2012. After the split, the channel was renamedABP News and operated by Anandabazar Patrika Group.[10]
In 2004,Star One was launched a Hindi youth-oriented channel.[12] In 2008,Star Jalsha, aBengali-language entertainment channel andStar Pravah, aMarathi-language entertainment channel was launched.[13][14]
In 2009, Star India acquired Kerala-based media conglomerate Asianet Communications, which servedMalayalam language content.[15] In August 2009, the Star Group restructured its Asian broadcast businesses into three units – Star India,Star China Media, andFox International Channels Asia.[15]
In the same year, Star Affiliate andCJ Group of South Korea launched CJ Alive (later known as Shop CJ), a 24-hour Indian television shopping channel that usedStar 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.[16]
News Corporation launched a film production and distribution business in India throughFox Star Studios India, an affiliate of Star India in the same year.[17]
In April 2012, Star India won the rights toBoard of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) through 2018, replacingNimbus Communications. Valued at₹3,851 crore (equivalent to₹73 billion or US$830 million in 2023), the agreement included rights toIndia national cricket team home matches on television and mobile streaming, as well as domestic tournaments such as theRanji Trophy andIrani Cup.[18]
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.[19][20]
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.[21][22][23] Star also acquired the broadcast businesses ofMaa Television Pvt. Ltd to boost its presence inTelugu-speaking markets.[24]
In February 2017, Star India and global media conglomerateTED announced a new TV series,TED Talks India – Nayi Soch. The programme starredBollywood actorShah 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.[25][26]
On 28 August 2017, Star India rebranded its Hindi entertainment channelLife OK toStar Bharat.[27]
On 5 September 2017, Star India won the global media rights to broadcast theIndian Premier League (IPL) under a five-year deal beginning in the2018 tournament, and valued at 163.475 billion. Beating previous rightsholder Sony, the contract included domestic rights for Star Sports, and digital rights forHotstar.[28]
On 14 December 2017,The Walt Disney Company announced their intent toacquire Star India's parent company21st Century Fox forUS$52.4 billion.[29][30]
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$9.4 billion in 2023).[31]
On 13 December 2018, Disney announcedUday Shankar who serves as chairman of Star India would lead Disney's Asian operations and would become the new chairman ofDisney India, which became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company, being re-organized under Disney India.[32] 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.[33][34]
On 4 January 2019, Star TV shut down its television operations in USA for the promotion of its digital counterpart, Hotstar.[35]
On 20 March 2019, Star India became a subsidiary ofDisney India afterthe US$71.3 billion deal in the acquisition of former parent company21st Century Fox was closed. Now, Disney India owns television channels of UTV Software Communications and Star India.[36][37]
In April 2020, the Walt Disney Company merged Hotstar withDisney+ in India to formDisney+ Hotstar with Hotstar operating independently and coexisting with Disney+ in Canada and US,[38] since it launched on 4 September 2017; the United Kingdom on 13 September 2018;[39] and Singapore on 4 November 2020, prior to Disney+ in the country.[40]
On 30 December 2020, Disney announced that the Star branding would be replaced with Utsav from 1 February in the Netherlands,[41] 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.[42]
On 31 August 2021, Disney announced that it would phase out Hotstar in the US and move all content intoHulu andESPN+. Initially, it was announced that the service would shut down in the US by late 2022,[43] until it got moved to an earlier date on 30 November 2021.[44]
On 18 October 2021, Disney and Star announced that they would exit from the English general entertainment industry and that they would close downStar World andStar World Premiere in India originally planned by 30 November 2021 (although theStar Movies channels, alongsideDisney 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.[45] 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.[46]
On 14 April 2022, Disney India rebranded Star India toDisney Star.[47] On 27 May 2022, Fox Star Studios was renamed justStar Studios, as part of the removal of the "Fox" name from the studios that had been acquired from21st Century Fox by Disney.[48]
