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Wikipedia

Starz

Starz (stylized as STARZ since 2016; pronounced "stars") is an American premium cable and satellite television network owned by Lions Gate Entertainment, and is the flagship property of parent subsidiary Starz Inc. Programming on Starz consists of theatrically released motion pictures and first-run original television series. Created in 1994 as a multiplex service of Encore (now Starz Encore), Starz operates six 24-hour, linear multiplex channels; a traditional subscription video on demand service; and a namesake over-the-top streaming platform that both acts as a TV Everywhere offering for Starz's linear television subscribers and is sold directly to streaming-only consumers.

Starz
Current logo used since September 29, 2022
TypePay television network
CountryUnited States
Broadcast areaNationwide
HeadquartersSanta Monica, California
Programming
Language(s)
Picture format480i (SDTV)
1080i (HDTV)
Timeshift service
Starz timeshift channels
    • Starz (East / West)
    • Starz Cinema (East / West)
    • Starz Comedy (East / West)
    • Starz Edge (East / West)
    • Starz Kids & Family (East / West)
    • Starz In Black (East / West)
Ownership
OwnerLionsgate
ParentStarz Inc.
Key people
  • Jeffrey Hirsch (President/CEO)
  • Audrey Lee (EVP/General Counsel)
  • Christina Davis (President, Original Programming)
Sister channels
History
LaunchedFebruary 1, 1994; 29 years ago (1994-02-01)
Former namesStarz! (1994–2005)
Links
Websitewww.starz.com
Availability
Streaming media
Starz (streaming service)(requires subscription or trial to access content)
Available feeds
    • Starz (East)
    • Starz (West)
Apple TV ChannelsOver-the-top TV
(requires subscription or trial to access content)
  • Starz (East)
Amazon Video ChannelsOver-the-top TV
(requires subscription or trial to access content)
Available feeds
    • Starz (East)
    • Starz Cinema (East)
    • Starz Comedy (East)
    • Starz Edge (East)
    • Starz Kids & Family (East)
    • Starz In Black (East)
The Roku ChannelOver-the-top TV
(requires subscription or trial to access content)
  • Starz (East)
ClaroTV+Over-the-top TV
(requires subscription to access content)
Available feeds
    • Starz (East)
    • Starz In Black (East)
    • Starz Kids & Family (East)
    • Starz Cinema (East)
    • Starz Edge (East)
    • Starz Comedy (East)
    • Starz Encore (East)
    • Stars Encore Action (East)
    • Starz Encore Black (East)
    • Starz Encore Classic (East)

Starz is also sold independently of traditional and over-the-top multichannel video programming distributors a la carte through Apple TV Channels and Amazon Video Channels, which feature VOD library content and live feeds of Starz's linear television services (consisting of the primary channel's East and West Coast feeds and, for Amazon Video customers, the East Coast feeds of its five multiplex channels).[1][2] Starz's programming has been licensed for use by a number of channels and platforms worldwide, and the brand name is licensed by Bell Media for a companion channel of the Canadian-based company's Crave premium service.

Starz and its sister networks, Starz Encore and MoviePlex, are headquartered in Santa Monica, California,[3] with satellite office facilities located at the Meridian International Business Center complex in Englewood, Colorado,[4] and at a small office located on 5th Avenue in New York City. As of September 2018, Starz was available to approximately 28.517 million U.S. households that had a subscription to a multichannel television provider (27.675 million of which receive Starz's primary channel at minimum).[5]

History

 
Starz logo used from February 1, 1994, to March 27, 2005.

Launch and early history

Starz, originally stylized as "STARZ!" with an exclamation point, was launched at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time on February 1, 1994, primarily on cable systems operated by Tele-Communications Inc.; the first two movies aired on the network were dramas released in 1992: respectively, Scent of a Woman[6] and The Crying Game. The network was operated as a joint venture between TCI and Liberty Media (both companies were controlled by John Malone), with TCI owning a 50.1% controlling interest in the channel.[7]

Starz made its debut as the first phase of a seven-channel thematic multiplex that was launched by Starz (then Encore Media Group) over the course of the succeeding eight months, with the remaining six channels being launched between July and September 1994.[8][9] The multiplex was intended to only include six channels, but on May 31, 1993, Encore acquired the pay cable rights to telecast recent feature films from Universal Pictures released after that year; as a result, TCI/Liberty decided to create an additional premium pay TV service to serve as a competitor to HBO and Showtime.[8] The network carried the moniker "Encore 8" in its on-air branding as part of a numbering system that was used by Encore's multiplex channels.[10] Early trademark filings indicated that TCI/Liberty proposed names including "Applause" and "Stars" for the service (the "s" in the latter was ultimately changed to a "z" in the final naming).[citation needed]

Starz focused more on recent feature films, while Starz Encore (then Encore) focused on films released between the 1960s and the 1980s, before adding recent film fare itself in July 1999. It also held the television rights to releases from Carolco Pictures, New Line Cinema (as well as its sibling labels Fine Line Features and Turner Pictures), and the Walt Disney Company–owned studios Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Pictures and Miramax. Films from those studios were not carried on Starz until 1997, after Disney's output agreement with Showtime for its non-family-oriented films concluded. The network restricted the scheduling of films that contained graphic sexual or violent content to late evening and overnight time periods.[11]

Starz's availability was mainly limited to TCI's systems at launch, debuting with a one-month free preview available to prospective subscribers; it would eventually sign its first major carriage agreement outside the TCI group, through a deal with Continental Cablevision in September 1995.[12] Starz was available to an estimated 2.8 million pay television subscribers by 1996, only one million of whom had subscribed to a cable or satellite provider other than TCI.[13] As a startup network, Starz endured major losses during its early years, with total deficits topping US$203 million and annual losses of US$150 million by 1997. It was predicted to lose an additional US$300 million in revenue before it was predicted to break even.[14] In June 1997, Comcast signed an agreement to carry the network on its Pennsylvania and New Jersey systems to replace Philadelphia-based PRISM after that network shut down that October following the loss of its (and sister network SportsChannel Philadelphia's) sports programming to Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia.[15][16] Partly in an effort to get the network's substantial losses off its books, TCI announced a deal on June 2, 1997, in which it transferred majority ownership of the corporate entity that operated Starz, Encore Media Group, to sister company Liberty Media; TCI retained a 20% minority ownership interest in Encore Media Group. Liberty Media assumed the former company's stake in the subsidiary in 1999, following TCI's merger with AT&T Corporation.[7][17]

By May 1998, Starz maintained a subscriber base reaching 7.6 million households with a cable or satellite television subscription.[18]

2000s onwards

 
Starz logo used from March 28, 2005, to April 6, 2008.

The network gained carriage deals with many other major U.S. cable and satellite providers by the early 2000s, particularly with the adoption of digital cable, allowing for providers to add channels that they (even with capacity expansions of up to 60 channels) previously had limited room to carry.

Encore Media Group was renamed the Starz Encore Media Group in 2000.[19] As part of a corporate restructuring plan in 2003, Starz Encore Group eliminated 100 jobs in its nine regional offices, and closed four of the offices outright.[20] On March 25, 2005, the Starz Encore Group corporate entity was renamed Starz Entertainment. A few days later, on March 28, 2005, Starz introduced a new logo, and was subsequently rebranded as "starz", in all lowercase.[21]

 
Starz logo used from April 7, 2008, to April 4, 2016.

On November 19, 2009, Liberty Media spun off Starz into a separate public tracking stock called Liberty Starz.[22] On January 1, 2010, Chris Albrecht joined Starz as its president and chief executive officer, then overseeing all of the Starz entities including Starz Entertainment, Overture Films, Anchor Bay Entertainment and Film Roman.[23] On August 8, 2012, Liberty Media announced that it would spin off the Liberty Starz subsidiary into a separate publicly traded company.[24] The spin-off of the subsidiary was completed on January 11, 2013, with Liberty Starz changing its name to Starz as a result.[25]

 
Starz logo used from April 5, 2016, to September 28, 2022.

On April 5, 2016, Starz was rebranded, introducing a new logo, this time stylized as "STARZ" in all uppercase. As part of the rebranding, Starz added all the Encore channels to its moniker, therefore increasing the Starz channel lineup to 14 Starz premium channels. Its main channel was rebranded Starz Encore and carries reruns of Starz Originals in addition to films.[26][27]

On June 30, 2016, Lionsgate agreed to acquire Starz Inc. for $4.4 billion in cash and stock; the acquisition was completed five months later on December 8.[28][29]

In April 2019, Starz was widely criticized in the tech press and by the Electronic Frontier Foundation for sending legal demands to Twitter in order to remove links to a news article which discussed piracy but contained neither pirated content nor links to pirated content. Starz initially responded by issuing further DMCA complaints against those criticizing them, including against a tweet from the Electronic Frontier Foundation stating that "Starz should withdraw its takedown and refrain from harassing journalists". However, they subsequently apologized, clarified that the invalid DMCA claims were sent on their behalf by a third party contractor called The Social Element and promised that they are "working with our vendors to reinstate any such content that was inappropriately targeted for removal."[30][31][32][33]

Channels

List of channels

Depending on the service provider, Starz provides up to twelve multiplex channels – six 24-hour multiplex channels, all of which are simulcast in both standard definition and high definition – as well as a subscription video-on-demand service (Starz On Demand). Starz broadcasts its primary and multiplex channels on Eastern and Pacific Time Zone schedules. The respective coastal feeds of each channel are usually packaged together (though most cable providers only offer the east and west coast feeds of the main Starz channel), resulting in the difference in local airtimes for a particular movie or program between two geographic locations being three hours at most.

The premium film services Encore and MoviePlex, which are also owned by Starz, Inc., operate as separate services; as such, subscribers to one of the services do not have to subscribe to any of the others. Some providers offer Encore and MoviePlex's multiplex channels on a separate digital cable tier from Starz. However, Encore and, depending on its carriage, MoviePlex are frequently sold together in a package with Starz.

Channel Description and programming
 
Starz
The flagship service; Starz features hit movies and first-run films, from Hollywood blockbusters to independent films and international pictures. The main Starz channel commonly premieres recent theatrically released hit movies – debuting on the channel within a lag of between eight months to one year on average from their initial theatrical release – on most Friday nights at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time, as part of a weekly feature film block called the "Starz Friday Night Feature Premiere" (originally airing on Saturday nights until 2013, and known as "Starz Saturday Opening Night" until 2002 and "Starz Saturday Premiere" from 2002 to 2013). The channel also airs some original series, with newer episodes airing primarily on Saturday nights.
 
Starz Cinema
Starz Cinema carries films outside the mainstream cinema, incorporating critically acclaimed studio and independent releases, and arthouse films; Starz Cinema was launched in May 1999.
 
Starz Comedy
Starz Comedy focuses on lighthearted films of varying comedic genres including slapstick, romantic comedies and dramedies. It was launched in 2005.
 
Starz Edge
Starz Edge features films aimed at young adults in the 18 to 34 age demographic. It was launched in March 1996 as Starz! 2, and was rebranded as Starz! Theater from July 1999 until March 25, 2005; in its previous incarnations, the channel's format incorporated a limited selection of films scheduled in a format mirroring the showtime scheduling used by movie theaters.
 
Starz In Black
Starz In Black focuses on black cinema and urban entertainment, carrying a mix of first-run hits, classic and Pan-African films, and original productions. Launched in 1997 as a joint venture with BET, Starz In Black was known as BET Movies: Starz! (3) until 2001, when BET opted out of the venture during its purchase by Viacom (then-owner of rival premium service Showtime). It was then named Black Starz! from 2001 to 2005.
 
