News Corporation's STAR launches 7-Channels on Bell Fibe TV

TORONTO and MUMBAI, India, Nov. 23, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- STAR, a wholly owned subsidiary of News Corporation (Nasdaq: NWS) and Asia's leading media and Entertainment Company, has launched 4 top-rated South Asian STAR channels and three STAR Mandarin-language channels on Bell Fibe TV, the next generation television service recently launched by Canada's largest communications company.

The channels 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 complement programming from India's No.1 General Entertainment Channel for the past 9 years, STAR India PLUS, which has been available on ATN's services in Canada since 2006.

Three popular Mandarin language channels from STAR Greater China's bouquet consists of STAR CHINESE CHANNEL (general entertainment), STAR CHINESE MOVIES 2 (Chinese films) and Taiwan's trend setting music and lifestyle channel, CHANNEL [V] Taiwan.

"We are elated to partner with Bell Fibe TV and provide our top rated channels to the South Asian and Chinese Diaspora in Canada," said David Wisnia, STAR's Senior Vice President of Distribution, Sales and Marketing and head of STAR's North American office. "Our worldwide audiences have historically been treated to some of the best programming available from our roster of channels and we now look forward to inviting our Fibe TV subscribers to be a part of this unique entertainment experience."

"Bell Fibe TV offers customers an enhanced television experience delivered over a state-of-the-art IPTV platform," said Heather Tulk, Senior Vice President of Residential Products at Bell. "Adding these seven STAR channels to Fibe TV's programming line-up makes our next generation television service even more appealing to Canada's vibrant Mandarin-speaking and South Asian communities."

"We are delighted to launch these 7 Compelling Channels from the Star Group as part of the 27 Multicultural Channels ATN launched on Bell Fibe TV. ATN has had a great Programming Partnership with Star for the past 4 Years and we have had a wonderful Distribution Partnership with Bell for the past 13 years," said Dr. Shan Chandrasekar President and CEO of ATN-Asian Television Network International Limited, Canada's Largest South Asian Broadcast Company and Canada's largest distributor of World class Cricket. For Programming Schedules of the Star Channels in Canada please visit www.asiantelevision.com    

For more information, or to order Fibe TV in Canada, please call 1 866-269-8009 or visit www.Bell.ca/FibeTV

About STAR

STAR India is a leading media and entertainment company, broadcasting 33 channels in eight languages to more than 142 million people every week across India and more than 65 countries across the globe. Its channel portfolio includes household brands Star Plus, Star One, Star Gold, Channel [V], Star Jalsha, Star Pravah, Star World, Star Movies, Star Utsav and joint venture channels Asianet, Asianet Plus, Star Vijay, Suvarna, Star News, ESPN and Star Sports. STAR India also manages a portfolio of business ventures including DTH operator Tata Sky, Cable system Hathway, channel distributor STAR Den, news channel operator MCCS, south Indian broadcast business of Asianet channels and STAR Vijay, film producer and distributor Fox STAR Studios India and STAR CJ Home Shopping.  Its businesses have greater breadth and depth than any other broadcaster in the country.

Star India is a fully owned subsidiary of News Corporation. www.startv.com/usa

SOURCE STAR