Asianet Star Communications

Asianet Star Communications, formerly Asianet Communications, is an Indian media company owned by Star India, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company.[1][2] Asianet Star Communications operates Malayalam channels Asianet, Asianet Plus, Asianet Middle East, and Asianet Movies,[3][4] Kannada channels Star Suvarna and Star Suvarna Plus and Tamil channels Star Vijay and Star Vijay Super.[5]

Not to be confused with Asianet News Network or Asianet Satellite Communications.

Asianet Star Communications
TypeMedia Company
Country
India
AvailabilityIndian sub-continent, China, Southeast Asia, Middle East, Europe, United States and the lower half of the former Soviet Union
ParentSTAR India (Disney India)
Official website
www.startv.com

Malayalam and Kannada news channels, Asianet News (formerly Asianet Global) and Suvarna News (formerly Asianet Suvarna), are wholly owned by Asianet News Network (ANN), a subsidiary of Jupiter Capital. Both Asianet News Network channels and STAR India channels use the brand-name and the "Asianet" logo.[1]

History

Asianet Communications was the first entertainment television company in Malayalam.[6] STAR India started discussions with the then owners of the Asianet in August, 2008.[7] STAR India eventually bought a 51% stake in Asianet Communications and formed joint venture with JEV in November, 2008.[2] The joint venture, called "STAR Jupiter", comprised all general entertainment channels of Asianet Communications (Asianet, Asianet Plus, Asianet Suvarna and Asianet Sitara[8]) and Star Vijay. Star India had reportedly paid $235 million in cash for the 51% stake and assumed net debt of approximately $20 million.[1][7]

STAR India increased its stake in Asianet Communications to 75% in July 2010 (for which STAR India paid around $90 million in cash), and to 87%, by acquiring 12% stake for $160 million in June, 2013. The later move was by virtue of acquiring a 19% equity stake in Vijay TV from Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Asianet Communications MD Madhavan. Following the June, 2013 investment, Asianet Communications was valued at $1.33 billion. STAR India acquired 100% stake in Asianet Communications (buying the remaining 13% stake) in March, 2014.[1][2]

Upon Disney acquiring Fox, Asianet Star Communications, along with all of Star India's subsidiaries, became subsidiaries of The Walt Disney Company, and restructuring put them under Disney India.

Channels

Radio

Best FM 95, is run by Asianet STAR Communications. Best FM 95 has two FM radio stations in Kerala, Thrissur & Kannur. It broadcasts music in three languages (Malayalam, Tamil and Hindi).[9] Best fm 95 was launched on January 13, 2008.[10]

Asianet STAR Communications also had a radio station in MiddleEast in the name Asianet fm but it was closed later

References
  1. "STAR India acquires 100% Stake in Asianet Communications - MediaNama". medianama.com. Archived from the original on 27 July 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2018.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  2. Kulkarni, Raghuvir Badrinath & Mahesh (17 July 2013). "Interesting tussle on to gain control of 'Kannada Prabha'". Business Standard. Archived from the original on 27 July 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2019.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. "Asianet to launch movie channel on 15 July". Business Line. 11 July 2012. Archived from the original on 5 January 2013.
  4. "Asianet to launch 24-hour movie channel". Business Standard. 11 July 2012.
  5. "STAR India acquires 100% Stake in Asianet Communications". MediaNama. 13 March 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  6. "Star buys majority in Asianet; forms JV with Rajeev Chandrasekhar". Reuters. 17 November 2008. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  7. "Rupert Murdoch's grand takeover in Kerala". Archived from the original on 6 November 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2014.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  8. Reporter, B. S. (16 November 2008). "Star TV buys majority in Jupiter Entertainment". Business Standard. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  9. Gainbuzz. "Best FM,Kannur , Kannur". Gainbuzz. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  10. "Asianet FM Radio from Kannur to go on air on Jan 13". www.outlookindia.com/. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
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