Disney Networks Group Asia Pacific: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|Hong Kong-based commercial broadcasting company}}

{{mi|

{{Confusing|date=July 2024}}

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{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}

| areas_served = Asia-Pacific<br>Middle East

| products = [[Pay television]]<br>[[Satellite television|Direct-broadcast satellite]]

| services = Television channels

| parent = [[Cheung Kong Holdings]] (1990–1993)<br>[[Fox Networks Group]] (1993–2019)<br>[[Disney Branded Television]] (2019–2023)

| website =

}}

 

Originally established by [[Hutchison Whampoa]] and later acquired by the original [[News Corporation]], Star TV was once the most prominent satellite television broadcaster in Asia. On 20 March 2019, following Disney's [[Acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney|acquisition of 21st Century Fox]], Fox Networks Group Asia and Star India became a part of Disney, and Fox Networks Group Asia Pacific merged with the [[Disney Branded Television]] unit.

The channels were able to reach from the Far East to the Middle East, broadcasting across 38 countries around the region.

 

 

On 1 October 1992, Star TV added [[Zee TV]] (which targeted [[Hindi]]-speaking audiences) from [[Zee Entertainment Enterprises|Zee Telefilms]] in India to its line-up.

On 1 May 1993, [[Pearson plc|Pearson]] approached Star TV's owners, seeking a partnership, and was expected to invest up to GBP 100 million.<ref name="UKIndy-93MAY02" /> Pearson (which owned minor stake in British broadcasters [[Sky Group|BSkyB]] and [[Yorkshire-Tyne Tees Television]] at the time, and had just acquired [[Thames Television]]) was looking to expand its media business outside the UK, especially because the British laws at the time did not allow Pearson to expand more on UK television business.<ref name="NYT-93JUL28">{{cite news |last1=Ipsen |first1=Erik |title=Pearson Sheds Units to Focus More on Media |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/07/28/business/worldbusiness/IHT-pearson-sheds-units-to-focus-more-on-media.html |access-date=6 January 2019 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=28 July 1993}}</ref><ref name="Variety-93JUL28">{{cite news |last1=Dawtrey |first1=Adam |title=Star-crossed Pearson rethinks |url=https://variety.com/1993/tv/news/star-crossed-pearson-rethinks-109099/ |access-date=6 January 2019 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=28 July 1993}}</ref> Pearson was looking for 66% of the company, but the deal was reported to have required the Hong Kong side to remain active shareholders, causing the deal to fall through. <ref name="NYT-93JUL28" /><ref name="Variety-93JUL28" /> The initial negotiations with [[Rupert Murdoch]] were reported to have floundered after the Australian businessman demanded a controlling stake in the Hong Kong company.<ref name="UKIndy-93MAY02" /> On the same day, Murdoch's [[News Corporation]] purchased 63.6% of Star TV for $525 million US dollars, half in cash, half in News Corporation's ordinary shares, blocking offers from Pearson. The deal came after News Corporation failed to acquire 22% of [[TVB]] because of regulatory issues.<ref name="SCMP-93JUL27">Tam, Luisa "[https://www.scmp.com/article/38310/news-buys-star-tv News buys Star TV]" ''[[South China Morning Post]]'' 27 July 1993 ''SCMP'' was owned by [[News Corporation]] at the time of announcement.</ref><ref name="Variety-93JUL27">{{cite web|last=Palmer |first=Rhonda |url=https://variety.com/1993/tv/news/murdoch-catches-rising-star-108977/ |title=Murdoch catches rising Star |publisher=Variety |date=27 July 1993 |access-date=29 June 2013}}</ref><ref name="NYT-93AUG23">{{cite web|last=Shenon |first=Philip |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/08/23/business/the-media-business-star-tv-extends-murdoch-s-reach.html |title=Star TV Extends Murdoch's Reach |work=The New York Times |date=23 August 1993 |access-date=29 June 2013}}</ref> News Corporation acquired the remaining 36.4% for US$299 million in July 1995.<ref name="SCMP-95JUL19">Kennedy, Sean "[https://www.scmp.com/article/124893/mogul-takes-all-star Mogul takes all of Star]" ''[[South China Morning Post]]'' 19 July 1995</ref><ref name="Variety-95JUL24">"[https://variety.com/1995/scene/markets-festivals/murdoch-takes-over-star-99129461/ Murdoch Takes Over Star]" ''Variety'' 24 July 1995</ref> The Li family and Hutchison Whampoa would retain its shares in Hutchvision Hong Kong Limited, which uplinked Star TV's channels.<ref name="SCMP-93JUL27" /><ref name="Variety-93JUL27" /><ref name="SCMP-95JUL19" /><ref name="Variety-95JUL24" /> With the money he made from the 1993 sale, Richard Li went on to establish [[Pacific Century Group]].<ref name="LAT-94APR11">Courtney, Christine "[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-04-11-fi-44804-story.html Hong Kong Rich Kid Turns Asia on Its Headset : Media: Richard Li declines family job to found satellite-TV venture. Next goal is pan-Asian 'information exchange.']" ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' 11 April 1994</ref> It was later theorized by author Shiau Hong-chi that Murdoch's purchase of Star TV was based on a theory of media globalization, assuming that people across every nation and language would watch the same TV programmes, with the original plan for Star TV being to broadcast popular American shows to Asian audiences. However, the plan was unsuccessful, with Star TV being forced to invest heavily into producing local shows for their Asian audience.<ref name="SHIAU">Shiau, Hong-chi. ''Animating the cute, the mean and the beautiful: the production and consumption of animation: Taiwan's struggles in the age of globalization''. Saarbrucken [Germany]: VDM, Verlag Dr. Muller. 2008. {{ISBN|9783639093971}} {{OCLC|298596290}}</ref> On 1 August 1993, following News Corporation's takeover, Julian Mounter resigned as Chief Executive of the company. [[Sam Chisholm]] (head of BSkyB at the time) became acting Chief Executive of News Corporation before he was formally appointed.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Palmer |first1=Rhonda |title=Mounter dismounts Star TV |url=https://variety.com/1993/biz/news/mounter-dismounts-star-tv-109283/ |access-date=7 January 2019 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=4 August 1993}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hotten |first1=Russell |last2=Poole |first2=Teresa |title=Mounter quits as StarTV chief |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/mounter-quits-as-startv-chief-1459209.html |access-date=7 January 2019 |work=[[The Independent]] |date=5 August 1993}}</ref><ref name="UKIndy-93AUG08">{{cite news |last1=Nisse |first1=Jason |title=BSkyB chief in move to Murdoch's Star TV |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/bskyb-chief-in-move-to-murdochs-star-tv-1459955.html |access-date=7 January 2019 |work=[[The Independent]] |date=8 August 1993}}</ref>