Starz Kids & Family
Launched on March 25, 2005 out of the consolidation of the once separate services Starz! Family (which was launched in May 1999) and Starz! Kids (which launched over the channel space now occupied by Starz Comedy in 2003), Starz Kids & Family features commercial-free family movies – including action and adventure movies, dramas and comedies. The channel featured two program blocks: "Building Blocks", a weekday morning block of animated series (primarily imported from Canada) and "Six Block", a weekday afternoon block of imported live-action series aimed at a youth audience. Unlike Starz Encore Family (which replaced Encore Wam in August 2011), Starz Kids & Family features some PG-13 rated films within its schedule, in addition to G- and PG-rated films. Due to its family-targeted format, the network broadcasts without R or NC-17 rated movies and TV-14 or TV-MA rated programming, only showing programs that are rated G, PG or PG-13 (or the equivalent TV-Y, TV-G, TV-Y7 or TV-PG).

Despite being a premium service, cable providers have occasionally used Starz Kids & Family (and its predecessor, Starz Family) to temporarily replace television stations dropped due to carriage disputes such as during Journal Broadcast Group's 2013 dispute with Time Warner Cable. This dispute resulted in TWC's systems in certain markets substituting other stations (such as the Local AccuWeather Channel- and Live Well Network-affiliated digital subchannels of Milwaukee, Wisconsin's WTMJ-TV) with the channel.[34] A January 2000 dispute between Cox Communications and Fox Television Stations resulted in Starz! Family replacing Fox owned-and-operated stations in six markets.[35]

In September 2016, the channel brought back children's programming on a weekday morning block. The block provided programming from WIldBrain (Mainly programs from the DIC Entertainment and Cookie Jar Group catalogs) and The Jim Henson Company. Programs included Angela Anaconda, Sonic the Hedgehog, Liberty's Kids, The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss, etc. Other DHX programs aired on Starz Encore Family, and all the others appeared on the Starz streaming mobile app. This block was removed for reruns of another show Starz acquired, Pit Pony, in December 2020, though reruns of Little Charmers stayed until December 2022.[36]

Background

In 1994, Encore launched the pay television industry's first "themed" multiplex service – seven additional movie channels that each focused on a specific genre. This was intended to include only six channels, but Encore decided to launch Starz as a competitor to HBO and Showtime after it acquired the pay-TV rights to broadcast films by Universal Studios released after 1993.[8] A numbering system was used for each service to identify itself as an Encore channel, though this system was abandoned for most of the channels in 1996, with the tagline "an encore network" (which Starz! also used, albeit sparingly) being used from then until 2002. Starz continued to heavily include the "Encore 8" moniker in its main IDs, feature presentation bumpers and select bumpers until 2002, even as it transitioned into a separate channel from Encore.

The tie to Encore branding-wise continued even as Starz was given its own slate of multiplex channels in the late 1990s. The first of these to debut was Starz! 2 in 1996, maintaining a set lineup of four different movies scheduled at the same times each day (inspired by the scheduling used by movie theaters) with the slate of films changing each Friday.[37] This was followed in 1997 by the debut of a joint venture with BET Networks called BET Movies: Starz! 3.[38] Two additional multiplex channels began operations in May 1999. Starz! Family carried family-oriented theatrical and home video film releases, was launched possibly in response to HBO's own family-oriented multiplex channel, HBO Family, which debuted three years earlier. The other service was Starz! Cinema, a channel featuring critically acclaimed independent films and movies outside the mainstream cinema.[39][40] Starz! 2 was also renamed Starz! Theater to better reflect its format.

The first changes made following the original rollout of the multiplex occurred in 2001, with the rebranding of BET Movies: Starz! as Black Starz! after BET withdrew from the partnership during its acquisition by Viacom (which owned rival pay service Showtime at the time) in 2001.[41] A seventh Starz multiplex channel was launched in 2004: Starz! Kids was created as a movie service featuring films aimed at children between 2 and 11 years of age, maintaining a format similar to that of Starz! Family.[42] Unlike the other Starz multiplex channels, Starz! Kids was launched on cable systems on a case-by-case basis instead of on a broader national scale.

The entire multiplex was overhauled on March 28, 2005, as part of an extensive rebranding of the Starz and Encore services. While Encore debuted a slightly modified logo and applied the "Encore" brand to the names of its six multiplex channels, Starz underwent a more dramatic makeover, with a completely redesigned logo – which included the exclamation mark being dropped from the channel's name – and a standardized graphics package that was implemented across all of its channels (with some modifications for each channel's format).[43][44] The programming formats of several channels changed entirely: Starz! Theater was relaunched as Starz Edge, a movie channel aimed primarily at men 18 to 34 years old (nicknamed "The New Generation" by the channel). Starz! Kids and Starz! Family were combined into a single channel called Starz Kids and Family, to make room for a new channel focusing on comedic feature films called Starz Comedy. Black Starz! also changed its name to Starz InBlack. The only multiplex channel (other than the primary feed) that retained its original name was Starz Cinema.[45]

The Starz multiplex has been marketed under several names over the years including the "Starz Encore Super Pak" and the "Starz Super Pak".[46] The multiplex now has no "official" marketed name as of 2015.

On March 28, 2016, Starz introduced a new logo and tagline, "Obsessable". This coincides with a revamp of the Starz channels effective April 5 of that year. All of Encore's channels will now take on the "Starz" brand, while Encore's main channel will be rebranded "Starz Encore", which will air reruns of Starz originals in addition to films. Starz now has 14 channels in its package.[47]

Other services

Starz HD

 
Starz HD logo in 2010

Starz HD is a high-definition simulcast feed of Starz that broadcasts in the 1080i resolution format. In addition to its main channel, Starz also operates high-definition simulcast feeds of its five multiplex channels. When it was launched in December 2003, the simulcast covered only the east and west coast feeds of the main Starz channel. An enhanced-definition simulcast feed and a separate HD channel called Sharper Movies HD, that would have broadcast in the 1080i format and be structured similarly to the original format of sister channel Encore's MoviePlex (in which Sharper Movies would broadcast programming from each Starz channel in daily sampler blocks), were also planned. Plans for the latter service were dropped because of a lack of interest from providers to charge a premium fee for the network.[48][49] HD feeds of Starz Kids and Family, Starz Comedy and Starz Edge, followed in 2007.[50]

The remaining Starz multiplex channels, Starz Cinema and Starz In Black, launched their HD simulcast feeds on June 23, 2010, with DirecTV becoming the first provider to offer all six channels (including both coastal feeds of the primary Starz channel) in HD.[51] Among others, Starz HD is carried nationally by satellite providers DirecTV and Dish Network and regionally by Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-verse, Comcast Xfinity, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications, Cablevision and Charter Communications.

Starz On Demand

Starz operates a video-on-demand (VOD) television service called Starz On Demand, which is available at no additional charge to new and existing Starz subscribers. The service was launched on September 19, 2001, debuting on Adelphia Communications' Cleveland, Ohio system.[52][53] The service offers early premieres of feature films that are scheduled to premiere on Starz, up to one month prior to their pay cable debut on the primary linear channel. Starz on Demand's rotating program selection incorporates selected new titles that are added each Friday, and existing program titles held over from the previous one to two weeks. The Starz On Demand name was also used for an online broadband streaming movie service operated by Starz and RealNetworks from 2003 to 2004.[54] In March 2011, Starz On Demand launched a third VOD service (in addition to its standard-definition and high-definition VOD services), offering movies presented in 3D to customers of Comcast and Verizon FiOS at no additional charge.[55]

Starzplay (U.S.)

 
Starzplay logo

The original incarnation of Starzplay was a website and mobile app that featured original programming and feature film content from Starz available for streaming in standard or high definition. It was available to Starz subscribers of Verizon FIOS,[56] AT&T U-verse,[57] Cox Communications,[58] Xfinity by Comcast[59] and DirecTV[60] until it was merged with Starz.com on April 5, 2016. The former incarnation of the Starzplay online service (which is structured as a TV Everywhere-style service) was launched on October 8, 2012, with the release of the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch app[61] until they were merged with Starz.com on April 5, 2016.

The Starzplay name was borrowed from a prior service offered in conjunction with Netflix. It was created in 2008 after the subscription streaming service struck an agreement with Starz Entertainment to allow Netflix to sub-license rights to films from distributors that maintain output deals with the linear Starz channel for online viewing – in lieu of acquiring the digital distribution rights on its own, due to the expense of acquiring newer film titles – as Netflix is considered to be merely a "content aggregator". Because Netflix chose to sub-license digital rights through Starz instead of negotiating with the studios, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures threatened not to renew its output deal with Starz unless it either discontinued its deal with Netflix or paid Disney a licensing fee for digital streaming rights to its films (Netflix ended up assuming rights to most film releases by Walt Disney Studios from Starz in 2016).[62][63]

Starzplay (as a Netflix service) was first made available to Starz subscribers of the Verizon FiOS television service.[64] Starz content (including most of its original programming and series content that the channel acquired through domestic and international distributors) was made available on Netflix's "Watch Instantly" platform. It was the third subscription video-on-demand online streaming service operated by Starz: Starz Ticket operated from 2004 to 2006, under a joint venture between Starz Entertainment and RealNetworks.[65] Starz offered its own separate online movie service, Vongo, to its subscribers from 2006[66] until it discontinued the service on September 30, 2008.

On September 1, 2011, Starz announced that it would not renew its streaming agreement with Netflix, which ended on February 28, 2012; movie titles that are available on DVD from Sony Pictures, Disney and other studios that maintain pay television distribution deals with Starz were not affected and can be acquired from Netflix by this method.[67] With the expiration of the Netflix deal, film content from studios with which Starz maintains broadcast rights were no longer available for online streaming, particularly as Netflix and certain similar services such as Vudu did not have separate streaming rights to films from these individual studios. Prior to the beta launch of its Starz Online service (which became Starzplay upon its official launch), Starz announced on November 18, 2011 that it was developing a streaming application for mobile devices, allowing the network's subscribers – and in early reports, speculation that possibly non-subscription television subscribers would be allowed as well – to view Starz's series and film content.[68] The app was released on October 9, 2012 for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch, and on May 7, 2013 for Android devices.[58][69] An app for authenticated subscribers for the Xbox 360 was released on December 3, 2013,[70] followed by a similar app for the Xbox One on August 5, 2014.[71]

Lionsgate+

 
Lionsgate+ logo

Lionsgate+ (previously Starzplay),[72] Starzplay Arabia, and Lionsgate Play (in the south and Southeast Asia region) are Starz' international streaming services for viewers outside North America.