 | Some of this section'slisted sourcesmay not bereliable. 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.[49] Between September and October 2023, the company held preliminary talks withReliance Industries, billionaireGautam Adani andKalanithi Maran, owner of theSun Group, for a potential sale of its streaming and linear television assets.[50][51] 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.[52] Although Disney CEOBob 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 ofViacom18 was created to absorb Disney Star through astock swap,[53] pending ratification and regulatory approval.[54][55][56][57]
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 channelsStarPlus,Colors TV and theStar Gold Network, sports channelsStar Sports andSports18 and the streaming servicesJioCinema andDisney+ Hotstar withNita Ambani serving as the chairperson of the joint venture, withUday 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.[53][58][59]
In March 2024, it was reported thatParamount Global was looking to sell its 13.01% stake inViacom18 to Reliance, which already owned a 73.91% share viaTV18.[60] AlthoughBloomberg 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.[61]
In August 2024, theNational Company Law Tribunal approved a deal between Disney and Reliance Industries where JioCinema and Viacom18 would be merged into Digital18.[62] 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.[63]
 | This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(February 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| Channel | Launched | Language | Category | SD/HD | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utsav Plus | 2021 | Hindi | General Entertainment | SD+HD | UK and EU only |
| Utsav Bharat | |||||
| Utsav Gold | Movies | ||||
| Star Select | 2023 | General Entertainment | HD | South Africa only | |
| Star Life | 2018 | English | SD+HD | Africa only | |
| Vijay TV | 2021 | Tamil | SD | Middle East and South‐East Asia only | |
| Asianet Middle East | 2010 | Malayalam | Middle East only |
| Channel | Language | SD/HD | Launch | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Star Gold Comedy | Hindi | SD | TBA | |
| Star Jalsha Josh | Bengali |
| Channel | Launched | Defunct | Language | Category | SD/HD | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Star One | 2004 | 2011 | Hindi | General Entertainment | SD | Replaced byLife OK |
| Life OK | 2011 | 2017 | SD+HD | Replaced byStar Bharat | ||
| Movies OK | 2012 | 2020 | Movies | SD | Replaced byStar Gold 2 | |
| UTV Movies | 2008 | 2023 | Replaced byStar Gold Romance | |||
| UTV Action | 2010 | Replaced byStar Gold Thrills | ||||
| UTV HD | 2018 | HD | Rebranded asStar Gold 2 HD | |||
| Channel V | 1994 | 2018 | Music | SD | Replaced byStar Sports 3 | |
| Bindass | 2007 | 2025 | ||||
| Star News | 1998 | 2012 | News | Sold & rebranded asABP News | ||
| Star World | 1991 | 2023 | English | General Entertainment | SD+HD | HD: discontinued SD: replaced by Star Sports 1 Tamil HD[64] |
| FX | 2010 | 2017 | HD: Star Sports First[64] SD: Star Sports Select 2 SD[64] | |||
| Fox Crime | 2010 | 2015 | SD | Replaced by Star Movies Select HD[64] | ||
| Star World Premiere | 2011 | 2023 | HD | Replaced by Star Movies Select SD[64] | ||
| Star Movies Action | 2013 | 2017 | Movies | SD | FormerlyFox Action Movies replaced by Star Gold Select SD[64] | |
| BabyTV | 2009 | 2023 | Kids | SD+HD | ||
| Star Cricket | 2007 | 2013 | Sports | Replaced byStar Sports 3,Star Sports 1 Hindi | ||
| Bloomberg TVI | 2008 | 2019 | News | HD | ||
| Nat Geo Music | 2007 | 2019 | Hindi English | Music | SD+HD | Replaced byNat Geo Telugu |
| Star CJ Alive | 2009 | 2015 | Shopping | SD | Replaced byShop CJ | |
| Star Life | 2024 | 2025 | English Hindi | Lifestyle | SD+HD | FormerlyFox Life |
| Fox Life | 2014 | 2024 | English Hindi Bengali Tamil | Infotainment | Replaced byStar Life | |
| Disney XD | 2009 | 2019 | English Hindi Tamil Telugu | Kids | SD | Rebranded as Marvel HQ |
| Marvel HQ | 2019 | 2022 | Rebranded asSuper Hungama | |||
| Star Sports 1 Bangla | 2019 | 2023 | Bengali | Sports | Discontinued | |
| Star Ananda | 2005 | 2012 | News | Sold & rebranded asABP Ananda | ||
| Star Sports 1 Marathi | 2019 | 2023 | Marathi | Sports | Discontinued | |
| Star Majha | 2007 | 2012 | News | Sold & rebranded asABP Majha | ||
| Star Vijay Music | 2020 | 2022 | Tamil | Music | Replaced byStar Vijay Takkar | |
| Nat Geo Tamil | 2019 | 2020 | Infotainment | Discontinued | ||
| Nat Geo Telugu | Telugu |
