Star Chinese Channel
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Country | Greater China (1991-1996) Taiwan (1996-present) |
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Broadcast area | Taiwan Hong Kong Southeast Asia |
Headquarters | British Hong Kong (1991-1996) Taipei (1996-present) |
Programming | |
Language(s) | Cantonese (1991-1996) Mandarin (1991-present) |
Picture format | SD version: 576i 16:9 HD version: 1080i 16:9 |
Ownership | |
Owner | Disney Networks Group Asia Pacific (Disney International Operations) |
Sister channels | Star Chinese Movies |
History | |
Launched | 21 October 1991 |
Closed | 2 July 2020 (SD, Brunei) 19 September 2021 (Transvision feed, Indonesia) 1 October 2021 (Unifi TV feed, Malaysia and Singtel TV feed, Singapore) |
Replaced by | Phoenix Chinese Channel (Mainland China) |
Links | |
Website | www |
Availability | |
Cable | |
CATV (Taiwan) | Channel 31 (HD) |
Cable TV Hong Kong (Hong Kong) | Channel 332 (SD) |
Satellite | |
Astro (Malaysia) | Channel 315 (HD) |
Zuku TV (Kenya) | Channel 123 |
IPTV | |
StarHub TV (Singapore) | Channel 822 (HD) |
TOT iptv (Thailand) | Channel 206 (HD) |
Star Chinese Channel (Chinese: 衛視中文台) is a Taiwanese general entertainment television channel operated by Disney Networks Group Asia Pacific. Its programming features drama, variety, lifestyle, and talk shows in Mandarin. Launched on 21 October 1991 at 16:30 Hong Kong Time by its predecessor Star TV, the channel originally targeted audiences in Greater China broadcasting in both Mandarin and Cantonese, before it reduced broadcasting area to just Taiwan and began broadcasting only in Mandarin on 31 March 1996.
History[]
One of the five original channels of Star TV, Star Chinese Channel was launched on 21 October 1991 at 16:30 Hong Kong Time, the channel originally targeted audiences in Greater China broadcasting in both Mandarin and Cantonese. It is also the first commercial broadcasting-owned channel to broadcast in Taiwan. It was a free-to-air channel, but at some point, Star TV encrypted the channel. The channel was previously broadcast across Greater China, but on 30 March 1996 at 19:00 Hong Kong Time, Star TV split Star Chinese Channel by certain areas and reduced its broadcasting area to just Taiwan (Viewers in Greater China apart from Taiwan were offered Phoenix Chinese Channel instead). Star TV later launched a separate international feed of Star Chinese Channel which is available in Southeast Asia.
At one point, the channel's operation was moved from British Hong Kong to Taipei.
Shiau Hong-chi says that the original business for Star TV was to broadcast popular American shows to Taiwanese audience with as less effort as possible. Shiau then argues that however the plan was unsuccessful and Star TV had to invest on localized branches such as Chinese Channel and Channel V Taiwan and make local shows.[1]
Feeds[]
Taiwan[]
- Star Chinese Channel (衛視中文台)
- Star Entertainment Channel (星衛娛樂台): An alternative channel available on CHT MOD and certain cable TV providers in Taiwan.
Hong Kong and Southeast Asia[]
A Southeast Asian feed launched in 2006 across Southeast Asia and 2012 in Hong Kong. The feed airs Star Chinese Channel original shows, and also broadcast variety shows from other television networks and Chinese dramas from the Greater China region (newly released dramas are only available through selected countries as it aired). The feed is currently available on certain TV providers in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.
A version of Star Chinese Channel was also available in the New Zealand, United States and Canada, along with Star Chinese Movies. But both channels have since ceased operation in the area Since 2018.
References[]
- ^ Shiau, Hong-chi. Animating the cute, the mean and the beautiful: the production and consumption of animation: Taiwan's struggles in the age of globalization. Saarbrucken [Germany]: VDM, Verlag Dr. Muller. 2008. ISBN 3639093976
External links[]
- Official website (Taiwan)
- Television stations in Taiwan
- Television channels and stations established in 1991
- 1991 establishments in Taiwan
- Fox Networks Group
- Disney television networks