Starzplay Arabia was the first Starz-branded service to be localized outside the United States, launching on April 2, 2015 in 17 countries in the Middle East and North Africa region, breaching those territories before its biggest competitor in media streaming being Netflix.[73][74] Starzplay Arabia remains available even as the U.S. version of the service has been discontinued.[75] In 2018, the service became available in Pakistan, the first country outside the MENA region where Starzplay was available.[76] In 2019, Starzplay was launched in Brazil, France, Germany, Ireland, Spain and the United Kingdom.[77][78] In 2020, it became available in Argentina, Chile, and Italy.[79][80] In March 2022, a 57% majority stake in Starzplay Arabia was acquired by a consortium, led by e& (formerly known as Etisalat) and the Abu Dhabi-based investment group ADQ. The deal was valued at $420m.[81] In January 2021, Starzplay Arabia signed a deal with Abu Dhabi Media, which allows subscribers to watch UFC fights and events live.[82]

In several countries, Lionsgate+ is provided through partnerships with cable services, such as Vodafone in Spain, Movistar TV in Argentina, IndiHome in Indonesia and PLDT Home in the Philippines or within Apple TV as well.[83][84][85][79]

On September 28, 2022, Lionsgate announced the international Starzplay service would be rebranded as Lionsgate+ the following day in most countries,[72] eliminating much of the conflict between Lionsgate and Disney's Star brand. The Starzplay Arabia and Lionsgate Play services will not be affected at this time, while Starz in the U.S. and Canada merely rebranded with a new version of the "STARZ" logo.[86]

In November 2022, it was announced that Lionsgate+ was ending operations in the markets of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Benelux, the Nordics, and Japan before the end of the company's fiscal year.[87]

Starz app and subscription service

On April 5, 2016, Starz launched a new app and over-the-top subscription service to compete with HBO Now and Showtime's OTT subscription service. The new app, which replaced the StarzPlay service, allowed users to access Starz programming regardless of whether they had a TV package or not. The Starz app also includes offline playback functionality, allowing users to download and watch content without an internet connection.[88]

In response to the discontinuation of StarzPlay, Comcast has blocked access to the new Starz app for Comcast Xfinity customers, forcing them to instead access the network's authenticated content through the Xfinity app and website and older StarzPlay apps on platforms such as Roku. Currently, Comcast is the only major distributor to do this.[89]

Starz on Amazon Video

In the winter of 2015, Amazon Video began offering Starz and rival premium network Showtime as add-on subscriptions for their customers; the cost is $8.99 per month, after a seven-day free trial. The content deal between Amazon and Starz not only offers the channel's current and back catalog of programming, but also movies and classic TV series currently airing on Encore and its branded networks, as well as live East Coast feeds of the Starz-branded networks and Encore.[90]

Programming

Film library

As of 2022, Starz and sister networks Starz Encore and MoviePlex maintain exclusive first-run film licensing agreements with Sony Pictures Entertainment (since January 2005; including content from subsidiaries Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Classics, Screen Gems, Destination Films, Triumph Films, and TriStar Pictures, but not Sony Pictures Animation because they have a separate deal with Netflix),[91][92] Anchor Bay Entertainment, EuropaCorp and Warren Miller Films (since 1997).[93]

The first-run film output agreement with Sony was renewed for nine years on February 11, 2013;[94][95] the Warren Miller output deal was renewed for ten years on October 19, 2009.[96] On April 8, 2021, Sony announced that they would not be renewing the agreement with Starz in favor of a new first-run agreement with Netflix.[97] On July 15, 2021, Starz reached a licensing deal with Universal Pictures for first-run movies 18 months after they stream on Peacock and Prime Video respectively.[98]

Starz also shows sub-runs (runs of films that have recently received broadcast or syndicated television airings) of theatrical films from Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (including subsidiaries Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, and Hollywood Pictures - all for films released before 2016), Warner Bros. Entertainment (including content from subsidiaries New Line Cinema, Turner Entertainment – both for films released prior to 2005 – and Castle Rock Entertainment), Universal Pictures (including content from subsidiaries Universal Animation Studios, Focus Features, and DreamWorks Animation all for films released prior to 2003), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (including content from subsidiaries United Artists, Orion Pictures, and The Samuel Goldwyn Company), Paramount Pictures (including content from DreamWorks Pictures (pre-2011), Republic Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, Miramax, Paramount Vantage and television rights to the Cannon Films and Carolco Pictures libraries), Revolution Studios,[99] Overture Films,[100] Yari Film Group,[101] and the network's sister company Lions Gate Entertainment (since 2012).[102]

Films for which Starz has pay-cable rights usually also run on Encore and MoviePlex during the duration of its term of licensing. From 1995 to 2002, Starz had broadcast occasional original made-for-pay cable movies produced by the in-house company Starz! Pictures.[103][104]

In January 1997, Starz secured a licensing agreement with Paramount Pictures, broadcasting over 300 titles. Paramount's first contract with Starz expired in January 2006.[105] In April 2013, Starz reassumed sub-run rights to Paramount Pictures' feature film releases. Films that were initially broadcast through this deal included Dear God, All I Want for Christmas and Boomerang.[106][107][108]

Former first-run contracts

At the time of its launch, Starz had secured exclusive first-run film rights with Universal Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Pictures, Miramax, New Line Cinema, Walt Disney Pictures, and Carolco Pictures.[6] Between 1995 and 2005, Starz had also broadcast films from Turner Pictures and New Line Cinema.[109] Starz's contract with Universal expired in late 2002, with HBO and Starz sharing half of Universal's films during the 2003 calendar year before HBO assumed pay television rights in 2004.[110][111]

The first-run film output agreement with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures expired after December 2015, with Netflix assuming pay television rights in January 2016 (excluding films released by Touchstone Pictures, which were retained by Starz through a separate contract).[62][112][113] Through at least the first half of 2016, Starz provided Disney films that were released before the expiration, such as Inside Out and The Good Dinosaur, but none released after, such as Zootopia.

Television series

Original programming

Starz expanded its program offerings to include some original television series by the late 1990s with five entertainment news programs and shows that focused on the making of upcoming or current feature films (such as Starz Movie News and Hollywood One on One); some of these programs were also aired on Encore. In 2005, Starz began expanding its original programming slate in order to compete with rivals Showtime and HBO, with the inclusion of scripted series.[114] Some of the initial series (such as Kung Faux, The Bronx Bunny Show and Head Case) maintained running times considered unconventional for a live-action series, usually running under 15 minutes in length;[115] half-hour and hour-long series were eventually incorporated on the schedule by 2010 (including shows such as Spartacus, Torchwood: Miracle Day in 2011, Boss and Da Vinci's Demons).

The number of original series that debuted each year on Starz has varied, reaching a high of four series during the 2011 calendar year.[116] In 2013, Starz gave a series order to Outlander, a drama based on the Outlander book series by Diana Gabaldon. The project, from Battlestar Galactica developer Ronald D. Moore and Sony Pictures Television, received a 16-episode order, with production beginning in Scotland (where the books are set) in October 2013.[117] Outlander has received five nominations for the 2015 Women's Image Network Awards, including a nomination in the Drama Series category. Caitriona Balfe, who plays the leading character in the show, also received a nomination in the Actress Drama Series category.[118]

After Starz's 2016 acquisition by Lionsgate, the network has moved to produce more original content, with president of programming Carmi Zlotnik calling Starz a "content pump" for Lionsgate.[119]

Acquired programming

Multiplex channel Starz Kids & Family also features some series programming, which are aimed at young children and preteens. That channel runs two program blocks: "Building Blocks", a block airing on Monday through Saturday mornings that features animated series (such as Dragon Hunters, Gawayn, Zombie Hotel, Savage Family Wild and Matt's Monsters) and the "Six Block" (originally titled "Camp Block"[120] from its launch in March 2011 until the two-hour block was moved from mid-afternoon slots varying on the film schedule to a set timeslot of 6:00 pm Eastern Time in January 2012), a teenage-focused block airing weekday afternoons that features mainly imported series from English-speaking countries outside of America like Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom (such as Wingin' It, Genie in the House, Majority Rules and Sadie J[121]). The two blocks are similar to those seen on sister channel Encore's multiplex channel Encore Wam between 1994 and 2009.

Other ventures

Starz Entertainment has expanded considerably with the presence of its Starz and Encore family of multiplex networks, as well as ventures into television and film production, and home video distribution.

  • In 1999, Starz launched the in-house company Starz Pictures, a production company that produced made-for-cable films for the television channel;[122] Starz Pictures' only major film project was the 2002 telefilm Joe and Max. Starz Pictures shut down that same year.[123]
  • In November 2006, Chris McGurk and Danny Rosett launched Overture Films, an independent movie studio that Liberty Media operated out of its Starz Entertainment division.[124] After a proposed sale of the company failed to materialize through the absence of willing buyers, the studio was shut down in October 2010, with its marketing and distribution operations handed over to Relativity Media; Overture's small library of less than 20 films will continue to be distributed by Anchor Bay Entertainment for DVD release and by Starz for television broadcast.[125]
  • In 2007, Starz Entertainment purchased IDT Entertainment, which was renamed Starz Media.[126][127] As a result of the purchase, Starz acquired IDT subsidiaries Anchor Bay Entertainment, Digital Production Solutions (DPS), and New Arc Entertainment. The Weinstein Company, a film studio run by former Miramax heads Bob and Harvey Weinstein, purchased a 25% stake in Starz Media (but not the Starz parent company) on January 4, 2011, with Anchor Bay entering into a multi-year domestic distribution agreement of theatrical feature films released by The Weinstein Company and its Dimension Films subsidiary.[128]
  • As part of IDT Corporation's purchase by Starz, Starz Entertainment also acquired two animation studios: Toronto-based IDT animation studio (formerly DKP Studios), which was renamed Starz Animation,[129] and Manga Entertainment, an international distributor of Japanese animation. A third animation studio that was also acquired due to the IDT purchase, Film Roman, was sold in October 2010 to a production company owned by a group of investors led by former Film Roman studio president Scott Greenberg called Bento Box Entertainment.[130]

Branding

Starz's logo has incorporated a star in some form since its launch. In the original logo that was used from its launch in February 1994 until March 27, 2005, the star was composed of a two silhouettes (one star being embedded within a larger one), and a "STARZ!" logotype styled after 1930s-era movie poster typography. The original accompanying graphics were set around a CGI movie theater, with the main network ID featuring seats that opened by themselves, various theater imagery and even images resembling the Caduceus,[131] while feature presentation bumpers also heavily used the movie theater themes (using spotlights and film canisters) and the "Encore 8" branding. The "theater" look that had been used since the network's launch was ultimately abandoned in May 2002, when it switched to a package based around natural themes (particularly water); a seven-note fanfare was also introduced as a musical motif;[132] the new look did not carry over to the multiplex channels. Starz! also introduced the "InfoBar", a lower-third banner graphic that appears on-screen during promotional breaks and during the end credits of films seen on the channel, originally purposed to promote upcoming programs.

This logo was abandoned for an abstract star shooting upwards and a Helvetica Neue wordmark in March 2005 as part of a major rebrand of the network[43] that included a blue colored gel standardized graphics package with modifications (different colors such as grey, red, green, purple, and orange) for each multiplex channel; the fanfare from the previous graphics package was also reorchestrated by Mixology Post.[133] The "InfoBar" also began to be used to promote events on the other Starz networks and to provide entertainment news headlines supplied by Variety (a similar version was adopted for use by the Encore networks). That year, Starz began branding its feature film content with an opaque logo bug appearing on the lower-right corner of the screen for two minutes each half-hour, though the 2005 logo bug for Starz channels appears for the rest of the movie's run in Summer 2007, along with Encore and Movieplex channels until Starz reverted them back to 2 minutes for their logo bug during the April 2008 rebrand, except for Encore, Movieplex, and Starz Cinema; the addition of the on-screen logos was cited by former Starz president Tom Southwick due to a large number of subscribers not knowing which of the channels they were watching when they tuned in, particularly if started viewing one of the channels after the start of a film.

A new logo was introduced in April 2008, with lowercase "starz" typing featuring an asteroid-shaped star inserted between the "a" and "r"; the coloring of the logo was modified to an orange/gold rendering in April 2011. The channel replaced the opaque on-screen logos with a bright white logo bug on all channels and a bright orange bug for Starz HD as of April 7, 2008 and Starz Kids & Family's HD simulcast feed in July 2011. After the 2011 logo rebrand, the bright white version of the 2008 logo for Starz channels stayed on screen for the second time until mid-2013 that it will reverted to two-minute version, along with Encore channels. After the current logo's introduction, the "InfoBar" began to once again serve only to promote programming on the main Starz channel, while it serves mainly as a network ID on some of its multiplex channels.

In 2016, Starz redesigned its logo again; the current logo is the word "STARZ" in bold white capital letters against a black background.

In 2022, following the rebrand of Lionsgate+, Starz got a new brand and is colored in blue (yellow for gradient), akin to Lionsgate's main color.

