Star Channels#Channels

{{short description|Group of Middle Eastern premium television networks}}

{{Infobox television channel

| name = Star Channels

| logo = Star Channels 2024.svg

| logo_size =

| launch_date = {{Start date and age|2024|3|1}}

| closed_date =

| picture_format = 1080i (HDTV 16:9)

| network =

| owner = The Walt Disney Company EMEA (Disney Entertainment)

| motto =

| language = {{flatlist|

English
Arabic}}

| area = Middle East and North Africa

| affiliates =

| headquarters = Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.

| former_names =

| timeshift_service =

| website =

| terr_serv_1 =

| terr_chan_1 =

}}

Star Channels are a multiplex suite of premium Middle Eastern and North African subscription television channels owned by The Walt Disney Company EMEA. Its programming consisted mostly of non-dubbed movies and series with Arabic subtitles.

History

The network started launching in Middle East on January 24, 2006, by Fox International Channels EMEA with the launch of Fox Series and on March 1, 2011, the channel was renamed as Fox.{{cite news |title=Fox moves MENA channels to Abu Dhabi |url=https://www.c21media.net/fox-moves-mena-channels-to-abu-dhabi/ |access-date=11 June 2019 |work=C21media |date=8 March 2010 }}{{Cite web |author=Staff Writer |date=2008-12-01 |title=Fox introduces TV series channel in the Middle East - eb247 - Companies And Markets - Media - Emirates24{{!}}7 |url=https://www.emirates247.com/eb247/companies-markets/media/fox-introduces-tv-series-channel-in-the-middle-east-2008-12-01-1.228412 |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=www.emirates247.com |language=en}} The suite was built as Star Channels on March 1, 2024, as Disney de-emphasized use of the Fox brand.{{cite news |title=Fox Networks Group launches of Fox Family Movies |url=https://middleeast-business.com/fox-networks-group-expands-its-pay-tv/ |date=18 April 2016 }}{{cite news |title=Fox launches three Pay-TV channels|url=https://tradearabia.com/touch/article/MEDIA/305165 |date=18 April 2016 }}{{cite news |title=How has American entertainment become omnipresent in the Arab world? |url=https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2014/06/132137/how-has-american-entertainment-become-omnipresent-in-the-arab-world/ |access-date=11 June 2019 |work=Morocco World News |date=6 June 2014}}

On February 2, 2024, Disney announced that they would rebrand the Fox branded channels in Middle East to Star on March 1, 2024, as it pushed the Star branding from regional Asian use to worldwide outside of North America to avoid brand licensing fees to Fox Corporation for the continued use of the Fox trademark on active television networks, with "Star Series" and "Star Action" name were re-used from the defunct Latin American Star Premium multiple suits of television channels.{{Cite web |date=February 2, 2024 |title=Fox branded channels to undergo rebranding in MENA region | BroadcastPro Middle East |url=https://www.broadcastprome.com/news/fox-branded-channels-to-undergo-rebranding-in-mena-region/ |access-date=March 10, 2024}} On 1 November 2024, Star Films, Star Life and Star Series were discontinued.