 

 

As of 1993, Star TV's channel line-up consisted of MTV Asia, [[BBC World Service Television]], a sports channel, an English-language entertainment channel, and a Chinese-language entertainment channel. It also planned to launch a movie channel in Chinese and Hindi later the same year.<ref>{{cite news |title=Star has major impact on Asia |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19930827-1.2.67.7.4 |access-date=23 December 2023 |work=The Straits Times |date=27 August 1993}}</ref> The Star TV network reached an estimate of 45 million viewers and was the only large satellite network to reach all of Asia.<ref name="ready"></ref> On 1 September 1993, in a speech Murdoch made in London coinciding with the start of [[Sky Multichannels]] and relayed to associates in Los Angeles, New York, Hong Kong and Sydney, Murdoch announced a plan to combine his synergies around the world to create a global network of television channels, as well as a potential partnership with [[TVB]], who at the time had the largest Mandarin-language television library in the world.<ref>{{cite news |title=Murdoch plans to dominate world TV; SCMP sees heavy buying |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/biztimes19930903-1.2.4 |access-date=12 August 2024 |work=The Business Times |date=3 September 1993}}</ref>

 

In May 1999, Star TV migrated its channels from AsiaSat 1 and 2 to AsiaSat 3S.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sullivan |first=Maureen |date=1999-05-05 |title=Star TV finds new satellite platform |url=https://variety.com/1999/tv/news/star-tv-finds-new-satellite-platform-1117500053/ |access-date=2023-04-08 |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref>

