STAR launches 7 Channels on Rogers’ Canadian platform

Media News

New Delhi, October 20, 2009

STAR, a wholly owned subsidiary of News Corporation (NASDAQ: NWS) and Asia’s leading media and Entertainment Company has launched four top-rated South Asian STAR channels on Rogers Cable, the leading cable operator in Canada. This will be followed by the launch of three STAR Mandarin-language services later this month.

The channels already launched include three Hindi language services (general entertainment channel STAR ONE, Bollywood movie channel STAR India GOLD and leading news channel STAR India NEWS) as well as popular Tamil entertainment language channel, STAR VIJAY. These four channels compliment programming from India’s leading Hindi general entertainment channel, STAR India PLUS, which has been available on ATN’s services in Canada since 2006.

Later this month, three popular Mandarin language channels from STAR Greater China’s bouquet will also make their Canadian debut. The channels consist of STAR CHINESE CHANNEL (general entertainment), STAR CHINESE MOVIES 2 (Chinese films) and Taiwan’s trend setting music and lifestyle channel, CHANNEL Taiwan.

"After attracting a strong following among the Asian diaspora in the U.S., we’re thrilled to partner with Rogers to launch our top-rated channels for viewers in Canada," said David Wisnia, STAR’s Senior Vice President of Distribution, Sales and Marketing and head of STAR’s North American and European offices. "This launch marks the debut of 24-hour STAR channels in Canada and makes STAR the largest provider of foreign television services to Rogers’ viewers. Now Canadian audiences will have seven new 24-hour channels from which to find fresh favourites, to entertain, inform and inspire."

"Rogers has long been committed to delivering the most variety and choice of multicultural programming to Canadians," said David Purdy, Vice President of TV and Video Product Management, Rogers Cable. "The South Asian and Chinese communities are extremely important to us and we are pleased to be delivering even more valued content to our customers."

Shan Chandrasekar, the president and CEO of ATN, added that ATN, STAR and Rogers share a common vision of delivering variety and value to multi-cultural communities across Canada. "We are proud to sponsor these highly popular STAR services in Canada, as their top programs attract some of the biggest audiences in Asia."

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