Media Content and Communication Services (MCCS), a JV between Ananda Bazar Patrika Group and STAR India, has announced thats its Hindi news channel, Star News, will soon be rechristened ABP News. The Bengali news channel Star Ananda becomes ABP Ananda and the Marathi news channel Star Majha will be called ABP Majha.
STAR India and ABP, the principal shareholders, have agreed to discontinue the Star brand affiliation with the MCCS.
According to Ashok Venkatramani, chief executive officer, MCCS, going forward, STAR wishes to focus on building their brand on their core business that is general entertainment, while the ABP Group (whose core business is news) wishes to promote and establish its own brands in the broadcast news space through its subsidiary company, MCCS.
A release from STAR India said: "Given the current regulatory environment and structural issues ailing the Indian cable and satellite television market and the news genre in particular, Star took this extremely difficult decision to withdraw its brand from the genre. Star, ABP and MCCS sustained this affiliation for a lengthy period of eight years and Star is grateful to its partners, ABP and MCCS for acting as guardians for the Star brand during this period. The discontinuation will come in effect in phases from a period of 2 months to 4 months and the partners will work together to ensure a smooth transition during this period."
More details, including exactly when the change is effective from, are awaited and will be updated soon.
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