 

Star TV aired the high-definition programme ''Angel'' in 2006 in cooperation with Singaporean [[Mediacorp|Mediacorp Studios]]. The show was scheduled to shoot 40 episodes, and was filmed in [[Taiwan]]. The show was aired on [[Star Chinese Channel]] in Taiwan and on [[Mediacorp]] in Singapore, with Star TV handling distribution and sales in other countries. In addition, [[Star Chinese Movies]] was announced to have invested in three high-definition films, to be produced by [[Derek Yee|Derek Yee Tung-sing]]. Additionally, the [[National Geographic (Asian TV channel)|National Geographic Channel]] produced around one thousand hours of high-definition programming commissioned for the Asian market (excluding Japan).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Frater |first=Patrick |date=2006-06-28 |title=Star TV shines on high-def 'Angel' |url=https://variety.com/2006/digital/asia/star-tv-shines-on-high-def-angel-1200336975/ |access-date=2023-04-08 |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref>

* The original Star TV company became Fox International Channels Asia Pacific, and would focus on East and Southeast Asia. It also took over the representation of FIC channels from NGC Network Asia, LLC (channels already being distributed by Star). The company would continue to distribute its channels in the Middle East, and would take responsibility of the distribution of Star India and Star Greater China's channels in Asia outside their respective home markets.

 

 

In August 2010, it was announced that the News Corporation would sell a controlling stake in its assets held in mainland China to [[China Media Capital]] (CMC).<ref name="Reuters-10AUG09">Young, Doug "[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-newscorp-china/news-corp-sells-controlling-stake-in-china-tv-channels-idUSTRE67810L20100809 News Corp sells controlling stake in China TV channels]" [[Reuters]] 9 August 2010</ref><ref name="AP-10AUG09">Chu, Karen "[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/news-corp-sells-chinese-language-26422 News Corp. sells Chinese-language channels to CMC]" [[Associated Press]] 9 August 2010 (via ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'')</ref><ref name="Variety-10AUG09">Coonan, Clifford "[https://variety.com/2010/biz/markets-festivals/china-media-capital-buys-star-china-1118022740/ China Media Capital buys Star China]" ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' 9 August 2010</ref> Xing Kong (both domestic and international versions), Channel V Mainland China, and the Fortune Star film library were included in the sale,<ref name="Reuters-10AUG09" /><ref name="AP-10AUG09" /><ref name="Variety-10AUG09" /> and a joint venture named [[Star China Media]] was created in the process. CMC acquired the remaining stake in Star China Media in January 2014.<ref>"[https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20140102005296/en/Star-China%E2%80%99s-Management-Team-China-Media-Capital Star China's Management Team and China Media Capital to Acquire 21st Century Fox's Entire Stake in Star China TV Joint Venture]" [[21st Century Fox]] [[Business Wire]] 2 January 2014</ref><ref>Patnaik, Sampad "[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-fox-divestment/21st-century-fox-sells-star-china-tv-stake-idUSBREA010CC20140102 21st Century Fox sells Star China TV stake]" [[Reuters]] 2 January 2014</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=William|first1=Christopher|title=Rupert Murdoch gives up on China with sale of Star China TV|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/media/10547453/Rupert-Murdoch-gives-up-on-China-with-sale-of-Star-China-TV.html|website=The Telegraph|date=2 January 2014 |publisher=Telegraph UK|access-date=20 July 2014}}</ref>

 

 

