Press Release

STAR / ABP

9 May 2012

Mumbai, May 2012 – Last month, Star and ABP agreed to discontinue the Star brand affiliation with Media Content and Communications Services (India) Pvt. Ltd. which operates the three STAR-branded news channels, Star News, Star Ananda and Star Majha. This was one of the steps proposed to be taken by Star in its endeavor to refocus and reenergize the core strength of its business viz. general entertainment channels.
Given the current regulatory environment and structural issues ailing the Indian cable and satellite television market and the news genre in particular, Star took this extremely difficult decision to withdraw its brand from the genre. Star, ABP and MCCS sustained this affiliation for a lengthy period of 8 years and Star is grateful to its partners, ABP and MCCS for acting as guardians for the Star brand during this period.
The discontinuation will come in effect in phases from a period of 2 months to 4 months and the partners will work together to ensure a smooth transition during this period.
About Star:-
STAR India is a leading media and entertainment company, broadcasting 33 channels in eight languages to more than 400 million people every week across India and more than 100 countries across the globe. Its channel portfolio includes household brands Star Plus, Life Ok, Star Gold, Channel [V], Star Jalsha, Star Pravah, Star World, Star Movies, Star Utsav and joint venture channels Asianet, Asianet Plus, Star Vijay, Suvarna, Star News, ESPN and Star Sports. STAR India also manages a portfolio of business ventures including DTH operator Tata Sky, Cable system Hathway, channel distributor Media Pro Enterprise, news channel operator MCCS, south Indian broadcast business of Asianet channels and STAR Vijay, film producer and distributor Fox STAR Studios India and STAR CJ Home Shopping. 
For further information please contact:-
Parul Sharma
Assistant Vice President,
Corporate Communications & Corporate Affairs
Star India Pvt. Ltd.
Tel+ 124 665 4400
Luna Biswas / Nikita Crasta
Hanmer MSL
9920038219 / 9821071527
Show me everything from anytime

Mad in India: STAR's answer to Comedy Nights

Ashish Golwalkar, programming head, non-fiction, Star Plus, says, "If the content is strong, people really don't care about anything else as long as you are making them laugh. People keep drawing comparisons and we are aware of it. But, if you look at 'Mad in India' closely, it is a very different show. It will talk about day-to-day problems that we face but will have a funny take on all of them. It's not a satire, not a political comment, not a show taking digs on people, it's a show for, by an

Star Plus to attempt reclaiming the weekend prime time with ‘Mad In India'

Star Plus - Marketing and content strategy Head, Nikhil Madhok said, “Comedy was on our mind since a long time. But we didn’t want to come up with anything just for the sake of it. We waited to come up with something that we believe in." Madhok who also wanted to make Sundays entertaining for the viewers, added, “The show was conceptualised after we decided to extend our weekend programming till Saturday. While our fiction shows are more women-oriented, we wanted to make Sundays family oriented.

Is the Media in trouble? Mumbai Press Club holds discussion on subject

Uday Shankar, Star India CEO said, “Just because the media has become capital-intensive, doesn’t mean that it has to compromise on your integrity. Every business has to have a value system, and the editor needs to be sensitive to that. Journalists need to wake up to the economic reality, and it can’t be denied. On the other hand, those who recognise that are willing to swing to the other extreme and do anything. That also is neither healthy nor sustainable.”

Imagine more
Id: 6536