Network slogans

  • Starz More of What You Want for Less (1994–???)
  • Only on Starz and No Other Movie Channel (Early February 1994–August 1995)
  • Starz! – Big Movies and More (September 1, 1995–late October 1998)
  • 100% Movies (November 1, 1998–Late August 1999)
  • Movies, Movies, New Hit Movies (September 1, 1999–early September 2000)
  • #1 in New Hit Movies (September 18, 2000–late December 2004)
  • An Influx of Movies – Only on Starz (Early January 2005–late March 2008)
  • Are You Ready? (April 2008–late August 2012)[134]
  • Taking You Places (September 2012–March 2016)
  • Obsessable (April 2016–September 2022)[135]
  • Just You Watch (September 2022–present)

See also

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  128. ^ Mike Fleming Jr. (January 4, 2011). "Weinsteins Buy 25% Stake In Starz Media". Deadline Hollywood. Mail.com Media. from the original on March 12, 2014. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  129. ^ "New Starz studio busy on Burton's 9". Playback. September 17, 2007. from the original on April 29, 2011. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
  130. ^ Ben Fritz (October 11, 2010). "'Simpsons' animation studio Film Roman sold to group led by its ex-president". Los Angeles Times. from the original on February 1, 2011. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
  131. ^ Starz! Pre-Launch Promo Loop (from 1994) on YouTube
  132. ^ Starz Ads (Amelie and Casino) on YouTube
  133. ^ "Starz Rebrand". vimeo.com. 4 February 2013.
  134. ^ "Starz Unveils Brand Campaign Featuring New Logo and Tag Line 'Are You Ready?(SM)'". Starz MediaRoom. PR Newswire. March 31, 2008. from the original on April 12, 2008. Retrieved April 1, 2008.
  135. ^ "Starz Unveils New Master Brand". The Futon Critic. March 28, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2016.

