STAR World

**Star World** (stylized as StarWorld, formerly known as STAR English Entertainment and STAR Plus) is an English language entertainment television channel originally launched on 15 December 1991 as **STAR English Entertainment (娛樂台)** by STAR TV in Hong Kong as the old iteration of STAR Plus. 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 the STAR TV Network (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 as well as the expatriate population of South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia.

## History

STAR World was first launched on 15 December 1991 as **STAR English Entertainment (娛樂台)**, with the first programme being *The Bold and the Beautiful*. It was an 24-hour English language general entertainment channel showing dramas, movies and variety shows from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, with Zee TV being the Hindi language general entertainment channel counterpart operated the channel joint venture with Zee Telefilms which uplinked Hindi channel Zee TV from Hong Kong. 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.

During the launch, STAR English Entertainment was backed by two major Hollywood conglomerate film studios and television production including 20th Century Studios (formerly 20th Century Fox) and 20th Television (formerly 20th Century Television). STAR English Entertainment started telecasting the 1991 British comedy television programme series *Mr. Bean* (from ITV) with English dubbing and Chinese subtitles, while STAR News showed the delayed telecasts of English news programmes.

On 1 July 1992, STAR English Entertainment was officially renamed as **STAR Plus (合家歡台)**.

On 1 May 1994, All movie companies' films backed by one major Hollywood conglomerate film studios including 20th Century Studios (formerly 20th Century Fox) stopped airing and officially moved from Star Plus to STAR Movies because due to Star Movies was officially opened. Star Plus continue to be an English language general entertainment channel.

From 1995 to 1998, as STAR Plus International and later STAR World Asia, the British-made channel identification for the channel with the voice-over says: "This is the STAR TV Network, and you're watching STAR Plus."

On 30 March 1996, STAR TV split STAR Plus International operations 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. The STAR TV Network 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.

From 1998 to 30 June 2001, as STAR World Asia, the box-type logo is at the left and the words "STAR" and "WORLD" into "STAR WORLD" are in maroon colour. The hourly channel identification by the male voice-over says: "This is the STAR TV Network, across Asia and the Middle East, you're watching STAR World."

From 1 July 2001 to 30 April 2005, the station identification said: "This is STAR, and you're with STAR World... STAR World."

When the channel was re-launched for the third time in May 2005, the song that was played on their SIDs was "Let's Get It Started" by The Black Eyed Peas.

On 11 December 2006, the song was changed to "Come Rain Come Shine" by Tata Young.

On 15 June 2007, the song was changed to "Love Today" by Mika.

On 16 January 2008, the channel was re-launched with its new look. The song was changed to Chase the Sun" by Planet Funk.

On October 2008, the STAR World Middle East feed was first to re-launch with its new look including the logo and station ID. However, on 3 November 2008, India, Southeast Asia and the Philippines feeds received the new logo and station ID which the Middle East feed was already using. Each station ID has four different feeds like Asia, India, Middle East and the Philippines.

On 11 November 2010 the channel again on its new look with the Diamond Star (with the trademark swoosh in magenta) under the channel name, the graphics including the website, simultaneously launched both South East Asia (both SD and HD feeds) and the Philippine channel feeds receptively. The Middle East channel officially launched on 1 December 2010. Star World India still uses its older logo as of January 2015.

Some Channel V International (mostly airs V Tunes in different music genre) music program blocks previously aired in STAR World Philippines channel feed (except in Middle East which is currently on-air) have now been removed and all V Tunes music blocks have been moved to Channel V Philippines, while V Special is the only Channel V music block which remains on-air (renamed as Star World Music Specials), during special times only.

On the final quarter of 2012, Star World Phillippines now puts hashtags for shows in the top-left corner.

On 2 August 2013, Star World was once again given a new look, which is all pink with the trademark swoosh in pink and the name of the channel in the same font. In the Philippines, the logo was adopted on 9 November 2013.

On 20 March 2017, Star World revealed its new logo, which is all silver in place of its pink logo. The font is still the same.

On 1 October 2017, Hong Kong and Southeast Asian version of Star World was rebranded to Fox Life. *The Good Fight* was the last program to air before re-brand *(Bolt of Talent in Philippine feed)*. Star World brand remains in versions broadcast to the Middle East, Taiwan, India as well as other South Asian markets.

