Star Chinese Movies

Star Chinese Movies Legend
Country	Singapore
Broadcast area	Southeast Asia; Hong Kong; Macau;
Programming
Language(s)	Cantonese
Ownership
Owner	Fox Networks Group Asia Pacific; (Disney International Operations);
History
Launched	25 January 2008; 16 years ago
Closed	1 October 2021; 2 years ago
Former names	Star Chinese Movies 2 (2008-2012)

Star Chinese Movies
Country	People's Republic of China (Hong Kong); Republic of China (Taiwan);
Broadcast area	Southeast Asia; Hong Kong; Macau; Taiwan;
Headquarters	Hong Kong; Taipei;
Programming
Language(s)	Mandarin; Cantonese;
Picture format	HDTV 1080i (downscaled to 576i for the SDTV feed)
Ownership
Owner	Disney Networks Group Asia Pacific
Sister channels	Star Chinese Channel
History
Launched	1 May 1994; 30 years ago
Closed	28 August 1998; 25 years ago (Mainland China); 30 September 2023; 7 months ago (Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Macau); 31 December 2023; 4 months ago (Taiwan);
Replaced by	Phoenix Movies Channel (Mainland China); Catchplay Movie Channel (Taiwan)
Former names	Star Mandarin Movies (1 May 1994–31 March 1996)

Star Chinese Movies (Chinese: 衛視電影台) was a Chinese language pay television channel owned by Disney Networks Group Pacific Ltd. It features Chinese films.

The channel mainly broadcasts Chinese-language films (including Chinese films, Cantonese films, Taiwanese films, Singaporean films, and Malaysian films), as well as bilingual Japanese films, Japanese animations (strip TV series and theatrical versions), Korean films, Thai films, etc., and will digitally restore some Hong Kong action films. It was known as the most widely distributed Chinese-language entertainment channel.^[1]

On April 29, 2017, Star Chinese Movies provided bilingual services, and most of the movies were broadcast in Mandarin and original sound simultaneously.

In addition, they also obtained the pay TV broadcasting rights of the Hong Kong Film Awards and the Golden Horse Awards for Hong Kong, Macau and Southeast Asia (except Singapore and Malaysia, in which sold to their local broadcaster).

History

It was launched on 1 May 1994 as Star Mandarin Movies as a replacement for BBC World Service Television.^[2] At that time, it screened both Hollywood and Chinese-language films and was focused to a pan-Asian audience split into two television channels: Star Movies International (now Fox Movies) and Star Mandarin Movies (now Star Chinese Movies).

The channel was previously broadcast across Greater China on 28 August 1998 at 19:00 Hong Kong Time, Star TV split STAR Chinese Movies into certain areas and reduced its broadcasting area to just Taiwan (Viewers in Greater China were offered Phoenix Movies Channel instead).

On 25 January 2008, a sister channel named Star Chinese Movies 2 was launched,^[3] the HD and VOD channels launched a few years later.

On 19 May 2012, The channel logo was changed from a star to a stylized crown.^[4]

As Disney, who had previously brought FOX International Networks, decided to further enroll Disney+ across the Asian markets, they had decided on shutting down their entire cable TV networks, including Star Chinese Movies. The channel has already ceased in operation in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Macau on October 1, 2023, while the Taiwanese feed (alongside its separated HD feed) will be closing down on January 1, 2024.^[5] The channel Taiwanese feed was later replaced by Catchplay Movie Channel following the closure.^[6]

Feeds


Country/Region	Star Chinese Movies	Star Chinese Movies Legend
Taiwan	1 May 1994–31 December 2023; launched alongside separated Star Chinese Movies HD (星衛HD電影台)	N
Hong Kong Macau (Localized Feed)	Star Chinese Movies (衛視電影台) First incarnation: 1 May 1994–27 August 1998 Second incarnation: 2004–30 September 2023 Phoenix Movies Channel (鳳凰衛視電影台) 28 August 1998–Today (via Satellite Asiasat-7)	15 December 2007–30 September 2021
Singapore (Localized Feed)	1 May 1994–30 September 2023
Southeast Asia: Myanmar Thailand Laos Cambodia Vietnam Philippines Indonesia Timor-Leste Maldives Brunei	1 May 1994–30 September 2023
Malaysia (SEA Feed; in Cantonese)	1 May 1994–30 September 2021
Australia New Zealand	Australia: 2013–2018 New Zealand: 1 March 2016–28 February 2018	N
United States Canada	2010–2018 (Titles from SCM Legend lasted till 2013)	N

Star Chinese Movies Legend

Star Chinese Movies Legend (Chinese: 衛視卡式台) (also known as SCM Legend) was a sister movie channel of Star Chinese Movies based in Singapore.^[7] First launched on 25 January 2008^[3] as Star Chinese Movies 2 (Chinese: 衛視電影2台), later rebranded on 1 October 2012^[8] as Star Chinese Movies Legend. The channel was broadcast British Hong Kong oldies historical heritage and colonial movies from 1 January 1970 to 31 December 1992 durated 23 years was officially main production company took place by STAR TV Filmed Entertainment.