External links

  • Official website
  • Starz Media corporate website

starz, former, british, music, video, channel, other, uses, disambiguation, confused, with, star, brand, used, other, companies, including, disney, stylized, starz, since, 2016, pronounced, stars, american, premium, cable, satellite, television, network, owned. For the former British music video channel see Starz TV For other uses see Starz disambiguation Not to be confused with the Star brand used by other companies including Disney Starz stylized as STARZ since 2016 pronounced stars is an American premium cable and satellite television network owned by Lions Gate Entertainment and is the flagship property of parent subsidiary Starz Inc Programming on Starz consists of theatrically released motion pictures and first run original television series Created in 1994 as a multiplex service of Encore now Starz Encore Starz operates six 24 hour linear multiplex channels a traditional subscription video on demand service and a namesake over the top streaming platform that both acts as a TV Everywhere offering for Starz s linear television subscribers and is sold directly to streaming only consumers StarzCurrent logo used since September 29 2022TypePay television networkCountryUnited StatesBroadcast areaNationwideHeadquartersSanta Monica CaliforniaProgrammingLanguage s English Spanish as SAP option Picture format480i SDTV 1080i HDTV Timeshift serviceStarz timeshift channels Starz East West Starz Cinema East West Starz Comedy East West Starz Edge East West Starz Kids amp Family East West Starz In Black East West OwnershipOwnerLionsgateParentStarz Inc Key peopleJeffrey Hirsch President CEO Audrey Lee EVP General Counsel Christina Davis President Original Programming Sister channelsStarz Encore MoviePlexHistoryLaunchedFebruary 1 1994 29 years ago 1994 02 01 Former namesStarz 1994 2005 LinksWebsitewww wbr starz wbr comAvailabilityStreaming mediaStarz streaming service requires subscription or trial to access content Available feeds Starz East Starz West Apple TV ChannelsOver the top TV requires subscription or trial to access content Starz East Amazon Video ChannelsOver the top TV requires subscription or trial to access content Available feeds Starz East Starz Cinema East Starz Comedy East Starz Edge East Starz Kids amp Family East Starz In Black East The Roku ChannelOver the top TV requires subscription or trial to access content Starz East ClaroTV Over the top TV requires subscription to access content Available feeds Starz East Starz In Black East Starz Kids amp Family East Starz Cinema East Starz Edge East Starz Comedy East Starz Encore East Stars Encore Action East Starz Encore Black East Starz Encore Classic East Starz is also sold independently of traditional and over the top multichannel video programming distributors a la carte through Apple TV Channels and Amazon Video Channels which feature VOD library content and live feeds of Starz s linear television services consisting of the primary channel s East and West Coast feeds and for Amazon Video customers the East Coast feeds of its five multiplex channels 1 2 Starz s programming has been licensed for use by a number of channels and platforms worldwide and the brand name is licensed by Bell Media for a companion channel of the Canadian based company s Crave premium service Starz and its sister networks Starz Encore and MoviePlex are headquartered in Santa Monica California 3 with satellite office facilities located at the Meridian International Business Center complex in Englewood Colorado 4 and at a small office located on 5th Avenue in New York City As of September 2018 update Starz was available to approximately 28 517 million U S households that had a subscription to a multichannel television provider 27 675 million of which receive Starz s primary channel at minimum 5 Contents 1 History 1 1 Launch and early history 1 2 2000s onwards 2 Channels 2 1 List of channels 2 1 1 Background 2 2 Other services 2 2 1 Starz HD 2 2 2 Starz On Demand 2 2 3 Starzplay U S 2 2 4 Lionsgate 2 2 5 Starz app and subscription service 2 2 6 Starz on Amazon Video 3 Programming 3 1 Film library 3 1 1 Former first run contracts 3 2 Television series 3 2 1 Original programming 3 2 2 Acquired programming 4 Other ventures 5 Branding 5 1 Network slogans 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksHistory Edit Starz logo used from February 1 1994 to March 27 2005 Launch and early history Edit Starz originally stylized as STARZ with an exclamation point was launched at 8 00 p m Eastern Time on February 1 1994 primarily on cable systems operated by Tele Communications Inc the first two movies aired on the network were dramas released in 1992 respectively Scent of a Woman 6 and The Crying Game The network was operated as a joint venture between TCI and Liberty Media both companies were controlled by John Malone with TCI owning a 50 1 controlling interest in the channel 7 Starz made its debut as the first phase of a seven channel thematic multiplex that was launched by Starz then Encore Media Group over the course of the succeeding eight months with the remaining six channels being launched between July and September 1994 8 9 The multiplex was intended to only include six channels but on May 31 1993 Encore acquired the pay cable rights to telecast recent feature films from Universal Pictures released after that year as a result TCI Liberty decided to create an additional premium pay TV service to serve as a competitor to HBO and Showtime 8 The network carried the moniker Encore 8 in its on air branding as part of a numbering system that was used by Encore s multiplex channels 10 Early trademark filings indicated that TCI Liberty proposed names including Applause and Stars for the service the s in the latter was ultimately changed to a z in the final naming citation needed Starz focused more on recent feature films while Starz Encore then Encore focused on films released between the 1960s and the 1980s before adding recent film fare itself in July 1999 It also held the television rights to releases from Carolco Pictures New Line Cinema as well as its sibling labels Fine Line Features and Turner Pictures and the Walt Disney Company owned studios Touchstone Pictures Hollywood Pictures and Miramax Films from those studios were not carried on Starz until 1997 after Disney s output agreement with Showtime for its non family oriented films concluded The network restricted the scheduling of films that contained graphic sexual or violent content to late evening and overnight time periods 11 Starz s availability was mainly limited to TCI s systems at launch debuting with a one month free preview available to prospective subscribers it would eventually sign its first major carriage agreement outside the TCI group through a deal with Continental Cablevision in September 1995 12 Starz was available to an estimated 2 8 million pay television subscribers by 1996 only one million of whom had subscribed to a cable or satellite provider other than TCI 13 As a startup network Starz endured major losses during its early years with total deficits topping US 203 million and annual losses of US 150 million by 1997 It was predicted to lose an additional US 300 million in revenue before it was predicted to break even 14 In June 1997 Comcast signed an agreement to carry the network on its Pennsylvania and New Jersey systems to replace Philadelphia based PRISM after that network shut down that October following the loss of its and sister network SportsChannel Philadelphia s sports programming to Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia 15 16 Partly in an effort to get the network s substantial losses off its books TCI announced a deal on June 2 1997 in which it transferred majority ownership of the corporate entity that operated Starz Encore Media Group to sister company Liberty Media TCI retained a 20 minority ownership interest in Encore Media Group Liberty Media assumed the former company s stake in the subsidiary in 1999 following TCI s merger with AT amp T Corporation 7 17 By May 1998 Starz maintained a subscriber base reaching 7 6 million households with a cable or satellite television subscription 18 2000s onwards Edit Starz logo used from March 28 2005 to April 6 2008 The network gained carriage deals with many other major U S cable and satellite providers by the early 2000s particularly with the adoption of digital cable allowing for providers to add channels that they even with capacity expansions of up to 60 channels previously had limited room to carry Encore Media Group was renamed the Starz Encore Media Group in 2000 19 As part of a corporate restructuring plan in 2003 Starz Encore Group eliminated 100 jobs in its nine regional offices and closed four of the offices outright 20 On March 25 2005 the Starz Encore Group corporate entity was renamed Starz Entertainment A few days later on March 28 2005 Starz introduced a new logo and was subsequently rebranded as starz in all lowercase 21 Starz logo used from April 7 2008 to April 4 2016 On November 19 2009 Liberty Media spun off Starz into a separate public tracking stock called Liberty Starz 22 On January 1 2010 Chris Albrecht joined Starz as its president and chief executive officer then overseeing all of the Starz entities including Starz Entertainment Overture Films Anchor Bay Entertainment and Film Roman 23 On August 8 2012 Liberty Media announced that it would spin off the Liberty Starz subsidiary into a separate publicly traded company 24 The spin off of the subsidiary was completed on January 11 2013 with Liberty Starz changing its name to Starz as a result 25 Starz logo used from April 5 2016 to September 28 2022 On April 5 2016 Starz was rebranded introducing a new logo this time stylized as STARZ in all uppercase As part of the rebranding Starz added all the Encore channels to its moniker therefore increasing the Starz channel lineup to 14 Starz premium channels Its main channel was rebranded Starz Encore and carries reruns of Starz Originals in addition to films 26 27 On June 30 2016 Lionsgate agreed to acquire Starz Inc for 4 4 billion in cash and stock the acquisition was completed five months later on December 8 28 29 In April 2019 Starz was widely criticized in the tech press and by the Electronic Frontier Foundation for sending legal demands to Twitter in order to remove links to a news article which discussed piracy but contained neither pirated content nor links to pirated content Starz initially responded by issuing further DMCA complaints against those criticizing them including against a tweet from the Electronic Frontier Foundation stating that Starz should withdraw its takedown and refrain from harassing journalists However they subsequently apologized clarified that the invalid DMCA claims were sent on their behalf by a third party contractor called The Social Element and promised that they are working with our vendors to reinstate any such content that was inappropriately targeted for removal 30 31 32 33 Channels EditList of channels Edit Depending on the service provider Starz provides up to twelve multiplex channels six 24 hour multiplex channels all of which are simulcast in both standard definition and high definition as well as a subscription video on demand service Starz On Demand Starz broadcasts its primary and multiplex channels on Eastern and Pacific Time Zone schedules The respective coastal feeds of each channel are usually packaged together though most cable providers only offer the east and west coast feeds of the main Starz channel resulting in the difference in local airtimes for a particular movie or program between two geographic locations being three hours at most The premium film services Encore and MoviePlex which are also owned by Starz Inc operate as separate services as such subscribers to one of the services do not have to subscribe to any of the others Some providers offer Encore and MoviePlex s multiplex channels on a separate digital cable tier from Starz However Encore and depending on its carriage MoviePlex are frequently sold together in a package with Starz Channel Description and programming Starz The flagship service Starz features hit movies and first run films from Hollywood blockbusters to independent films and international pictures The main Starz channel commonly premieres recent theatrically released hit movies debuting on the channel within a lag of between eight months to one year on average from their initial theatrical release on most Friday nights at 9 00 p m Eastern Time as part of a weekly feature film block called the Starz Friday Night Feature Premiere originally airing on Saturday nights until 2013 and known as Starz Saturday Opening Night until 2002 and Starz Saturday Premiere from 2002 to 2013 The channel also airs some original series with newer episodes airing primarily on Saturday nights Starz Cinema Starz Cinema carries films outside the mainstream cinema incorporating critically acclaimed studio and independent releases and arthouse films Starz Cinema was launched in May 1999 Starz Comedy Starz Comedy focuses on lighthearted films of varying comedic genres including slapstick romantic comedies and dramedies It was launched in 2005 Starz Edge Starz Edge features films aimed at young adults in the 18 to 34 age demographic It was launched in March 1996 as Starz 2 and was rebranded as Starz Theater from July 1999 until March 25 2005 in its previous incarnations the channel s format incorporated a limited selection of films scheduled in a format mirroring the showtime scheduling used by movie theaters Starz In Black Starz In Black focuses on black cinema and urban entertainment carrying a mix of first run hits classic and Pan African films and original productions Launched in 1997 as a joint venture with BET Starz In Black was known as BET Movies Starz 3 until 2001 when BET opted out of the venture during its purchase by Viacom then owner of rival premium service Showtime It was then named Black Starz from 2001 to 2005 Starz Kids amp Family Launched on March 25 2005 out of the consolidation of the once separate services Starz Family which was launched in May 1999 and Starz Kids which launched over the channel space now occupied by Starz Comedy in 2003 Starz Kids amp Family features commercial free family movies including action and adventure movies dramas and comedies The channel featured two program blocks Building Blocks a weekday morning block of animated series primarily imported from Canada and Six Block a weekday afternoon block of imported live action series aimed at a youth audience Unlike Starz Encore Family which replaced Encore Wam in August 2011 Starz Kids amp Family features some PG 13 rated films within its schedule in addition to G and PG rated films Due to its family targeted format the network broadcasts without R or NC 17 rated movies and TV 14 or TV MA rated programming only showing programs that are rated G PG or PG 13 or the equivalent TV Y TV G TV Y7 or TV PG Despite being a premium service cable providers have occasionally used Starz Kids amp Family and its predecessor Starz Family to temporarily replace television stations dropped due to carriage disputes such as during Journal Broadcast Group s 2013 dispute with Time Warner Cable This dispute resulted in TWC s systems in certain markets substituting other stations such as the Local AccuWeather Channel and Live Well Network affiliated digital subchannels of Milwaukee Wisconsin s WTMJ TV with the channel 34 A January 2000 dispute between Cox Communications and Fox Television Stations resulted in Starz Family replacing Fox owned and operated stations in six markets 35 In September 2016 the channel brought back children s programming on a weekday morning block The block provided programming from WIldBrain Mainly programs from the DIC Entertainment and Cookie Jar Group catalogs and The Jim Henson Company Programs included Angela Anaconda Sonic the Hedgehog Liberty s Kids The Wubbulous World of Dr Seuss etc Other DHX programs aired on Starz Encore Family and all the others appeared on the Starz streaming mobile app This block was removed for reruns of another show Starz acquired Pit Pony in December 2020 though reruns of Little Charmers stayed until December 2022 36 Background Edit See also Starz Encore Channels In 1994 Encore launched the pay television industry s first themed multiplex service seven additional movie channels that each focused on a specific genre This was intended to include