Empires - An Asian Business Podcast

STAR TV has 800 million monthly viewers in India, but it was never meant to.

When media tycoon Richard Li launched the STAR TV network in 1991, his eyes were set on China, with India barely an afterthought. But one unexpected partnership changed everything. Over the decades, STAR would battle rivals, reinvent Indian television, and ultimately become a Disney portfolio company.

This is the story of STAR TV - its meteoric rise, bitter betrayals, and ultimate transformation into a media empire commanding over 800 million viewers.

Episode 1: The Beginning of the End

Richard Li dismisses India, but a rice farmer-turned-businessman, Subhash Chandra, forces STAR TV to take a second look, setting off a chain of events that will upend the country’s media landscape.

Episode 2: The Star That Burned Too Bright

Rupert Murdoch takes over STAR TV and wages war on Zee. Desperate to localize, STAR launches its own Hindi programming, igniting a fierce battle.

Episode 3: Who Wants to Be a Deca-millionaire

With Zee dominating prime time, STAR takes its biggest gamble yet—adapting Who Wants to Be a Millionaire for Indian audiences. The stakes? 10 million rupees per episode. (USD$114,450)

Episode 4: Black Hole

Success breeds chaos. As STAR dominates television, internal conflicts and power struggles threaten to consume the empire from within.

Episode 5: Darkest Skies, Brightest Stars

With STAR on the brink, a former journalist named Uday Shankar steps in. His unconventional approach will not only save the company, but turn it into a billion-dollar powerhouse.

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Our series is proudly sponsored by AlphaSense.

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STAR TV has 800 million monthly viewers in India, but it was never meant to.

When media tycoon Richard Li launched the STAR TV network in 1991, his eyes were set on China, with India barely an afterthought. But one unexpected partnership changed everything. Over the decades, STAR would battle rivals, reinvent Indian television, and ultimately become a Disney portfolio company.

This is the story of STAR TV - its meteoric rise, bitter betrayals, and ultimate transformation into a media empire commanding over 800 million viewers.

Episode 1: The Beginning of the End

Richard Li dismisses India, but a rice farmer-turned-businessman, Subhash Chandra, forces STAR TV to take a second look, setting off a chain of events that will upend the country’s media landscape.

Episode 2: The Star That Burned Too Bright

Rupert Murdoch takes over STAR TV and wages war on Zee. Desperate to localize, STAR launches its own Hindi programming, igniting a fierce battle.

Episode 3: Who Wants to Be a Deca-millionaire

With Zee dominating prime time, STAR takes its biggest gamble yet—adapting Who Wants to Be a Millionaire for Indian audiences. The stakes? 10 million rupees per episode. (USD$114,450)

Episode 4: Black Hole

Success breeds chaos. As STAR dominates television, internal conflicts and power struggles threaten to consume the empire from within.

Episode 5: Darkest Skies, Brightest Stars

With STAR on the brink, a former journalist named Uday Shankar steps in. His unconventional approach will not only save the company, but turn it into a billion-dollar powerhouse.

-

Our series is proudly sponsored by AlphaSense.

-

STAR TV has 800 million monthly viewers in India, but it was never meant to.

When media tycoon Richard Li launched the STAR TV network in 1991, his eyes were set on China, with India barely an afterthought. But one unexpected partnership changed everything. Over the decades, STAR would battle rivals, reinvent Indian television, and ultimately become a Disney portfolio company.

This is the story of STAR TV - its meteoric rise, bitter betrayals, and ultimate transformation into a media empire commanding over 800 million viewers.

Episode 1: The Beginning of the End

Richard Li dismisses India, but a rice farmer-turned-businessman, Subhash Chandra, forces STAR TV to take a second look, setting off a chain of events that will upend the country’s media landscape.

Episode 2: The Star That Burned Too Bright

Rupert Murdoch takes over STAR TV and wages war on Zee. Desperate to localize, STAR launches its own Hindi programming, igniting a fierce battle.

Episode 3: Who Wants to Be a Deca-millionaire

With Zee dominating prime time, STAR takes its biggest gamble yet—adapting Who Wants to Be a Millionaire for Indian audiences. The stakes? 10 million rupees per episode. (USD$114,450)

Episode 4: Black Hole

Success breeds chaos. As STAR dominates television, internal conflicts and power struggles threaten to consume the empire from within.

Episode 5: Darkest Skies, Brightest Stars

With STAR on the brink, a former journalist named Uday Shankar steps in. His unconventional approach will not only save the company, but turn it into a billion-dollar powerhouse.

-

Our series is proudly sponsored by AlphaSense.

-

STAR TV has 800 million monthly viewers in India, but it was never meant to.

When media tycoon Richard Li launched the STAR TV network in 1991, his eyes were set on China, with India barely an afterthought. But one unexpected partnership changed everything. Over the decades, STAR would battle rivals, reinvent Indian television, and ultimately become a Disney portfolio company.

This is the story of STAR TV - its meteoric rise, bitter betrayals, and ultimate transformation into a media empire commanding over 800 million viewers.

Episode 1: The Beginning of the End

Richard Li dismisses India, but a rice farmer-turned-businessman, Subhash Chandra, forces STAR TV to take a second look, setting off a chain of events that will upend the country’s media landscape.

Episode 2: The Star That Burned Too Bright

Rupert Murdoch takes over STAR TV and wages war on Zee. Desperate to localize, STAR launches its own Hindi programming, igniting a fierce battle.

Episode 3: Who Wants to Be a Deca-millionaire

With Zee dominating prime time, STAR takes its biggest gamble yet—adapting Who Wants to Be a Millionaire for Indian audiences. The stakes? 10 million rupees per episode. (USD$114,450)

Episode 4: Black Hole

Success breeds chaos. As STAR dominates television, internal conflicts and power struggles threaten to consume the empire from within.

Episode 5: Darkest Skies, Brightest Stars

With STAR on the brink, a former journalist named Uday Shankar steps in. His unconventional approach will not only save the company, but turn it into a billion-dollar powerhouse.

-

Our series is proudly sponsored by AlphaSense.

-

STAR TV has 800 million monthly viewers in India, but it was never meant to.

When media tycoon Richard Li launched the STAR TV network in 1991, his eyes were set on China, with India barely an afterthought. But one unexpected partnership changed everything. Over the decades, STAR would battle rivals, reinvent Indian television, and ultimately become a Disney portfolio company.

This is the story of STAR TV - its meteoric rise, bitter betrayals, and ultimate transformation into a media empire commanding over 800 million viewers.

Episode 1: The Beginning of the End

Richard Li dismisses India, but a rice farmer-turned-businessman, Subhash Chandra, forces STAR TV to take a second look, setting off a chain of events that will upend the country’s media landscape.

Episode 2: The Star That Burned Too Bright

Rupert Murdoch takes over STAR TV and wages war on Zee. Desperate to localize, STAR launches its own Hindi programming, igniting a fierce battle.

Episode 3: Who Wants to Be a Deca-millionaire

With Zee dominating prime time, STAR takes its biggest gamble yet—adapting Who Wants to Be a Millionaire for Indian audiences. The stakes? 10 million rupees per episode. (USD$114,450)

Episode 4: Black Hole

Success breeds chaos. As STAR dominates television, internal conflicts and power struggles threaten to consume the empire from within.

Episode 5: Darkest Skies, Brightest Stars

With STAR on the brink, a former journalist named Uday Shankar steps in. His unconventional approach will not only save the company, but turn it into a billion-dollar powerhouse.

-

Our series is proudly sponsored by AlphaSense.

-