On 1 February 2020, the Taiwanese version closed down and some programs are moved to Fox. However, two years later, on 1 January 2022, Fox Taiwan reverted back to Star World Taiwan.

On 14 June 2023, STAR World in Taiwan, along with both STAR Movies Gold and HD in Taiwan, Star Chinese Channel, Star Chinese Movies, National Geographic and Nat Geo Wild will close by the end of the year. Outside Taiwan, its operations are due to close in September, leaving BabyTV as the only Disney-owned TV channel in the Asian market.

## Operating channels

### Current channels

* Star World Taiwan - broadcast times NST; selected programs are not the same as the Asia feed, including local commercials. In December 2023, it was set to close down on that date.
* Star World HD Middle East & North Africa - broadcast times KSA, UAE; including Channel [V] programs.

### Former channels

* Star World Vietnam - broadcast times VN; selected programs are not the same as the Asia feed, including local commercials
* Star World HD Asia - same as the Asia feed except for the logo and commercial feed; available in selected territories only
* Star World Asia - broadcast times HKT/SIN and JKT/BKK; simulcast with the Middle East feed at 00:00 to 06:00 (HK/SIN)
* STAR World (Philippines) - broadcast times PH; selected programs are not the same as Asia feed including local commercials and few of the local programs; a subsidiary of Fox Networks Group Philippines
* Star World HD Philippines - same as the Philippines feed except for the logo and commercial feed; launched on 1 March 2012; a subsidiary of Fox Networks Group Philippines
* Star World HD Vietnam - same as the Vietnam feed except for the logo and commercial feed.
* Star World India - broadcast times IND; this had different content from the other feeds; this was the only feed managed by Disney Star (not by Fox Networks Group)
* Star World HD India - same as the India feed except for the logo and commercial feed; launched on 15 April 2011; only available in India and Nepal
* STAR World Premiere HD - broadcast times IND; a premium channel launched on 26 September 2013 in India offering the latest seasons of the biggest shows in American television.

## Distribution

### Afghanistan

Star World was available on local cable and Dish TV.

### Bangladesh

Star World was carried by most nationwide cable operators.

### Hong Kong

Star World was exclusively available on now TV, starting 26 January 2005.

### India

***Main article**: STAR World (India)*

Star World was available in India on Dish TV, Airtel digital TV, Tata Sky, other major satellite television providers, Hathway, You Scod18 and other Indian cable systems.

### Indonesia

Star World was available on Aora TV, First Media, IndosatM2, Groovia TV, Indovision, Top TV, OkeVision, Orange TV Satelit, M2V Mobile TV, TelkomVision, Yes TV and Astro Nusantara (ceased operations).

### Macau

Star World was available on Macau Cable TV.

### Malaysia

Star World was available in Malaysia on Astro.

### Middle East and North Africa

Star World is available on OSN Network and displays in HD.

### Myanmar

Star World was available everywhere in Myanmar via SKYNET DTH and 4TV DTH.

### Pakistan

Star World was available on DWN, PTCL Smart TV, NayaTel, WorldCall CATV, Wateen, and all cable systems.

### Papua New Guinea

Star World was available in Hitron Limited.

### Philippines

Star World Philippines was available on SkyCable, G Sat, Dream Satellite TV, Destiny Cable, Cablelink, Cignal Digital TV and other cable providers nationwide.

### Nepal

Star World was available on all cable networks, dth operators and IPTV providers in Nepal.

### Singapore

Star World was available via subscription with either StarHub TV or Singtel TV.

### South Pacific

Star World was available throughout the South Pacific through Sky Pacific.

### Sri Lanka

Star World was available on the pay TV platforms Dialog TV, LBN Cable TV, and PEO TV.

### Taiwan

STAR World is currently available on most local cable. STAR World HD Asia was available in DishHD. Due to Disney+, it was scheduled to close by the end of the year.

### Vietnam

STAR World was available on all major pay-TV operators: VTVcab (HD), SCTV (SD & HD), K+ (SD & HD), HTVC (HD), MyTV (HD), FPT Television (SD & HD), and MobiTV (SD & HD)

## References

1. ↑ https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/entertainment/2017/09/28/goodbye-starworld-hello-fox-life
2. ↑ https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2017/10/03/1745158/turn-star-world-rebrands-fox-life
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/disney-closing-tv-channels-southeast-asia-korea-1235643667/