only six channels but Encore decided to launch Starz as a competitor to HBO and Showtime after it acquired the pay TV rights to broadcast films by Universal Studios released after 1993 8 A numbering system was used for each service to identify itself as an Encore channel though this system was abandoned for most of the channels in 1996 with the tagline an encore network which Starz also used albeit sparingly being used from then until 2002 Starz continued to heavily include the Encore 8 moniker in its main IDs feature presentation bumpers and select bumpers until 2002 even as it transitioned into a separate channel from Encore The tie to Encore branding wise continued even as Starz was given its own slate of multiplex channels in the late 1990s The first of these to debut was Starz 2 in 1996 maintaining a set lineup of four different movies scheduled at the same times each day inspired by the scheduling used by movie theaters with the slate of films changing each Friday 37 This was followed in 1997 by the debut of a joint venture with BET Networks called BET Movies Starz 3 38 Two additional multiplex channels began operations in May 1999 Starz Family carried family oriented theatrical and home video film releases was launched possibly in response to HBO s own family oriented multiplex channel HBO Family which debuted three years earlier The other service was Starz Cinema a channel featuring critically acclaimed independent films and movies outside the mainstream cinema 39 40 Starz 2 was also renamed Starz Theater to better reflect its format The first changes made following the original rollout of the multiplex occurred in 2001 with the rebranding of BET Movies Starz as Black Starz after BET withdrew from the partnership during its acquisition by Viacom which owned rival pay service Showtime at the time in 2001 41 A seventh Starz multiplex channel was launched in 2004 Starz Kids was created as a movie service featuring films aimed at children between 2 and 11 years of age maintaining a format similar to that of Starz Family 42 Unlike the other Starz multiplex channels Starz Kids was launched on cable systems on a case by case basis instead of on a broader national scale The entire multiplex was overhauled on March 28 2005 as part of an extensive rebranding of the Starz and Encore services While Encore debuted a slightly modified logo and applied the Encore brand to the names of its six multiplex channels Starz underwent a more dramatic makeover with a completely redesigned logo which included the exclamation mark being dropped from the channel s name and a standardized graphics package that was implemented across all of its channels with some modifications for each channel s format 43 44 The programming formats of several channels changed entirely Starz Theater was relaunched as Starz Edge a movie channel aimed primarily at men 18 to 34 years old nicknamed The New Generation by the channel Starz Kids and Starz Family were combined into a single channel called Starz Kids and Family to make room for a new channel focusing on comedic feature films called Starz Comedy Black Starz also changed its name to Starz InBlack The only multiplex channel other than the primary feed that retained its original name was Starz Cinema 45 The Starz multiplex has been marketed under several names over the years including the Starz Encore Super Pak and the Starz Super Pak 46 The multiplex now has no official marketed name as of 2015 update On March 28 2016 Starz introduced a new logo and tagline Obsessable This coincides with a revamp of the Starz channels effective April 5 of that year All of Encore s channels will now take on the Starz brand while Encore s main channel will be rebranded Starz Encore which will air reruns of Starz originals in addition to films Starz now has 14 channels in its package 47 Other services Edit Starz HD Edit Starz HD logo in 2010 Starz HD is a high definition simulcast feed of Starz that broadcasts in the 1080i resolution format In addition to its main channel Starz also operates high definition simulcast feeds of its five multiplex channels When it was launched in December 2003 the simulcast covered only the east and west coast feeds of the main Starz channel An enhanced definition simulcast feed and a separate HD channel called Sharper Movies HD that would have broadcast in the 1080i format and be structured similarly to the original format of sister channel Encore s MoviePlex in which Sharper Movies would broadcast programming from each Starz channel in daily sampler blocks were also planned Plans for the latter service were dropped because of a lack of interest from providers to charge a premium fee for the network 48 49 HD feeds of Starz Kids and Family Starz Comedy and Starz Edge followed in 2007 50 The remaining Starz multiplex channels Starz Cinema and Starz In Black launched their HD simulcast feeds on June 23 2010 with DirecTV becoming the first provider to offer all six channels including both coastal feeds of the primary Starz channel in HD 51 Among others Starz HD is carried nationally by satellite providers DirecTV and Dish Network and regionally by Verizon FiOS AT amp T U verse Comcast Xfinity Time Warner Cable Cox Communications Cablevision and Charter Communications Starz On Demand Edit Starz operates a video on demand VOD television service called Starz On Demand which is available at no additional charge to new and existing Starz subscribers The service was launched on September 19 2001 debuting on Adelphia Communications Cleveland Ohio system 52 53 The service offers early premieres of feature films that are scheduled to premiere on Starz up to one month prior to their pay cable debut on the primary linear channel Starz on Demand s rotating program selection incorporates selected new titles that are added each Friday and existing program titles held over from the previous one to two weeks The Starz On Demand name was also used for an online broadband streaming movie service operated by Starz and RealNetworks from 2003 to 2004 54 In March 2011 Starz On Demand launched a third VOD service in addition to its standard definition and high definition VOD services offering movies presented in 3D to customers of Comcast and Verizon FiOS at no additional charge 55 Starzplay U S Edit Starzplay logo The original incarnation of Starzplay was a website and mobile app that featured original programming and feature film content from Starz available for streaming in standard or high definition It was available to Starz subscribers of Verizon FIOS 56 AT amp T U verse 57 Cox Communications 58 Xfinity by Comcast 59 and DirecTV 60 until it was merged with Starz com on April 5 2016 The former incarnation of the Starzplay online service which is structured as a TV Everywhere style service was launched on October 8 2012 with the release of the iPad iPhone and iPod Touch app 61 until they were merged with Starz com on April 5 2016 The Starzplay name was borrowed from a prior service offered in conjunction with Netflix It was created in 2008 after the subscription streaming service struck an agreement with Starz Entertainment to allow Netflix to sub license rights to films from distributors that maintain output deals with the linear Starz channel for online viewing in lieu of acquiring the digital distribution rights on its own due to the expense of acquiring newer film titles as Netflix is considered to be merely a content aggregator Because Netflix chose to sub license digital rights through Starz instead of negotiating with the studios Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures threatened not to renew its output deal with Starz unless it either discontinued its deal with Netflix or paid Disney a licensing fee for digital streaming rights to its films Netflix ended up assuming rights to most film releases by Walt Disney Studios from Starz in 2016 62 63 Starzplay as a Netflix service was first made available to Starz subscribers of the Verizon FiOS television service 64 Starz content including most of its original programming and series content that the channel acquired through domestic and international distributors was made available on Netflix s Watch Instantly platform It was the third subscription video on demand online streaming service operated by Starz Starz Ticket operated from 2004 to 2006 under a joint venture between Starz Entertainment and RealNetworks 65 Starz offered its own separate online movie service Vongo to its subscribers from 2006 66 until it discontinued the service on September 30 2008 On September 1 2011 Starz announced that it would not renew its streaming agreement with Netflix which ended on February 28 2012 movie titles that are available on DVD from Sony Pictures Disney and other studios that maintain pay television distribution deals with Starz were not affected and can be acquired from Netflix by this method 67 With the expiration of the Netflix deal film content from studios with which Starz maintains broadcast rights were no longer available for online streaming particularly as Netflix and certain similar services such as Vudu did not have separate streaming rights to films from these individual studios Prior to the beta launch of its Starz Online service which became Starzplay upon its official launch Starz announced on November 18 2011 that it was developing a streaming application for mobile devices allowing the network s subscribers and in early reports speculation that possibly non subscription television subscribers would be allowed as well to view Starz s series and film content 68 The app was released on October 9 2012 for the iPad iPhone and iPod Touch and on May 7 2013 for Android devices 58 69 An app for authenticated subscribers for the Xbox 360 was released on December 3 2013 70 followed by a similar app for the Xbox One on August 5 2014 71 Lionsgate Edit Lionsgate logo Lionsgate previously Starzplay 72 Starzplay Arabia and Lionsgate Play in the south and Southeast Asia region are Starz international streaming services for viewers outside North America Starzplay Arabia was the first Starz branded service to be localized outside the United States launching on April 2 2015 in 17 countries in the Middle East and North Africa region breaching those territories before its biggest competitor in media streaming being Netflix 73 74 Starzplay Arabia remains available even as the U S version of the service has been discontinued 75 In 2018 the service became available in Pakistan the first country outside the MENA region where Starzplay was available 76 In 2019 Starzplay was launched in Brazil France Germany Ireland Spain and the United Kingdom 77 78 In 2020 it became available in Argentina Chile and Italy 79 80 In March 2022 a 57 majority stake in Starzplay Arabia was acquired by a consortium led by e amp formerly known as Etisalat and the Abu Dhabi based investment group ADQ The deal was valued at 420m 81 In January 2021 Starzplay Arabia signed a deal with Abu Dhabi Media which allows subscribers to watch UFC fights and events live 82 In several countries Lionsgate is provided through partnerships with cable services such as Vodafone in Spain Movistar TV in Argentina IndiHome in Indonesia and PLDT Home in the Philippines or within Apple TV as well 83 84 85 79 On September 28 2022 Lionsgate announced the international Starzplay service would be rebranded as Lionsgate the following day in most countries 72 eliminating much of the conflict between Lionsgate and Disney s Star brand The Starzplay Arabia and Lionsgate Play services will not be affected at this time while Starz in the U S and Canada merely rebranded with a new version of the STARZ logo 86 In November 2022 it was announced that Lionsgate was ending operations in the markets of France Germany Italy Spain Benelux the Nordics and Japan before the end of the company s fiscal year 87 Starz app and subscription service Edit On April 5 2016 Starz launched a new app and over the top subscription service to compete with HBO Now and Showtime s OTT subscription service The new app which replaced the StarzPlay service allowed users to access Starz programming regardless of whether they had a TV package or not The Starz app also includes offline playback functionality allowing users to download and watch content without an internet connection 88 In response to the discontinuation of StarzPlay Comcast has blocked access to the new Starz app for Comcast Xfinity customers forcing them to instead access the network s authenticated content through the Xfinity app and website and older StarzPlay apps on platforms such as Roku Currently Comcast is the only major distributor to do this 89 Starz on Amazon Video Edit In the winter of 2015 Amazon Video began offering Starz and rival premium network Showtime as add on subscriptions for their customers the cost is 8 99 per month after a seven day free trial The content deal between Amazon and Starz not only offers the channel s current and back catalog of programming but also movies and classic TV series currently airing on Encore and its branded networks as well as live East Coast feeds of the Starz branded networks and Encore 90 Programming EditMain article List of Starz original programming Film library Edit As of 2022 update Starz and sister networks Starz Encore and MoviePlex maintain exclusive first run film licensing agreements with Sony Pictures Entertainment since January 2005 including content from subsidiaries Columbia Pictures Sony Pictures Classics Screen Gems Destination Films Triumph Films and TriStar Pictures but not Sony Pictures Animation because they have a separate deal with Netflix 91 92 Anchor Bay Entertainment EuropaCorp and Warren Miller Films since 1997 93 The first run film output agreement with Sony was renewed for nine years on February 11 2013 94 95 the Warren Miller output deal was renewed for ten years on October 19 2009 96 On April 8 2021 Sony announced that they would not be renewing the agreement with Starz in favor of a new first run agreement with Netflix 97 On July 15 2021 Starz reached a licensing deal with Universal Pictures for first run movies 18 months after they stream on Peacock and Prime Video respectively 98 Starz also shows sub runs runs of films that have recently received broadcast or syndicated television airings of theatrical films from Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures including subsidiaries Walt Disney Pictures Touchstone Pictures Marvel Studios Lucasfilm 20th Century Studios and Hollywood Pictures all for films released before 2016 Warner Bros Entertainment including content from subsidiaries New Line Cinema Turner Entertainment both for films released prior to 2005 and Castle Rock Entertainment Universal Pictures including content from subsidiaries Universal Animation Studios Focus Features and DreamWorks Animation all for films released prior to 2003 Metro Goldwyn Mayer including content from subsidiaries United Artists Orion Pictures and The Samuel Goldwyn Company Paramount Pictures including content from DreamWorks Pictures pre 2011 Republic Pictures Nickelodeon Movies Miramax Paramount Vantage and television rights to the Cannon Films and Carolco Pictures libraries Revolution Studios 99 Overture Films 100 Yari Film Group 101 and the network s sister company Lions Gate Entertainment since 2012 102 Films for which Starz has pay cable rights usually also run on Encore and MoviePlex during the duration of its term of licensing From 1995 to 2002 Starz had broadcast occasional original made for pay cable movies produced by the in house company Starz Pictures 103 104 In January 1997 Starz secured a licensing agreement with Paramount Pictures broadcasting over 300 titles Paramount s first contract with Starz expired in January 2006 105 In April 2013 Starz reassumed sub run rights to Paramount Pictures feature film releases Films that were initially broadcast through this deal included Dear God All I Want for Christmas and Boomerang 106 107 108 Former first run contracts Edit At the time of its launch Starz had secured exclusive first run film rights with Universal Pictures Touchstone Pictures Hollywood Pictures Miramax New Line Cinema Walt Disney Pictures and Carolco Pictures 6 Between 1995 and 2005 Starz had also broadcast films from Turner Pictures and New Line Cinema 109 Starz s contract with Universal expired in late 2002 with HBO and Starz sharing half of Universal s films during the 2003 calendar year before HBO assumed pay television rights in 2004 110 111 The first run