STAR, DIRECTV Expand Carriage Relationship

EL SEGUNDO/LOS ANGELES: DIRECTV has extended its agreement with STAR for carriage of the Indian networks STAR India Plus, STAR One and STAR India News, and has added STAR India Gold to its lineup.

The newest addition is a 24-hour Hindi movie network. The extended carriage deal builds on a partnership that has been in place since November 2004, when the STAR India networks made their American debut.

“Since their launch in 2004, STAR’s leading Indian channels have become household names among DIRECTV’s South Asian subscribers,” said David Wisnia, STAR’s senior VP of distribution, sales and marketing and head of STAR’s North American office. “We are excited to extend our relationship with our partners at DIRECTV and are confident that with the launch of STAR India GOLD, viewers will get to see the best of Bollywood and continue to be captivated by the top rated comedies, drama series, reality shows and news programs that our other top rated STAR channels showcase on a daily basis.”

“DIRECTV has become the destination for South-Asian consumers who want the best and most relevant Indian programming,” added Toby Berlin, VP of DIRECTV programming acquisitions. “We are thrilled to not only extend our relationship with STAR but to also enhance it with the launch of STAR India Gold, Hindi cinema entertainment at its best.”