In the wake of the [[2011 News Corporation scandals]], the original News Corporation was split into [[21st Century Fox]] and the new [[News Corp]] on 28 June 2013, with the television businesses (which FIC Asia was a part of) going to 21st Century Fox. In October 2013, 12.15% of shares in [[Phoenix Television]] held by 21st Century Fox (through Star) was sold to [[TPG Capital]] for HK$1.66 billion (about US$213.73 million).<ref>"[https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20131018005627/en/TPG-Acquire-21st-Century-Fox%E2%80%99s-Stake-Phoenix TPG to Acquire 21st Century Fox's Stake in Phoenix Satellite Television Holdings Limited]" (press release) [[TPG Capital]]; [[21st Century Fox]] [[Business Wire]] 18 October 2013</ref><ref>Tan, Clement "[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tpg-phoenix/tpg-pays-murdoch-unit-214-million-for-chinese-media-company-stake-idUSBRE99I01Z20131019 TPG pays Murdoch unit $214 million for Chinese media company stake]" [[Reuters]] 19 October 2013</ref><ref>Joshua, Fellman "[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-10-18/tpg-china-media-buys-remaining-fox-stake-in-phoenix-satellite-tv TPG China Media Buys Remaining Fox Stake in Phoenix Satellite TV]" [[Bloomberg L.P.]] 18 October 2013</ref><ref>Frater, Patrick "[https://variety.com/2013/biz/asia/21st-century-fox-sells-phoenix-stake-1200753463/ 21st Century Fox Sells Phoenix Stake]" ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' 22 October 2013</ref> This and 2014 sale of Star China Media marked 21st Century Fox's exit from the Mandarin entertainment television market in mainland China.

With the [[Acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney|acquisition of 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets]] by [[The Walt Disney Company]], FNG Asia Pacific (including FNG Taiwan and FNG's remaining businesses in mainland China), as well as Star India, became a part of Disney. FNG Asia Pacific were integrated into [[Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International]] (now [[List of assets owned by The Walt Disney Company#Disney International Content and Operations|Disney International Operations]].) Fox Networks Group Asia was split into three, as to plug into the Disney International structure with offices in Shanghai, Mumbai, and Singapore. The reconfiguration and layoff began on 29 June 2020, with layoffs focused on FNG Asia's Hung Hom headquarters, which date back to their 1993 acquisition by PCCW.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Frater|first1=Patrick|last2=Chow|first2=Vivienne|title=Redundancies at Disney in Hong Kong as Fox's Asia TV Operations Are Dispersed|url=https://variety.com/2020/biz/asia/redundancies-disney-hong-kong-fox-asia-tv-1234692840/|access-date=June 29, 2020|work=Variety|date=June 29, 2020|language=en}}</ref>

 

*{{cite news|last=Frater|first=Patrick|date=April 27, 2021|title=Disney Slashes Linear TV in Asia With 18-Channel Closure, Shifts Focus to Disney Plus|url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/asia/disney-closing-tv-channels-in-asia-1234961166/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921002441/https://variety.com/2021/tv/asia/disney-closing-tv-channels-in-asia-1234961166/|archive-date=September 21, 2021|access-date=September 21, 2021|website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}

*{{cite news|last=Kanter|first=Jake|date=April 27, 2021|title=Disney Closes 18 Asia TV Channels As It Shifts Focus To Disney+|url=https://deadline.com/2021/04/disney-closes-asia-tv-channels-1234744754|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921002426/https://deadline.com/2021/04/disney-closes-asia-tv-channels-1234744754/|archive-date=September 21, 2021|access-date=September 21, 2021|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]}}

In Taiwan, Disney Channel officially ceased broadcasting on New Year's Day 2022, with Disney programming being relocated to [[Disney+]] permanently.<ref>{{cite news|last=Strong|first=Matthew|date=August 27, 2021|title=Disney Channel ends after 26 years in Taiwan to make way for Disney+|work=[[Taiwan News]]|url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4277788|access-date=October 1, 2021|language=en}}</ref> Both Fox Movies and Fox rebranded themselves as [[Star Movies|Star Movies Gold]] (which, unlike Star Movies HD, has different movie lineups and uses branding from the first iteration) and [[Star World]] respectively.<ref>{{cite web|author=<!--Staff writer(s)/no by-line.-->|title=Fox Movies、Fox 全「星」更名STAR MOVIES GOLD、Star World|url=https://www.dngtw.tw/smithd/news_content.php?id=1782|website=StarMovies HD|access-date=14 December 2021|archive-date=14 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211214110157/https://www.dngtw.tw/smithd/news_content.php?id=1782|url-status=dead}}</ref> This marked the only country with Disney channels operating under the Star brand alongside the existing [[Star Chinese Movies]] and [[Star Chinese Channel]].

 

 

==Controversy==