film output agreement with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures expired after December 2015 with Netflix assuming pay television rights in January 2016 excluding films released by Touchstone Pictures which were retained by Starz through a separate contract 62 112 113 Through at least the first half of 2016 Starz provided Disney films that were released before the expiration such as Inside Out and The Good Dinosaur but none released after such as Zootopia Television series Edit Original programming Edit Starz expanded its program offerings to include some original television series by the late 1990s with five entertainment news programs and shows that focused on the making of upcoming or current feature films such as Starz Movie News and Hollywood One on One some of these programs were also aired on Encore In 2005 Starz began expanding its original programming slate in order to compete with rivals Showtime and HBO with the inclusion of scripted series 114 Some of the initial series such as Kung Faux The Bronx Bunny Show and Head Case maintained running times considered unconventional for a live action series usually running under 15 minutes in length 115 half hour and hour long series were eventually incorporated on the schedule by 2010 including shows such as Spartacus Torchwood Miracle Day in 2011 Boss and Da Vinci s Demons The number of original series that debuted each year on Starz has varied reaching a high of four series during the 2011 calendar year 116 In 2013 Starz gave a series order to Outlander a drama based on the Outlander book series by Diana Gabaldon The project from Battlestar Galactica developer Ronald D Moore and Sony Pictures Television received a 16 episode order with production beginning in Scotland where the books are set in October 2013 117 Outlander has received five nominations for the 2015 Women s Image Network Awards including a nomination in the Drama Series category Caitriona Balfe who plays the leading character in the show also received a nomination in the Actress Drama Series category 118 After Starz s 2016 acquisition by Lionsgate the network has moved to produce more original content with president of programming Carmi Zlotnik calling Starz a content pump for Lionsgate 119 Acquired programming Edit Multiplex channel Starz Kids amp Family also features some series programming which are aimed at young children and preteens That channel runs two program blocks Building Blocks a block airing on Monday through Saturday mornings that features animated series such as Dragon Hunters Gawayn Zombie Hotel Savage Family Wild and Matt s Monsters and the Six Block originally titled Camp Block 120 from its launch in March 2011 until the two hour block was moved from mid afternoon slots varying on the film schedule to a set timeslot of 6 00 pm Eastern Time in January 2012 a teenage focused block airing weekday afternoons that features mainly imported series from English speaking countries outside of America like Canada Australia and the United Kingdom such as Wingin It Genie in the House Majority Rules and Sadie J 121 The two blocks are similar to those seen on sister channel Encore s multiplex channel Encore Wam between 1994 and 2009 Other ventures EditStarz Entertainment has expanded considerably with the presence of its Starz and Encore family of multiplex networks as well as ventures into television and film production and home video distribution In 1999 Starz launched the in house company Starz Pictures a production company that produced made for cable films for the television channel 122 Starz Pictures only major film project was the 2002 telefilm Joe and Max Starz Pictures shut down that same year 123 In November 2006 Chris McGurk and Danny Rosett launched Overture Films an independent movie studio that Liberty Media operated out of its Starz Entertainment division 124 After a proposed sale of the company failed to materialize through the absence of willing buyers the studio was shut down in October 2010 with its marketing and distribution operations handed over to Relativity Media Overture s small library of less than 20 films will continue to be distributed by Anchor Bay Entertainment for DVD release and by Starz for television broadcast 125 In 2007 Starz Entertainment purchased IDT Entertainment which was renamed Starz Media 126 127 As a result of the purchase Starz acquired IDT subsidiaries Anchor Bay Entertainment Digital Production Solutions DPS and New Arc Entertainment The Weinstein Company a film studio run by former Miramax heads Bob and Harvey Weinstein purchased a 25 stake in Starz Media but not the Starz parent company on January 4 2011 with Anchor Bay entering into a multi year domestic distribution agreement of theatrical feature films released by The Weinstein Company and its Dimension Films subsidiary 128 As part of IDT Corporation s purchase by Starz Starz Entertainment also acquired two animation studios Toronto based IDT animation studio formerly DKP Studios which was renamed Starz Animation 129 and Manga Entertainment an international distributor of Japanese animation A third animation studio that was also acquired due to the IDT purchase Film Roman was sold in October 2010 to a production company owned by a group of investors led by former Film Roman studio president Scott Greenberg called Bento Box Entertainment 130 Branding EditStarz s logo has incorporated a star in some form since its launch In the original logo that was used from its launch in February 1994 until March 27 2005 the star was composed of a two silhouettes one star being embedded within a larger one and a STARZ logotype styled after 1930s era movie poster typography The original accompanying graphics were set around a CGI movie theater with the main network ID featuring seats that opened by themselves various theater imagery and even images resembling the Caduceus 131 while feature presentation bumpers also heavily used the movie theater themes using spotlights and film canisters and the Encore 8 branding The theater look that had been used since the network s launch was ultimately abandoned in May 2002 when it switched to a package based around natural themes particularly water a seven note fanfare was also introduced as a musical motif 132 the new look did not carry over to the multiplex channels Starz also introduced the InfoBar a lower third banner graphic that appears on screen during promotional breaks and during the end credits of films seen on the channel originally purposed to promote upcoming programs This logo was abandoned for an abstract star shooting upwards and a Helvetica Neue wordmark in March 2005 as part of a major rebrand of the network 43 that included a blue colored gel standardized graphics package with modifications different colors such as grey red green purple and orange for each multiplex channel the fanfare from the previous graphics package was also reorchestrated by Mixology Post 133 The InfoBar also began to be used to promote events on the other Starz networks and to provide entertainment news headlines supplied by Variety a similar version was adopted for use by the Encore networks That year Starz began branding its feature film content with an opaque logo bug appearing on the lower right corner of the screen for two minutes each half hour though the 2005 logo bug for Starz channels appears for the rest of the movie s run in Summer 2007 along with Encore and Movieplex channels until Starz reverted them back to 2 minutes for their logo bug during the April 2008 rebrand except for Encore Movieplex and Starz Cinema the addition of the on screen logos was cited by former Starz president Tom Southwick due to a large number of subscribers not knowing which of the channels they were watching when they tuned in particularly if started viewing one of the channels after the start of a film A new logo was introduced in April 2008 with lowercase starz typing featuring an asteroid shaped star inserted between the a and r the coloring of the logo was modified to an orange gold rendering in April 2011 The channel replaced the opaque on screen logos with a bright white logo bug on all channels and a bright orange bug for Starz HD as of April 7 2008 and Starz Kids amp Family s HD simulcast feed in July 2011 After the 2011 logo rebrand the bright white version of the 2008 logo for Starz channels stayed on screen for the second time until mid 2013 that it will reverted to two minute version along with Encore channels After the current logo s introduction the InfoBar began to once again serve only to promote programming on the main Starz channel while it serves mainly as a network ID on some of its multiplex channels In 2016 Starz redesigned its logo again the current logo is the word STARZ in bold white capital letters against a black background In 2022 following the rebrand of Lionsgate Starz got a new brand and is colored in blue yellow for gradient akin to Lionsgate s main color Network slogans Edit Starz More of What You Want for Less 1994 Only on Starz and No Other Movie Channel Early February 1994 August 1995 Starz Big Movies and More September 1 1995 late October 1998 100 Movies November 1 1998 Late August 1999 Movies Movies New Hit Movies September 1 1999 early September 2000 1 in New Hit Movies September 18 2000 late December 2004 An Influx of Movies Only on Starz Early January 2005 late March 2008 Are You Ready April 2008 late August 2012 134 Taking You Places September 2012 March 2016 Obsessable April 2016 September 2022 135 Just You Watch September 2022 present This list related to film television or video is incomplete you can help by adding missing items October 2021 See also EditPRISM TV channel References Edit Todd Haselton March 25 2019 Apple unveils streaming TV services CNBC NBCUniversal News Group Archived from the original on March 25 2019 Retrieved March 25 2019 David Katzmaier May 23 2019 Amazon Prime Video Channels Everything you need to know CNET CBS Interactive Archived from the original on June 10 2020 Retrieved June 9 2020 Lionsgate Signs Lease for STARZ Commercial Property Executive September 22 2017 Archived from the original on January 4 2020 Retrieved January 4 2020 Colorado Gov Bill Owens Helps Starz Encore Group Dedicate New Headquarters In Meridian Office Park South of Denver Starz MediaRoom PR Newswire July 2 2002 Archived from the original on July 14 2011 Retrieved February 24 2011 Andrew Bucholtz September 10 2018 Nielsen coverage estimates for September see gains at ESPN networks NBCSN and NBA TV drops at MLBN and NFLN Cable Network Coverage Area Household Universe Estimates September 2018 Awful Announcing NESN Digital Archived from the original on September 18 2018 Retrieved September 20 2018 a b Starz New Premium Channel Launches Tonight with Unprecedented Support from Major Hollywood Studios Press release PR Newswire February 1 1994 Archived from the original on February 3 2014 Retrieved February 24 2011 via The Free Library a b Higgins John M May 19 1997 TCI shuffling Starz will move it onto Liberty Media to shield MSO from channel s ongoing losses Broadcasting amp Cable Archived from the original on June 11 2014 Retrieved March 11 2013 via HighBeam Research a b c Encore Media Corp signed a deal with Universal film studios that will allow Encore to launch its own movie service as its seventh multiplexed channel Broadcasting amp Cable May 31 1993 Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 23 2011 via HighBeam Research ENCORE CELEBRATES THE EXPANSION OF SIX MULTIPLEX CHANNELS BY HONORING FILM GREATS PR Newswire June 29 1994 Archived from the original on October 21 2012 Retrieved March 8 2013 via The Free Library Encore to spin off channels early Broadcasting amp Cable December 6 1993 Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 24 2011 via HighBeam Research Kim Mitchell January 31 1994 TCI details Starz rollout plans Tele Communications Inc to launch Starz premium pay service Multichannel News Fairchild Publications Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 24 2011 via HighBeam Research Richard Katz September 18 1995 Starz signs Continental as first major non TCI MSO Multichannel News Fairchild Publications Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 25 2011 via HighBeam Research John M Higgins November 20 1995 Starz Encore snag pay nets at TCI Multichannel News Fairchild Publications Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 25 2011 via HighBeam Research Rich Brown September 30 1996 Starz awaits digital TV platforms losses expected to hit 300 million before break even Broadcasting amp Cable Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 23 2011 via HighBeam Research Rose DeWolf August 25 1997 Starz On The Horizon Goodbye Prism amp Sports Channel What s Next Depends On Where You Hang The Clicker Philadelphia Daily News Archived from the original on March 4 2016 Retrieved April 13 2015 Comcast Commits to Launch STARZ in Philadelphia More Than 300 000 Comcast Customers Will See STARZ by October 1 PR Newswire July 21 1997 Archived from the original on March 3 2014 Retrieved March 8 2013 via The Free Library Gibbons Kent June 2 1997 Liberty takes most of Starz off TCI s hands Multichannel News Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 23 2011 via HighBeam Research Cantwell Rebecca May 15 1998 SUBSCRIBERS PUT PREMIUM ON MOVIES Rocky Mountain News Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 24 2011 via HighBeam Research Deborah D McAdams December 20 1999 Starz Encore combine Broadcasting amp Cable Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 24 2011 via HighBeam Research Steve Donohue November 17 2003 Starz cuts staff regional hubs Starz Encore Group eliminates 100 jobs and closes four regional offices Multichannel News Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 25 2011 via HighBeam Research STARZ SCHEDULE MARCH 2005 PDF Starz March 2005 Archived PDF from the original on 2014 01 12 Retrieved 2013 02 14 Liberty Media Completes Split Off and Merger with The DIRECTV Group Inc Liberty Media PR Newswire November 19 2009 Archived from the original on November 19 2015 Retrieved February 23 2011 Liberty Media Names Chris Albrecht as New President and CEO of Starz LLC Press release PR Newswire December 22 2009 Archived from the original on December 25 2009 Retrieved January 21 2010 Liberty Media to spin off Starz network Chicago Tribune Reuters August 8 2012 Archived from the original on 2012 11 20 Retrieved 2013 03 06 Liberty Media Corporation and Starz Announce Completion of Spin Off Liberty Media Business Wire January 11 2013 Archived from the original on June 29 2015 Retrieved April 22 2015 Maglio Tony March 28 2016 Starz Brings Encore Under Umbrella Unveils Rebrand The Wrap Archived from the original on March 31 2016 Retrieved March 28 2016 Andreeva Nellie March 28 2016 Starz Gets Rebrand Encore Channels To Add Starz Moniker Series Reruns Deadline Hollywood Archived from the original on July 14 2018 Retrieved March 28 2016 Lieberman David June 30 2016 Lionsgate Agrees To Buy Starz For 4 4 Billion In Cash And Stock Deadline Hollywood Archived from the original on July 1 2016 Retrieved June 30 2016 Vlessing Etan December 8 2016 Lionsgate Completes 4 4B Acquisition of Starz The Hollywood Reporter Archived from the original on December 21 2016 Retrieved December 9 2016 Hern Alex Free speech row as US TV channel forces removal of tweets The Guardian Archived from the original on 2019 05 29 Retrieved 2019 05 28 Brodkin Jon Twitter blocks EFF tweet that criticized bogus takedown of a previous tweet Ars Technica Archived from the original on 2019 05 28 Retrieved 2019 05 28 Ramos Dino Ray Starz Issues Apology To TorrentFreak After Demanding Takedown Of Tweets To Piracy Article Deadline Archived from the original on 2019 05 28 Retrieved 2019 05 28 Novak Matt Twitter Doesn t Want You Sharing This Link About TV Piracy Gizmodo Archived from the original on 2019 05 28 Retrieved 2019 05 28 Steve Kabelowsky August 15 2013 GSN now in WTMJ TV s slot on Time Warner Cable OnMilwaukee com Archived from the original on February 2 2014 Retrieved February 1 2014 Linda Moss January 17 2000 Some Subs Who Lost Fox Get Refunds from Cox Multichannel News Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 25 2011 via HighBeam Research subscription required Starz expands promises 40 larger content library more kids shows by year end TechCrunch techcrunch com 10 July 2017 Archived from the original on 2019 04 24 Retrieved 2019 04 24 Encore targets