ITV

Tag: Star Group Ltd

  • It happens only in indya, Star opts to buy out portal

    Star has finally taken a full-fledged leap into the dotcom pool. Confirming its confidence in the Internet space, Star India today hoicked its stake in the much-hyped portal indya.com to “almost 100 per cent.”

    A joint release from Star and indya.com states that the Rupert Murdoch-promoted firm has bought the entire shareholding of founder and Microland chairman Pradeep Kar, and other investors. Kar had established indya.com in April 2000.

    The market was abuzz for long that Star would gobble up indya.com in toto but its management had consistently pooh-poohed that possibility. Star had earlier paid out $ 50 million for a 37 per cent stake in the portal but that was before the worldwide dotcom meltdown. No further details were available on how much Star paid to buy out Kar and associates, but official sources say current valuations are significantly lower. Some estimates put the figure at about $25 million.

    Gary Walrath, executive vice-president, Star Group Ltd, has been appointed chairman of indya.com while CEO Sunil Lulla will continue to head the dotcom, assisted by Indya’s management team, says the company release.

    The website is planned to become the online destination for all of Star’s India properties on its TV channels today and in future. Already, Star Plus, Star Movies, Star World and Channel [V] have been integrated into indya.com and will soon be joined by the group’s other channels in the coming months.

    The press release says benefits will also accrue to indya.com. “The alignment will give consumers and users an opportunity to interact more with Star on the internet and see more of indya.com on television,” it states.

    Recently the website launched interactive applications and multimedia content built around some of Star’s popular programmes like Kaun Banega Crorepati, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Kaahin Kissii Roz, Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki, Ji Mantriji (all on Star Plus), Friends, X-Files, Ally McBeal and Baywatch (on Star World).

  • James Murdoch meets cable ops; makes another pitch for easing of DTH terms

    James Murdoch meets cable ops; makes another pitch for easing of DTH terms

    Even as the government is readying to formalise the implementation of the conditional access system (CAS), chairman of the Hong Kong-based Star Group Ltd, James Murdoch, met up with some cable operators in a five-star hotel in Delhi on 2 May. The agenda: CAS and under-declaration of cable households by most cable operators in the country.

    According to one of the cable operators who attended the afternoon meeting with Murdoch: “We got a feeling that Mr Murdoch is not very happy with the impending introduction of CAS as he kept on stressing the fact most broadcasters lose (subscription) money in India because under-declaration is rampant.”

    The informal meeting with Murdoch was attended by about five big independent and vocal cable operators of Delhi. Also present was Star India chief executive, Peter Mukerjea.

    Both Murdoch and Mukerjea (who otherwise is Mumbai-based), along with some other senior executives of Star, had been camping in Delhi for the last three to four days. The two Ms of Star, reportedly, left the Capital on Thursday after some power meetings and parties held during the past few days, including a much-talked about party hosted by the former journalist-turned-TV-anchor-turned-politician, Rajya Sabha (upper house) Member of Parliament Rajeev Shukla.

    A frequent visitor to India these days, Murdoch, according to industry sources, also took this chance to lobby hard for some relaxation in the policy guidelines involving KU-band direct-to-home (DTH) TV service.

    But, point out senior government officials, a change in the existing DTH policy (which includes a 20 per cent cap on the shareholding of a media company in a DTH venture) is “highly unlikely at this juncture.”

    On being asked the reason, explained an official: “How can the government bring about a change in the DTH policy at a time when a company has already applied for a DTH licence. Making changes would be unfair for the little known company which has sought a licence.”

    Government officials have confirmed that Mumbai-based Space TV has applied for a DTH licence. Though the government is not clear, but industry sources insist that Space TV is fronting for Star Group which is natural since Star as a company cannot, and would not, apply for a DTH licence if it has to keep within the limitations of the various policy restrictions.