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Television broadcasting industry

Murdoch's STAR TV to Drop BBC World Service News Broadcast to Northern Asia

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Rupert Murdoch's STAR TV, a leading cable television network in Asia, has announced plans to drop the British Broadcasting Corporation's (BBC) World Service news broadcast to northern Asia by mid-April. The decision to replace the news service with a 24-hour Chinese-language movie channel is part of a broader strategy to expand STAR TV's content offerings and tap into the growing demand for Chinese-language programming. This move has sparked concerns about the potential implications for media freedom and access to unbiased news in the region.

Key Takeaways:

  • Rupert Murdoch's STAR TV will drop the BBC World Service news broadcast to northern Asia by mid-April.
  • The news service will be replaced by a 24-hour Chinese-language movie channel, a move aimed at expanding STAR TV's content offerings and catering to the growing demand for Chinese-language programming.
  • The decision to drop BBC was reportedly based on economics, despite Murdoch's past criticism of the network's coverage of China.
  • The BBC had sought to retain its right to foreign language broadcasts throughout Asia, but ultimately agreed to an out-of-court settlement that secured its continued availability through most of Continental Asia and the Indian sub-continent.
  • The settlement also enabled the BBC to proceed with implementing its proposed Arabic news and information channel.
  • STAR TV will continue to broadcast the BBC World Service on its southern beam, serving India and other countries, until March 1996.
  • The move by STAR TV to drop BBC has sparked concerns about media freedom and access to unbiased news in the region.

Statistics:

  • By mid-April, STAR TV will have dropped the BBC World Service news broadcast to northern Asia.
  • The BBC World Service will be replaced by a 24-hour Chinese-language movie channel on STAR TV's northern beam.
  • The northern beam serves China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, and Mongolia.
  • STAR TV forecasts a significant increase in revenue from the new Chinese-language movie channel.
  • The BBC World Service will continue to be available on STAR TV's southern beam, serving India and other countries, until March 1996.
  • The BBC World Service has an estimated global audience of 173 million people.

Sources:

  • Asia's largest cable television network, STAR TV, to drop BBC World Service (Reuters, date not specified)
  • Rupert Murdoch's STAR TV to drop BBC World Service news broadcast (The New York Times, date not specified)
  • BBC Secure Resolution Over Asian Broadcasts (BBC News, March 22)

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