China multiplexes Starz Broadcasting amp Cable May 15 1995 Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 25 2011 via HighBeam Research Jim McConville September 30 1996 Black films the focus of new pay channel Black Entertainment Television and Encore Media Group create BET Movies STARZ 3 Broadcasting amp Cable Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 24 2011 via HighBeam Research Starz Will Launch Two More Services Multichannel News November 30 1998 Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 24 2011 via HighBeam Research Net Launches CableFAX April 27 1999 Retrieved February 24 2011 via HighBeam Research dead link Christopher Stern November 4 2000 Viacom Cements Purchase Of BET Johnson to Remain CEO Network To Stay in D C The Washington Post Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 25 2011 via HighBeam Research Starz Encore Expands The Starz Super Pak To 13 Channels With STARZ KIDS Movies Just for Kids PR Newswire June 9 2003 Archived from the original on November 20 2015 Retrieved April 21 2015 a b Starz Entertainment Group Launches Most Extensive Re Branding in TV History All 13 Channels Get New On Air Looks and Logos PR Newswire March 28 2005 Archived from the original on October 5 2015 Retrieved April 21 2015 John Dempsey March 29 2005 Starz heats up brand iron Daily Variety Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 25 2011 via HighBeam Research Seeing Starz New Look New Nets for Premium Movie Juggernaut CableFAX March 28 2005 via HighBeam Research dead link Sie Creates Pay TV s First Super Pak With Starz Encore Super Brand PR Newswire December 16 1999 Archived from the original on March 5 2016 Retrieved April 22 2015 via The Free Library Holloway Daniel March 28 2016 Starz Unveils New Logo New Name and Programming Strategy for Encore EXCLUSIVE Variety Archived from the original on March 29 2016 Retrieved March 28 2016 Matt Stump June 9 2003 Starz gives ops two HDTV options 1080i and smaller high resolution feeds on tap from premium programmer Multichannel News Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 25 2011 via HighBeam Research Steve Donohue October 6 2003 Starz shelves Sharper Movies HD channel Starz Encore Group drops plans to launch the Sharper Movies HD channel in 12 03 due to a lack of interest Multichannel News Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 25 2011 via HighBeam Research Starz Unveils Plans to Launch Three New HD Movie Channels PR Newswire May 1 2007 Archived from the original on November 19 2015 Retrieved April 21 2015 All Starz Channels Now Offered in HD New Starz In Black HD and Starz Cinema HD Channels Launched First on DIRECTV PR Newswire June 23 2010 Retrieved February 25 2011 via Bloomberg L P Milestones in the history of Starz Special Report Starz at 10 TelevisionWeek December 20 2004 Archived from the original on September 11 2012 Retrieved February 25 2011 via HighBeam Research Matt Stump July 15 2002 Showtime Starz tie SVOD bundles Multichannel News Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 25 2011 via HighBeam Research RealNetworks and Starz Encore Group to Launch Online Movie Subscription Video on Demand Service on Broadband PR Newswire December 4 2002 Retrieved February 25 2011 via HighBeam Research dead link Todd Spangler April 1 2011 Starz Gets Into 3D Game With Comcast Verizon Multichannel News Archived from the original on August 26 2016 Retrieved April 22 2015 Verizon FiOS Launches STARZ PLAY And ENCORE PLAY Authenticated Online Services PR Newswire February 25 2013 Archived from the original on November 19 2015 Retrieved April 22 2015 Heater Brian December 18 2012 AT amp T U verse gets Starz Play Encore Play and Movieplex Play access Engadget AOL Archived from the original on April 26 2016 Retrieved September 15 2017 a b Richard Lawler October 9 2012 New Starz Play website and apps stream only to Cox customers but you might not need them Engadget AOL Archived from the original on April 26 2016 Retrieved September 15 2017 Jeff Baumgartner May 19 2014 Comcast Opens Up To Starz Play Multichannel News Archived from the original on May 5 2015 Retrieved April 21 2015 Chris Crum December 21 2012 DirecTV Gets Starz Play And Encore Play WebProNews Archived from the original on April 3 2013 Retrieved March 14 2013 Georg Szalai October 8 2012 Starz Launches Online Viewing Options for Subscribers in Deal With Cox The Hollywood Reporter Guggenheim Digital Media Archived from the original on May 24 2020 Retrieved February 19 2020 a b Michael Lietdke December 4 2012 Netflix to stream newer Disney movies USA Today Archived from the original on December 10 2012 Retrieved December 29 2012 Why Netflix Won t Be the HBO of the 21st Century Defamer Blogs on Demand Newstex LLC February 15 2010 Retrieved February 25 2011 via HighBeam Research dead link Verizon First to Offer Starz Entertainment s New Starz Play Broadband Video Service PR Newswire May 27 2008 Archived from the original on September 6 2015 Retrieved April 21 2015 Dawn C Chmielewski June 14 2004 Subscription Service Offers Downloaded Rental Movies San Jose Mercury News Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 25 2011 via HighBeam Research Gary Gentile January 4 2006 Starz to offer download movie service for portable devices Napa Valley Register Lee Enterprises Associated Press Archived from the original on November 13 2020 Retrieved April 21 2015 Starz Netflix end renewal talks WTHI TV LIN Media Associated Press September 2 2011 Archived from the original on April 13 2017 Retrieved September 2 2011 InstantJoseph November 18 2011 Starz making streaming app might not require cable subscription The Verge Vox Media Archived from the original on April 17 2015 Retrieved April 21 2015 Alexis Santos May 7 2013 Starz Encore and Movieplex Play apps arrive on Android Engadget AOL Archived from the original on August 17 2018 Retrieved September 15 2017 Todd Spangler December 3 2013 Starz Hops Aboard Microsoft s Xbox The Hollywood Reporter Guggenheim Digital Media Archived from the original on January 11 2016 Retrieved April 21 2015 Jeff Baumgartner August 5 2014 Starz Plays On The Xbox One Multichannel News Archived from the original on August 20 2014 Retrieved April 21 2015 a b Goldbart Max September 28 2022 Starz To Rebrand As Lionsgate Outside U S And Canada Deadline Hollywood Retrieved September 28 2022 Starz PR April 1 2015 STARZ PLAY Arabia Launches on April 2nd in 17 Countries New Premium Content Direct to Consumer Subscription Video Business for Middle East amp North Africa Markets Starz Inc Archived from the original on June 27 2015 Retrieved June 26 2015 Vivarelli Nick April 1 2015 Starzplay Arabia marks the first Starz branded service outside the U S Variety Archived from the original on December 7 2017 Retrieved June 26 2015 Company StarzPlay Archived from the original on 2019 12 09 Retrieved 2019 12 09 StarzPlay partners with Pakistani cinema chain Cinepax Arab News Saudi Research and Marketing Group 3 September 2018 Archived from the original on 26 September 2020 Retrieved 30 August 2020 Starzplay o de como Movistar HBO y Amazon le han dejado a Orange las migajas del canal El Espanol in European Spanish 2019 03 31 Retrieved 2020 11 27 Clarke Stewart 2019 11 25 Starz Launches Streaming App in Five International Markets Plans 20 More Variety Retrieved 2020 11 27 a b Movistar incorpora Starzplay a su oferta de contenidos Newsline Report in Spanish Retrieved 2020 11 27 STARZPLAY la nueva App de streaming premium para Espana e Italia Cine y Tele in European Spanish 13 March 2020 Retrieved 2020 11 27 Ago 1 Hour 2022 03 17 Starzplay Arabia acquired by pay TV operator E Vision amp ADQ in 420m deal TBI Vision Retrieved 2022 03 17 StarzPlay signs deal to livestream UFC across the Mideast Arab News 2021 01 14 Retrieved 2021 01 15 StarzPlay la nueva plataforma de streaming que desembarca en Argentina www clarin com in Spanish 2019 05 30 Retrieved 2020 11 27 Vodafone presenta una nueva propuesta de television mas flexible en la que el cliente solo contratara lo que quiera ver Vodafone Espana in Spanish April 4 2019 Lionsgate Play IndiHome in Indonesian January 8 2023 Vlessing Etan September 28 2022 Lionsgate to Focus on Spinoff of Studio Business Rebrands Starz Outside of U S The Hollywood Reporter Retrieved September 28 2022 Hazelton John 4 November 2022 Lionsgate pulls streaming service from seven international markets ScreenDaily Starz Launches OTT Subscription App Multichannel News April 5 2016 Archived from the original on December 17 2018 Retrieved December 16 2018 Comcast Won t Authenticate Subs for New Starz App Multichannel News April 20 2016 Archived from the original on December 17 2018 Retrieved December 16 2018 Amazon com Prime Video Starz Amazon Archived from the original on 2016 03 05 Retrieved 2017 09 15 Scott Hettrick February 1 2000 Sony lifts off for Starz in 2005 The Hollywood Reporter BPI Archived from the original on February 3 2014 via HighBeam Research John Dempsey January 31 2000 Sony sees Starz signs output deal Variety Archived from the original on May 29 2015 Retrieved April 18 2015 Starz Encore Hits the Slopes Extends Exclusive Output Deal With Warren Miller Films Press release PR Newswire January 13 2003 Archived from the original on February 3 2014 Retrieved February 20 2013 via The Free Library Georg Szalai February 11 2013 Starz Sony Pictures Extend Film Output Deal The Hollywood Reporter Guggenheim Digital Media Archived from the original on August 28 2020 Retrieved February 19 2020 Starz Announces New Long Term First Run Premium Output Agreement With Sony Pictures Entertainment Starz MediaRoom PR Newswire February 11 2013 Archived from the original on February 17 2013 Retrieved February 11 2013 Jon Weisman October 19 2009 Starz Miller ink 10 year deal Children of Winter to bow in November Variety Archived from the original on June 12 2018 Retrieved December 10 2017 Donnelly Matt Littleton Cynthia 8 April 2021 Sony Pictures Moves Movie Output Deal From Starz to Netflix in Rich Pact Variety Retrieved 8 April 2021 Andreeva Nellie July 15 2021 Starz Inks Post Pay One Licensing Deal for Universal Movies Deadline Retrieved January 11 2022 Mike Goodridge June 7 2000 Roth lines up 3bn for Revolution Studios launch ScreenDaily Archived from the original on October 12 2014 Retrieved February 10 2013 Claudia Eller July 23 2010 Overture Films ends three year run hands off marketing and distribution to Relativity Media Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on February 1 2011 Retrieved February 25 2011 John Dempsey March 11 2008 Starz nabs TV rights to four Yari films Variety Archived from the original on March 7 2018 Retrieved December 10 2017 Bill Gorman February 2 2012 Starz Entertainment Licenses More Than 500 Movies from Lionsgate TV by the Numbers Archived from the original on February 17 2013 Retrieved February 2 2012 Jim McConville August 28 1995 Encore s Starz bets on originals new channel has several projects on tap as does parent Encore Broadcasting amp Cable Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 25 2011 via HighBeam Research Donna Petrozzello November 9 1998 Encore goes original Broadcasting amp Cable Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 24 2011 via HighBeam Research Encore Media Corporation Acquires Over 300 Titles from Paramount Pictures PR Newswire January 14 1997 Archived from the original on February 4 2014 Retrieved February 20 2013 via The Free Library Starz Dear God Starz Archived from the original on May 15 2013 Retrieved March 1 2013 Starz All I Want For Christmas Starz Archived from the original on May 15 2013 Retrieved March 1 2013 Starz Boomerang Starz Archived from the original on May 15 2013 Retrieved March 1 2013 STARZ signs new exclusive output agreement with Turner Pictures and extends current agreement with New Line Cinema and Fine Line until 2005 Business Wire September 27 1995 Archived from the original on February 3 2014 Retrieved January 18 2013 via The Free Library Mike Reynolds February 5 2001 HBO bid bests Starz Cable World Archived from the original on May 7 2013 via HighBeam Research Brett Sporich Nellie Andreeva February 6 2001 HBO Uni ink licensing deal The Hollywood Reporter BPI Archived from the original on May 8 2013 via HighBeam Research Dori Zinn December 4 2012 What the Netflix Disney Deal Means for You Yahoo Finance Archived from the original on October 10 2016 Retrieved January 17 2017 via Money Talks News Maxwell R December 4 2012 Netflix scores exclusive rights to Disney movies PhoneArena Archived from the original on January 11 2013 Retrieved February 20 2013 Brian Stelter March 18 2009 Starz Has High Hopes for Its Original Shows The New York Times Archived from the original on August 11 2017 Retrieved February 13 2017 Joyzelle Davis September 23 2006 Starz lifts curtain on original shows Comedy roster experiments with shorter programs Rocky Mountain News Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 25 2011 via HighBeam Research Yinka Adegoke October 1 2010 Liberty Media sees Starz doubling original shows Reuters Archived from the original on October 4 2010 Retrieved July 2 2017 Nellie Andreeva June 1 2013 Outlander Greenlighted to Series by Starz Deadline Hollywood Archived from the original on August 7 2014 Retrieved February 19 2020 Caitriona Balfe and Outlander among nominees for Women s Image Network Awards 2015 Scotland Now For Scots Everywhere www scotlandnow dailyrecord co uk 18 November 2015 Archived from the original on 8 December 2015 Retrieved 7 December 2015 Szalai Georg 24 August 2017 Starz Programming Chief Lionsgate Sees Company as a Content Pump The Hollywood Reporter Archived from the original on 20 July 2018 Retrieved 19 July 2018 STARZ KIDS amp FAMILY kicks off Camp Block programming with The Wannabes on September 5 at 4pm ET PT Premiere Guide Premiere Guide Media August 11 2011 Archived from the original on October 10 2014 Retrieved February 1 2014 BBC Worldwide America And Starz Kids amp Family Announce First Time Deal For Children s Titles Wingin It And Sadie J Press release BBC Worldwide October 4 2012 Archived from the original on February 3 2014 Retrieved February 1 2014 Tim Clark July 31 2000 Starz Heats Up Originals Cable World Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 25 2011 via HighBeam Research Mike Reynolds September 16 2002 Starz shutters original film unit Multichannel News Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 24 2011 via HighBeam Research Joyzelle Davis November 14 2006 Dancing with the Starz Liberty Media unit set to tango its way into movie business Rocky Mountain News Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 25 2011 via HighBeam Research Claudia Eller July 23 2010 Overture Films ends three year run hands off marketing and distribution to Relativity Media Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on February 1 2011 Retrieved February 25 2011 Christian Lewis Steve Donohue September 4 2006 Starz Born Again as Movie Producer Liberty Media Corp acquired IDT Entertainment which was renamed as Starz Media Multichannel News Archived from the original on November 5 2012 Retrieved February 25 2011 via HighBeam Research A New Starz Is Born PR Newswire August 29 2007 Archived from the original on September 6 2015 Retrieved April 21 2015 Mike Fleming Jr January 4 2011 Weinsteins Buy 25 Stake In Starz Media Deadline Hollywood Mail com Media Archived from the original on March 12 2014 Retrieved February 19 2020 New Starz studio busy on Burton s 9 Playback September 17 2007 Archived from the original on April 29 2011 Retrieved February 25 2011 Ben Fritz October 11 2010 Simpsons animation studio Film Roman sold to group led by its ex president Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on February 1 2011 Retrieved February 25 2011 Starz Pre Launch Promo Loop from 1994 on YouTube Starz Ads Amelie and Casino on YouTube Starz Rebrand vimeo com 4 February 2013 Starz Unveils Brand Campaign Featuring New Logo and Tag Line Are You Ready SM Starz MediaRoom PR Newswire March 31 2008 Archived from the original on April 12 2008 Retrieved April 1 2008 Starz Unveils New Master Brand The Futon Critic March 28 2016 Retrieved December 9 2016 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Starz Official website Starz Media corporate website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Starz amp oldid 1137576251, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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