As Disney continued to expand Disney+ across Asian territories, they decided to shutting down many of their pay TV channels, which include Star Chinese Movies Legend, on October 1, 2023.^[9]

References

^ Middleton, Richard (1 November 2013). "FIC adds SCM to Thailand, Indonesia". C21Media. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
^ "Murdoch's STAR TV to drop BBC". UPI. 22 March 1994. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Singapore gets Star treatment". C21Media. 23 January 2008. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
^ "Fox International and NBCUniversal rebrand channels in Asia". Campaign Asia. 5 October 2012.
^ Frater, Patrick (14 June 2023). "Disney to Close Remaining Linear TV Channels in Southeast Asia and Korea". Variety. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
^ "迪士尼撤台！CATCHPLAY接手「邵雨薇床戰鳳小岳」超狂片單全公佈". SET News (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 27 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
^ "STAR CHINESE MOVIE LEGENDS". Lumbre. Archived from the original on 11 June 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
^ "衛視電影2台革新成衛視卡式台" [Star Chinese Movies 2 was transformed into Star Chinese Movies Legend]. Macau Cable TV (in Chinese). 15 October 2012. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
^
Multiple sources:
- Frater, Patrick (27 April 2021). "Disney Slashes Linear TV in Asia With 18-Channel Closure, Shifts Focus to Disney Plus". Variety. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
- Kanter, Jake (27 April 2021). "Disney Closes 18 Asia TV Channels As It Shifts Focus To Disney+". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
- Lai, Adrian (29 April 2021). "Disney To Shut Down 18 Channels In Southeast Asia". IGN. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.

External links

STAR Chinese Movies Taiwan (in Chinese)
STAR Chinese Movies HD Taiwan (in Chinese)
STAR Chinese Movies Hong Kong
STAR Chinese Movies Hong Kong (at Now TV)

[1] Middleton, Richard (1 November 2013). "FIC adds SCM to Thailand, Indonesia". C21Media. Retrieved 8 July 2023.

[2] "Murdoch's STAR TV to drop BBC". UPI. 22 March 1994. Retrieved 8 July 2023.

[:0-3] "Singapore gets Star treatment". C21Media. 23 January 2008. Retrieved 8 July 2023.

[4] "Fox International and NBCUniversal rebrand channels in Asia". Campaign Asia. 5 October 2012.

[5] Frater, Patrick (14 June 2023). "Disney to Close Remaining Linear TV Channels in Southeast Asia and Korea". Variety. Retrieved 15 June 2023.

[6] "迪士尼撤台！CATCHPLAY接手「邵雨薇床戰鳳小岳」超狂片單全公佈". SET News (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 27 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.

[7] "STAR CHINESE MOVIE LEGENDS". Lumbre. Archived from the original on 11 June 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2023.

[8] "衛視電影2台革新成衛視卡式台" [Star Chinese Movies 2 was transformed into Star Chinese Movies Legend]. Macau Cable TV (in Chinese). 15 October 2012. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 8 July 2023.

[SEAShutdownBundle-9] Multiple sources:
Frater, Patrick (27 April 2021). "Disney Slashes Linear TV in Asia With 18-Channel Closure, Shifts Focus to Disney Plus". Variety. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.

Kanter, Jake (27 April 2021). "Disney Closes 18 Asia TV Channels As It Shifts Focus To Disney+". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.

Lai, Adrian (29 April 2021). "Disney To Shut Down 18 Channels In Southeast Asia". IGN. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.

[10] Frater, Patrick (27 April 2021). "Disney Slashes Linear TV in Asia With 18-Channel Closure, Shifts Focus to Disney Plus". Variety. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.

[11] Kanter, Jake (27 April 2021). "Disney Closes 18 Asia TV Channels As It Shifts Focus To Disney+". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.

[12] Lai, Adrian (29 April 2021). "Disney To Shut Down 18 Channels In Southeast Asia". IGN. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.

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