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Star to launch Indian news channel soon

Bipin Chandran

The Rupert Murdoch-promoted Star TV is planning to launch its Indian news channel through its Virgin Island-based fully owned subsidiary Star News Broadcasting, a senior government official said, quoting an application filed by the company.

The company plans to run its news broadcasting operations in India by sourcing content from the Indian partners.

This means the news gathering would be done by the Indian company and Star TV would buy content from it.

According to senior government officials, Star has also sought permission to transmit its signal to Hong Kong using Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd facilities.

Star will uplink the signals to the satellite from Hong Kong. Star is likely to use this facility to transmit content for other channels too.

“As per the company’s application, it would run the news broadcasting operation in partnership with an Indian company,” a government official said.

This arrangement would allow Star almost real-time transmission, which is important for its news operations, expected to start in April 2003.

Star’s contract with Delhi-based production house NDTV for supplying content to be aired on Star News channel ends in April 2003.

Meanwhile, Star has appointed Ravina Raj Kohli as president of the Star News channel. She would head the operations of the channel and report to Peter Mukerjea, CEO of Star India.

Star, a wholly-owned subsidiary of News Corporation, is Asia’s leading multi-platform content and service provider. Star’s 40 distributed services in eight languages reach more than 300 million viewers across 53 Asian countries.

Star’s bouquet of television channels include Star Chinese Channel, Phoenix Chinese Channel, Star Plus, Star World, Channel [V], ESPN, Star Sports, Star Movies, Star Gold, Phoenix Movies Channel, VIVA Cinema, Star News and Phoenix InfoNews Channel.

Star has interests in cable systems in India and Taiwan, and Internet portals and services companies across the region.

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