STAR ONE, STAR India GOLD, STAR India NEWS and VIJAY make STAR the most widely distributed South Asian broadcaster on any one cable platform
LIVERMORE, Calif. and HONG KONG, Aug. 11 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- STAR, a wholly owned subsidiary of News Corporation (Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV) and Asia's leading media and Entertainment Company, today announced the launch of four additional South Asian channels on Comcast's (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) California Bay Area cable platform. The four channels, STAR ONE (Hindi entertainment), STAR India NEWS (Hindi News), STAR India GOLD (Bollywood films) and VIJAY (Tamil Entertainment) compliment STAR India PLUS (India's leading Hindi general entertainment channel), which has been available on the platform since December 2008.
The launch represents the first time that a South Asian news channel (STAR India NEWS) has ever been carried by a U.S. cable platform. VIJAY, Star's Tamil entertainment channel will also be the first Tamil language channel to be launched on U.S. cable.
"We are pleased to broaden our offering of top rated South Asian content for Comcast's California subscribers," said David Wisnia, STAR's Senior Vice President of Distribution, Sales and Marketing and head of STAR's North American and European offices. "The launch of these four channels reflects a number of firsts in the industry and represents the fact that STAR now has the most South Asian channels of any one broadcaster on a cable platform. We look forward to strengthening our relationship with operators across North America and stand firm in our commitment to connect Asian viewers with relevant, compelling and top rated content."
"STAR India Networks are part of Comcast's on-going commitment to our customers to bring value by connecting them to the people, places and programming that are important in their lives," said Natalie Rouse, Director of National Ethnic Marketing for Comcast. "By expanding our already diverse programming, the South Asian community will have many favourite programs available 24-hours-a-day, only on Comcast."
Beginning August 10th, the new programming will be available to residential homes and in the following cities: Belvedere, Corte Madera, Cupertino, Fairfax, Forest Knolls, Greenbrae, Kentfield, Lagunitas, Larkspur, Los Altos, Marin, Mill Valley, Milpitas, Mountain View, Novato, Ross, San Anselmo, San Geronimo, San Quentin, San Rafael, Santa Clara, Saratoga, Sausalito, Sunnyvale, Tiburon and Woodacre.
To customers in the San Francisco Bay Area that want to subscribe to any of the STAR networks above, customers can call 1-800-519-6568 or visit http://www.comcast.com/internationaltv for more information.
About STAR:
STAR is a leading media and entertainment company in Asia. STAR broadcasts over 60 television services in 13 languages to more than 300 million viewers across 53 Asian countries. STAR and its joint venture channels cover all genres including general entertainment (Star Plus, Xing Kong, Star Chinese Channel, Star World, Star One, Star Utsav, Star Jalsha, Star Pravah, Vijay, Asianet, Asianet Plus, Sitara, Suvarna, antv, Phoenix Chinese Channel), sports (ESPN, Star Sports, Star Cricket), movies (Star Chinese Movies, Star Chinese Movies 2, Star Gold, Star Movies), music (Channel [V]), and news and current affairs (Star News, Star Ananda, Star Majha, Phoenix InfoNews Channel).
STAR controls over 20,000 hours of Indian and Chinese programming and also owns the world's largest contemporary Chinese film library, with more than 600 titles, featuring superstars including Jackie Chan, Chow Yun Fat and Bruce Lee. In partnership with leading companies, STAR businesses extend to filmed entertainment, television production, cable systems and distribution, direct-to-home services, terrestrial TV broadcasting, wireless and digital services. STAR is a wholly owned subsidiary of News Corporation. http://www.startv.com
About Comcast Corporation:
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) ( http://www.comcast.com ) is the nation's leading provider of entertainment, information and communication products and services. With 23.9 million cable customers, 15.3 million
high-speed Internet customers, and 7.0 million Comcast Digital Voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of cable systems and in the delivery of programming content.
Comcast's content networks and investments include E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, Golf Channel, VERSUS, G4, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One, ten sports networks operated by Comcast Sports Group and Comcast Interactive Media, which develops and operates Comcast's Internet businesses, including Comcast.net ( http://www.comcast.net ). Comcast also has a majority ownership in Comcast-Spectacor, whose major holdings include the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team and two large multipurpose arenas in Philadelphia.
Channel Appendix:
STAR ONE unleashes the next generation of Hindi entertainment, offering an innovative, diverse mix of programming and cutting edge production values that appeal to urban, upwardly mobile Indian audiences. Top rating programs on the channel include drama Dill Mill Gayye and the reality comedy show, The Great Indian Laughter Challenge.
STAR India GOLD brings to audiences the best and biggest Bollywood blockbusters. With one of the most formidable Indian film libraries in the world, the channel offers a wide variety of films for the entire family, showcasing Bollywood's hottest and most legendary stars and filmmakers.
STAR India NEWS offers 24-hour Hindi news that is close to the hearts of viewers. The channel focuses on significant news in a cutting-edge format. It covers the full spectrum of news ranging from politics to business, investigative reports to consumer issues, and crime to the environment. Reporting news as it happens in India and with links to international news agencies, STAR NEWS keeps viewers fully informed and engaged.
VIJAY is one of the most popular Tamil general entertainment channels in South India. VIJAY offers innovative programmes in a variety of genres including talent hunts, music shows, sitcoms, thrillers, reality shows as well as dramas.
For further information, please contact:
Eric Abelev
Tel: +852-2621-8606
Email: eabelev@startv.com
Sagnik Roy
Tel: +1310-369-8199
Email: sagnik.roy@us.startv.com
