Star India has postponed launch of about 15 TV channels and renaming of a channel without assigning any reasons for the decision.
The distribution platforms were informed by the broadcaster recently that the launch of the TV channels had been deferred.
The TV channels deferred include Star Gold Romance, Star Gold Thrills, Jalsha Josh, Star Movies Select, Super Hungama, Star Gold 2 HD, Star Sports Telugu HD, Star Sports Tamil HD, Disney Channel HD, Hungama HD, Pravah Pictures HD, Pravah Pictures, Vijay Super HD, Asianet Movies HD, Star Kirano and Star Kirano HD.
Marvel HQ, which was to be renamed as Hungama Super, too has been put on hold.
Sector regulator TRAI’s decision to push back the implementation date of the new tariff regime to April 2022 on demand from the industry could be a reason that prompted Star to defer the launch of new products in India.
Star’s parent The Walt Disney Company in April earlier this year had announced its decision to shutter 18 linear TV channels in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong to put greater focus on its D2C business of streaming.
India was the only country in Asia where the Disney group’s Star was slated to launch linear products.