Starz is an American pay television network that launched in 1994. It's owned by Starz Entertainment and serves as the flagship property of Starz Inc. The network primarily broadcasts theatrically released movies and original television series. Starz operates multiple 24-hour linear channels, a subscription video-on-demand service, and an over-the-top streaming platform. The streaming platform serves both traditional subscribers and streaming-only consumers.
In 1992, the dramas "Scent of a Woman" and "The Crying Game", released in that year, were the first two movies aired on the network, when Starz launched on February 1, 1994.
On May 31, 1993, Encore acquired the pay cable rights to broadcast recent feature films from Universal Pictures released after that year, leading to the creation of Starz as a competitor to HBO and Showtime.
In 1993, Encore acquired the pay-TV rights to broadcast films by Universal Studios, which resulted in the launch of Starz as a competitor to HBO and Showtime.
On February 1, 1994, Starz was launched at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, primarily on cable systems operated by Tele-Communications Inc. The first two movies aired on the network were dramas released in 1992: Scent of a Woman and The Crying Game.
In February 1994, Starz launched with a logo composed of two star silhouettes and a 1930s movie-styled "STARZ!" text. The accompanying graphics were set around a CGI movie theater.
In September 1994, Starz completed the launch of its seven-channel thematic multiplex, which began in July of that year. The multiplex was originally intended to include only six channels.
In 1994, Encore launched Encore Wam, similar to the programming blocks on Starz Kids & Family.
In 1994, Encore launched the pay television industry's first "themed" multiplex service, consisting of seven additional movie 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.
In 1994, Starz was launched as a multiplex service of what is now Starz Encore. It is an American pay television network owned by Starz Entertainment, and is the flagship property of Starz Inc.
The original logo for Starz was launched in 1994.
In September 1995, Starz signed its first major carriage agreement outside the TCI group, with Continental Cablevision.
Between 1995 and 2005, Starz broadcast films from Turner Pictures and New Line Cinema.
From 1995 to 2002, Starz broadcast occasional original made-for-pay cable movies produced by the in-house company Starz! Pictures.
By 1996, Starz was available to an estimated 2.8 million pay television subscribers, with only one million subscribing through providers other than TCI.
In 1996, Starz! 2 debuted, maintaining a set lineup of four different movies scheduled at the same times each day, with the slate of films changing each Friday.
In 1996, the numbering system for each service to identify itself as an Encore channel was abandoned for most of the channels, using the tagline "an encore network" instead.
In January 1997, Starz secured a licensing agreement with Paramount Pictures, broadcasting over 300 titles.
On June 2, 1997, TCI announced a deal to transfer majority ownership of Encore Media Group, which operated Starz, to sister company Liberty Media. TCI retained a 20% minority ownership interest.
In June 1997, Comcast signed an agreement to carry Starz on its Pennsylvania and New Jersey systems, replacing PRISM after its shutdown.
By 1997, as a startup network, Starz had total deficits topping US$203 million and annual losses of US$150 million.
In 1997, Starz launched a joint venture with BET Networks called BET Movies: Starz! 3.
In 1997, Starz lost its rights to many of the Dimension Films to Showtime, due to its violent content surrounding the films, except for several future Jackie Chan films Dimension Films released, which Starz kept the rights.
In 1997, after Disney's output agreement with Showtime concluded for its non-family-oriented films, Starz began to carry films from the Disney-owned studios Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Pictures and Miramax Films.
By May 1998, Starz maintained a subscriber base reaching 7.6 million households with a cable or satellite television subscription.
In May 1999, Starz! Family, carrying family-oriented films, and Starz! Cinema, featuring independent films, began operations. Starz! 2 was also renamed Starz! Theater.
In July 1999, Starz Encore began to include recent film releases in its programming, complementing its focus on films from the 1960s to the 1980s.
In August 1999, Starz preemptively signed a four-year deal with Dimension Films that would take effect in January 2003. This deal was in conjunction with a four-year extension of Starz's existing deal with Miramax Films and the rest of the Disney family.
In 1999, Starz Encore Entertainment was formed to produce entertainment news programs and shows focused on the making of upcoming or current feature films.
