Star World

Last updated

Star World
Star World 2024.svg
Logo used in the Middle East and North Africa since 2024
Broadcast areaMiddle East and North Africa
Southeast Asia and Hong Kong (1991–2017)
India and South Asia (2000–2023)
Taiwan (2001–2020, 2022–2023)
Programming
Language(s) English
Ownership
Owner The Walt Disney Company EMEA (Disney Entertainment)
History
Launched
  • 15 December 1991;32 years ago (1991-12-15) (Star Entertainment)
  • 1 January 2001;23 years ago (2001-01-01) (Taiwan; first incarnation)
  • 1 January 2022;2 years ago (2022-01-01) (Taiwan; second and final incarnation)
Replaced Fox Taiwan (relaunch)
Closed
  • 1 October 2017;6 years ago (2017-10-01) (Southeast Asia and Hong Kong)
  • 1 February 2020;4 years ago (2020-02-01) (Taiwan; first incarnation)
  • 15 March 2023;14 months ago (2023-03-15) (India)
  • 31 December 2023;4 months ago (2023-12-31) (Taiwan; second and final incarnation)
Replaced by Fox Life
BBC Lifestyle (Taiwan)
Former namesStar Entertainment (1991–1992)
Star Plus (1992–1996)

Star World (formerly known as Star Entertainment and Star Plus) is an English language entertainment television channel originally launched on 15 December 1991 by Star TV in Hong Kong as the old iteration of Star Plus. Originally available in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong, as well as India and South Asia, since 2024 it is only available in the Middle East and North Africa after the closure of the Indian and Taiwanese feeds.

Contents

On 30 March 1996, the channel was split into two, when the former became Star World in East and Southeast Asia part of STAR TV's rebranding, and the latter retained the Star Plus name in India and the Middle East. However, after Star (subsequently acquired by News Corporation) ended its partnership with Zee TV on 30 June 2000, Star Plus was transformed into a Hindi-language channel on 1 July 2000, with Star World being already introduced in the region as an English entertainment replacement.

The channel's programming line-up mostly consists of entertainment television programmes from the United States, the United Kingdom and sometimes Australia and New Zealand to appeal to English-speaking locals. [1]

History

Star World was first launched on 15 December 1991 as Star Entertainment with the first programme being The Bold and the Beautiful .[ citation needed ] The channel was an 24-hour English language general entertainment channel showed dramas, movie and variety shows from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand with Zee TV being the Hindi language general entertainment channel counterpart. The channel was broadcast across the continent of Asia, reaching from the Far East to the Middle East, as with AsiaSat 1's footprint. Star TV have since regionalised the channel to serve its huge viewerships. On 1 July 1992, Star Entertainment was renamed Star Plus.

Star Entertainment was also backed by two major Hollywood conglomerate film studios and television production companies including 20th Century Studios (formerly 20th Century Fox) and 20th Television (formerly 20th Century Fox Television).

On 1 May 1994, All movies that were backed by one major Hollywood conglomerate film studio, 20th Century Studios (formerly 20th Century Fox) were moved from Star Plus to Star Movies due to Star Movies' launch. Star Plus continue to be an English language general entertainment channel. On 30 March 1996, STAR TV split Star Plus' beam into two, in effect, providing two separate services for different regional audiences within STAR TV's footprint. This enabled the channel to provide appropriate programming and viewing time for viewers from different regions in Asia. Star Plus would serve viewers in India and the Middle East from then on, while the new Star World channel welcomed those in East and Southeast Asia. Star TV converted Star Plus into Hindi entertainment channel with some English content programming. Earlier, STAR TV had a joint venture with Zee Telefilms which uplinked Hindi channel Zee TV from Hong Kong. But that partnership with that channel ended on 30 June 2000, resulted the new Star World channel as English entertainment replacement on 1 July 2000 for India and the Middle East.

On 1 October 2017, Hong Kong and Southeast Asian version of Star World was rebranded to Fox Life, [2] and shut down after exactly four years, on 1 October 2021. [3]

Logo used in 2015-2017 in Asia and until 2024 in the Middle East, a variation of the logo introduced in 2013. Also used in the revived channel in Taiwan (2022-2024). Never used in India. Star World 2016 logo.png
Logo used in 2015–2017 in Asia and until 2024 in the Middle East, a variation of the logo introduced in 2013. Also used in the revived channel in Taiwan (2022–2024). Never used in India.

On 1 February 2020, the Taiwanese version closed and some programs were moved to Fox. On 1 January 2022, Fox Taiwan was renamed Star World. Disney, which had previously brought FOX International Networks, decided to launch Disney+ in more Asian markets, and decided to discontinue pay TV broadcasting, including Star World in Taiwan. The channel ceased for the second time on 1 January 2024, [4] [5] with BBC Lifestyle as its replacement. [6]

On 15 March 2023, the Indian version of Star World in both SD and HD feeds, as well as Star World Premiere HD, ceased broadcasting along with the launches and shutdowns of several other channels from Disney Star. [7] As a result, Star World remains on air only in the Middle East and North Africa after the closure of the Taiwanese feed on 1 January 2024.

On 1 March 2024, Star World MENA underwent a rebranding and introduced a new logo and graphics package, along with five other Disney-operated channels in the region, many of which abandoned the Fox brand; moreover, its sister channel Star Movies shed its 2009 logo (still used in India) and introduced a new one. [8]

Current channel

Former channels

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References

  1. "Star World". Fox International Channels. Archived from the original on 21 February 2010. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  2. "Turn on as Star World rebrands to FOX life – InqPOP!". InqPOP!. 2 October 2017.
  3. Middleton, Richard (28 April 2021). "Disney to close 18 channels in Asia as streaming focus expands". Digital TV Europe. Archived from the original on 29 April 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  4. Frater, Patrick (14 June 2023). "Disney to Close Remaining Linear TV Channels in Southeast Asia and Korea". Variety . Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  5. "迪士尼集團11頻道退出台灣,國家地理頻道、衛視中文台等最晚年底將下架". The News Lens (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 14 June 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  6. "迪士尼退出後「BBC Studios來了」 2024年登有線電視基本頻道". UDN News (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 28 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Disney Star brings curtains down on English GECs; launches 9 new channels: Best Media Info". Best Media Info. 14 March 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  8. "Fox branded channels to undergo rebranding in MENA region". www.broadcastprome.com.
  9. Frater, Patrick (14 June 2023). "Disney to Close Remaining Linear TV Channels in Southeast Asia and Korea". Variety. Retrieved 15 June 2023.