Star Chinese Channel

Star Chinese Channel

Country	Greater China (1991-1996) Taiwan (1996-present)
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	1080i HDTV (downscaled to 480i for the SD feed)
Ownership
Owner	The Walt Disney Company (Taiwan) Ltd. (Disney International Operations)
Sister channels	Star Chinese Movies Star World Star Movies Gold & Star Movies HD
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) 1 February 2022 (Astro feed, Malaysia)
Replaced by	Phoenix Chinese Channel (Mainland China)
Former names	STAR TV Chinese Channel (1991-2001)
Links
Website	www.dngtw.tw/scc/ (Taiwan)

Star Chinese Channel (Chinese: 衛視中文台) is a Taiwanese general entertainment television channel operated by The Walt Disney Company (Taiwan) Ltd. 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 first five original channels of Star TV, Star Chinese Channel was launched on 21 October 1991 at 16:30 Hong Kong Time as STAR TV Chinese Channel, 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 TV 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 TV 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.

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.

Malaysian feed of Star Chinese Channel closed on 1 February 2022 due to the launch of Disney+ Hotstar.

Latin America, Middle East, Africa and Europe Feed was yet to be launched. Although the space was open as Star Life LatAm has closed in operation on March 31, 2022 along with Disney XD, Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Kids, FXM and even the Brazilian version of Disney Junior in order to expanding their operation on Disney+ and Star+, thereafter Star+ will be carrying some Asian contents to the platform.

External links

• Official website (Taiwan)