In 1999, following TCI's merger with AT&T Corporation, Liberty Media assumed the former company's stake in Encore Media Group.
In January 2000, a dispute between Cox Communications and Fox Television Stations led to Starz! Family temporarily replacing Fox owned-and-operated stations in six markets.
In 2000, Encore Media Group was renamed Starz Encore Media Group.
In 2001, BET Movies: Starz! was rebranded as Black Starz! after BET withdrew from the partnership due to Viacom's acquisition of BET.
In May 2002, Starz replaced the "theater" branding used since its launch with a new graphics package based around natural themes, particularly water. A seven-note fanfare was also introduced as a musical motif.
From 1995 to 2002, Starz broadcast occasional original made-for-pay cable movies produced by the in-house company Starz! Pictures.
In 2002, Starz acquired the pay television rights to Disney's animated films, which previously bypassed a pay television window.
In late 2002, Starz's contract with Universal Pictures expired, leading to shared rights with HBO.
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.
In January 2003, the four-year deal between Starz and Dimension Films, signed in August 1999, took effect. This was in conjunction with a four-year extension of Starz's existing deal with Miramax Films and the rest of the Disney family.
In December 2003, Starz launched Starz HD, a high-definition simulcast feed of the main Starz channel broadcasting in 1080i resolution. Initially, the simulcast only covered the east and west coast feeds.
During the 2003 calendar year, HBO and Starz shared half of Universal Pictures' films.
From 2003, the Starz On Demand name was used for an online broadband streaming movie service operated by Starz and RealNetworks.
In 2003, as part of a corporate restructuring plan, Starz Encore Group eliminated 100 jobs in its nine regional offices and closed four of the offices outright.
In 2004, HBO assumed pay television rights for Universal Pictures' films.
In 2004, Starz! Kids was launched 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.
Starz On Demand name was used for an online broadband streaming movie service operated by Starz and RealNetworks until 2004.
In March 2005, the 1994 logo was replaced with an abstract star and a modern "starz" wordmark as part of a major rebrand. This included a blue liquid standardized graphics package with different colors for each multiplex channel.
On March 25, 2005, the Starz Encore Group corporate entity was renamed Starz Entertainment.
On March 27, 2005, Starz replaced its original logo, used since February 1994, with an abstract star shooting upwards and a more modern "starz" wordmark in Helvetica Neue.
On March 28, 2005, Starz introduced a new logo and was subsequently rebranded as "starz", in all lowercase.
Between 1995 and 2005, Starz broadcast films from Turner Pictures and New Line Cinema.
In 2005, Starz began expanding its original programming slate to compete with rivals Showtime and HBO, with the inclusion of scripted series. Starz Encore Entertainment was renamed Starz Originals.
Starz shows sub-runs (runs of films that have recently received broadcast or syndicated television airings) of films from Dimension Films (pre-2005).
In January 2006, Paramount Pictures' first contract with Starz expired.
In 2006 Starz launched Vongo, a separate online movie service for subscribers.
In 2007, Starz expanded its HD offerings by launching HD feeds of Starz Kids and Family, Starz Comedy, and Starz Edge.
Starting in Summer 2007, Starz introduced an opaque on-screen logo bug on the lower-right corner of the screen, appearing for two minutes each half-hour of the movie.
As of April 7, 2008, Starz replaced the opaque on-screen logo bugs with a white logo bug on all channels and a bright orange bug for Starz HD.
During the April 2008 rebrand, Starz reverted every screenbug back to appearing for two minutes every half hour during the April 2008 rebrand, except for Encore, Movieplex, and Starz Cinema.
In April 2008, the Starz logo was changed with a new "starz" wordmark in a different font and a star shining between the "a" and "r".
On September 30, 2008, Starz discontinued Vongo, a separate online movie service for subscribers that had been operating since 2006.
In 2008, Starzplay was created as a service in conjunction with Netflix, allowing Netflix to sub-license rights to films from distributors with output deals with the linear Starz channel for online viewing.
On October 19, 2009, the Warren Miller output deal with Starz was renewed for 10 years.
On November 19, 2009, Liberty Media spun off Starz into a separate public tracking stock called Liberty Starz.
