BS10 Star Channel is a Japanese premium television channel operated by Japanet Broadcasting Co., Ltd. (). Star Channel mainly provides films and television series made outside Japan and is available on

satellite A satellite or an artificial satellite is an object, typically a spacecraft, placed into orbit around a celestial body. They have a variety of uses, including communication relay, weather forecasting, navigation ( GPS), broadcasting, scient ...

cable Cable may refer to: Mechanical * Nautical cable, an assembly of three or more ropes woven against the weave of the ropes, rendering it virtually waterproof * Wire rope, a type of rope that consists of several strands of metal wire laid into a hel ...

and

IPTV Internet Protocol television (IPTV), also called TV over broadband, is the service delivery of television over Internet Protocol (IP) networks. Usually sold and run by a Telephone company, telecom provider, it consists of broadcast live telev ...

platforms. As of 2024, the channel is currently owned by Japanet Broadcasting.

History

Star Channel was founded as a private company in 1986. Star Channel began 24-hour broadcasting using Japanese communication satellites in July 1992. As of 1992, the owners of Star Channel were

United International Pictures United International Pictures (UIP) is a joint venture of Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures that distributes their films outside the United States and Canada. UIP also had international distribution rights to certain Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (M ...

subscription television Pay television, also known as subscription television, premium television or, when referring to an individual service, a premium channel, refers to subscription-based television services, usually provided by multichannel television providers, b ...

arm, UIP Pay TV, and a local distributor specializing in Western movies. Previously, each 25% of the company's stake were owned by

Itochu is a Japanese corporation based in Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka and Aoyama, Minato, Tokyo, Aoyama, Minato, Tokyo. It is one of the largest Japanese ''sogo shosha'' (general trading and investment companies) distinguished by the strength of its textil ...

21st Century Fox Twenty-First Century Fox, Inc., which did business as 21st Century Fox, was an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate based in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It was formed on June 28, 2013, as the legal successor ...

(previously as the original

News Corporation The original incarnation of News Corporation (abbreviated News Corp. and also variously known as News Corporation Limited) was an American Multinational corporation, multinational mass media corporation founded and controlled by media mogul Ru ...

Sony Pictures Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment studio conglomerate that produces, acquires, and distributes filmed entertainment (theatrical motion pictures, television programs, and rec ...

and Tohokushinsha Film,Mitsuhiro Yoshimoto, Eva Tsai, JungBong Choi Television, Japan, and Globalization 1929280599 - 2010- Page 20 "Just like Star TV, Star Channel specializes in the provision of foreign movies to Japanese audiences via the diverse broadcasting venues of digital CS, BS, and cable television. In fact, Japan's Star Channel was an outcome of a bizarre negotiation between Itochu and Star TV's owner,

. Itochu asked for the right to expropriate Star TV's trademark and content. News Corporation demanded in return a..." but as of 2018, 21st Century Fox sold its share in the company to Tohokushinsha. Sony Pictures later divested the company in 2019. On June 1, 2024, all shares held by Tohokushinsha Film transferred to Japanet Broadcasting, and Star Channel became as a wholly owned subsidiary of Japanet Broadcasting.連結子会社の異動（株式譲渡）に関するお知らせ
Tohokushinsha Film April 19, 2024株式会社スター・チャンネルの株式取得に関する株式譲渡契約締結のお知らせ
Japanet Holdings April 19, 2024 On August 1, 2024, Star Channel merged with Japanet Broadcasting.

List of channels

Current

* BS 10 Star Channel (formerly Star Channel, Star Channel Hi-Vision and Star Channel 1): The main channel launched on July 1, 1986. Its HD simulcast channel was separately branded as Star Channel Hi-Vision, but the branding was removed with the October 1, 2011 rebrand of channels. Star Channel was renamed as Star Channel 1 on October 1, 2011, which later renamed as Star Channel on June 1, 2024. The channel became a paid sub-channel for BS10 (formerly BS Japanext) on January 10, 2025.

Defunct channels

* Star Channel 2 (formerly Star Channel Plus from November 1, 2001 to September 30, 2011): This channel launched on June 1, 1998 and shut down on May 31, 2024. * Star Channel 3 (formerly Star Channel Classic from November 1, 2001 to September 30, 2011): This channel launched on June 1, 1998 and shut down on May 31, 2024.

References

External links

* Television stations in Japan Television channels and stations established in 1986 Itochu 1986 establishments in Japan {{Japan-tv-station-stub