Star India is exiting the news broadcasting segment in India. The Murdoch-promoted broadcasting company is parting ways with the Ananda Bazar Patrika Group, with which it ran three news channels, it said in a statement today.
The Star brand affiliation with the news channels – Star India, Star Majha and Star Ananda - will now be discontinued. The three channels are run under the joint venture company Media Content and Communications Services India Pvt Ltd (MCCS). Star News will now be rechristened ABP News while Star Ananda and Star Majha now become ABP Ananda and ABP Majha .
“Given the current regulatory environment and structural issues ailing the Indian cable and satellite television market and the news genre in particular, Star took this extremely difficult decision to withdraw its brand from the genre,” Star India said in a statement. This will also help the company focus on its core strength – general entertainment channels, it said.
The companies said that the discontinuation will come into effect in phases which will take a period of 2-4 months and the two parties will work together to ensure a smooth transition.
“The core business of the ABP is news and it wishes to promote and establish its own brands in the broadcast news space through it subsidiary company – MCCS,” said the Kolkata-based ABP group.
MCCS has sustained its affiliation with Star brand for eight years.
Meenakshi.v@thehindu.co.in