In 2009, Encore Wam was closed, after operating since 1994.
On January 1, 2010, Chris Albrecht joined Starz as its president and chief executive officer, overseeing all Starz entities including Starz Entertainment, Overture Films, Anchor Bay Entertainment and Film Roman.
On June 23, 2010, Starz launched HD simulcast feeds for Starz Cinema and Starz In Black, making DirecTV the first provider to offer all six Starz channels in HD, including both coastal feeds of the primary Starz channel.
By 2010, Starz incorporated half-hour and hour-long series into its schedule, including shows such as Spartacus.
In March 2011, Starz On Demand launched a third VOD service offering movies in 3D to Comcast and Verizon FiOS customers at no additional charge.
In April 2011, the coloring of the Starz logo was modified to an orange/gold gradient.
In July 2011, Starz Kids & Family's HD simulcast feed introduced the white logo bug.
On September 1, 2011, Starz announced that it would not renew its streaming agreement with Netflix, which ended on February 28, 2012.
On November 18, 2011, Starz announced that it was developing a streaming application for mobile devices to allow subscribers to view Starz's series and film content.
In 2011, Starz included shows such as Torchwood: Miracle Day in their schedule.
Starz shows sub-runs (runs of films that have recently received broadcast or syndicated television airings) of films from DreamWorks Pictures (pre-2011).
The number of original series that debuted each year on Starz reached a high of four series during the 2011 calendar year.
In January 2012, the "Camp Block" on Starz Kids & Family was renamed the "Six Block" and moved to a set timeslot of 6:00 pm Eastern Time.
On February 28, 2012, the streaming agreement between Starz and Netflix officially ended, leading to the removal of film content from studios with which Starz maintained broadcast rights from Netflix's online streaming platform.
On August 8, 2012, Liberty Media announced that it would spin off the Liberty Starz subsidiary into a separate publicly traded company.
On October 8, 2012, Starz launched the Starzplay online service as a TV Everywhere-style service with the release of the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch app. This service was available until it was merged with Starz.com on April 5, 2016.
On October 9, 2012, Starz released its streaming application for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch devices, allowing subscribers to access Starz's series and film content.
Starz shows sub-runs of films from the network's sister company Lions Gate Entertainment (since 2012).
On January 11, 2013, the spin-off of the Liberty Starz subsidiary was completed, with Liberty Starz changing its name to Starz as a result.
On February 11, 2013, the first-run film output agreement between Starz and Sony was renewed for nine years.
In April 2013, Starz reassumed sub-run rights to Paramount Pictures' feature film releases.
On May 7, 2013, Starz released its streaming application for Android devices.
In October 2013, Starz gave a series order to Outlander, a drama based on the Outlander book series by Diana Gabaldon. Production began in Scotland.
On December 3, 2013, Starz released an app for authenticated subscribers for the Xbox 360.
After the 2011 rebrand, the white logo bug for every Starz channel stayed on-screen throughout the whole movie again until the 2013 rebrand, when it reverted to two-minutes every half hour, also applying to Encore channels.
During Journal Broadcast Group's 2013 dispute with Time Warner Cable, cable providers temporarily used Starz Kids & Family to replace television stations dropped due to carriage disputes.
On August 5, 2014, Starz released a streaming application for the Xbox One.
On April 2, 2015, Starzplay Arabia was launched, becoming the first Starz-branded service to be localized outside the United States, launching in 17 countries in the Middle East and North Africa region.
The first-run film output agreement between Starz and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures expired after December 2015.
As of 2015, the Starz multiplex no longer has an "official" marketed name.
In 2015, Amazon Video began offering Starz as an add-on subscription for their customers at the cost of $8.99 per month, after a seven-day free trial. The content deal also included movies and classic TV series airing on Encore and its branded networks, as well as live East Coast feeds of the Starz-branded networks and Encore.
In 2015, Outlander received five nominations for the 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.
In January 2016, Netflix assumed pay television rights from Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, excluding films released by Touchstone Pictures, which were retained by Starz through a separate contract.
On March 28, 2016, Starz introduced a new logo and tagline, "Obsessable".
