STAR PLUS TURNS PAY
Star Plus, which was digitally encrypted
earlier this year, has become a basic pay TV service as
of 1 November. Rupert Murdoch's man in India, News Television
India CEO Rathikant Basu in Delhi, announced the change.
The channel is being sold as part of a
package along with Star Movies and Star World. Cable operators
are being charged a monthly fee between Rs 6 and Rs 10.25
per subscriber for the package depending on their subscriber
base. If they choose not to subscribe to Star Movies or
Star World, the cost for Star Plus alone works out to Rs
4 per subscriber.
Observers expect the decision to go pay
to have an impact on the channel's distribution. At least
30% of cable operators who were earlier carrying Star Plus
may well decide not to distribute it to their subscribers.
The Star TV management has been increasing
the local content on Star Plus by airing blockbuster Hollywood
movies once a week. It has in recent times localised so
much with Hindi series and shows that it is perceived as
a Hindi channel.