On April 5, 2016, Starz was rebranded, introducing a new logo stylized as "STARZ" in all uppercase. All Encore channels were added to the Starz moniker, increasing the Starz channel lineup to 14 channels. Its main channel was rebranded Starz Encore and carries reruns of Starz Originals in addition to films.
On June 30, 2016, Lionsgate agreed to acquire Starz Inc. for $4.4 billion in cash and stock.
In September 2016, Starz brought back children's programming on a weekday morning block, providing programming from Nelvana, WIldBrain and The Jim Henson Company, including shows like Angela Anaconda, Sonic the Hedgehog, Liberty's Kids, Muppet Babies, and The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss.
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.
In 2016, Netflix assumed the rights to most film releases by Walt Disney Studios from Starz, following a dispute over digital streaming rights.
In 2016, Starz redesigned its logo again, with a new uppercase "STARZ" wordmark in black, appearing white against a black background on-screen.
In 2016, despite being acquired by Lions Gate Entertainment, films released under the Lionsgate label did not air on Starz until 2022 due to an output deal with Epix.
Starz shows sub-runs 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) for films released before 2016.
As of September 2018, Starz was available to approximately 28.517 million American households that had a subscription to a multichannel television provider.
In 2018, Starzplay became available in Pakistan, as a joint venture between Cinepax, a cinema chain in Pakistan, and Lionsgate's StarzPlay Arabia.
In April 2019, Starz faced criticism for sending legal demands to Twitter to remove links to a news article about piracy. Starz initially responded with DMCA complaints but later apologized and clarified that a third-party contractor, The Social Element, sent the invalid claims.
Films released under the Lionsgate label did not air on Starz until 2022 due to an output deal with Epix until the end of 2019.
In 2019, the Warren Miller output deal with Starz ended.
In December 2020, Starz removed the children's programming block for reruns of "Pit Pony," a show Starz acquired.
Starz shows sub-runs of theatrical films from Warren Miller Films for films released before 2020.
In January 2021, Starzplay Arabia signed a deal with Abu Dhabi Media, allowing subscribers to watch UFC fights and events live.
On March 2, 2021, Lionsgate announced films from Lionsgate Films would air on Starz for first-run rights starting in 2022, except Summit Entertainment which would start airing on Starz in 2023 after output deals with Hulu and HBO expired at the end of 2021 and 2022 respectively.
On April 8, 2021, Sony announced that they would not be renewing their first-run film agreement with Starz, choosing instead to partner with Netflix.
On July 15, 2021, Starz reached a licensing deal with Universal Pictures for first-run movies 18 months after they streamed on Peacock and Amazon Prime Video respectively.
Films released under the Lionsgate label did not air on Starz until 2022 due to an output deal with Hulu until the end of 2021.
In March 2022, a consortium, led by e& (formerly known as Etisalat) and the Abu Dhabi-based investment group ADQ, acquired a 57% majority stake in Starzplay Arabia, in a deal valued at $420 million.
On September 28, 2022, Lionsgate announced that the international Starzplay service would be rebranded as Lionsgate+ the following day in most countries.
In December 2022, reruns of Little Charmers ended on Starz
In 2022 films released under the Lionsgate label began to air on Starz after an output deal with Epix ended in 2019 and with Hulu at the end of 2021.
In 2022, following the renaming of StarzPlay to Lionsgate+, Starz got a new logo, with a bolder teal wordmark, which appears in a yellow-sky blue gradient on-screen.
Since 2022, Starz and sister networks Starz Encore and MoviePlex maintain exclusive first-run film licensing agreements with Lionsgate Films, since 2022 and Universal Pictures after each films' 18 month window on Peacock and Amazon Prime Video.
Starz shows sub-runs of theatrical films from Sony Pictures Entertainment (including subsidiaries Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Classics, Screen Gems, Destination Films, Triumph Films, and TriStar Pictures) for films released before 2022.
In August 2023, Lionsgate announced that Lionsgate+ would leave Latin America on December 31, 2023.
On November 4, 2023, Lionsgate announced that Lionsgate+ would cease its operations in the UK in early 2024.
In November, the shutdown date for Lionsgate+ in Latin America was changed to December 11, 2023.
As of 2023, Starz and sister networks Starz Encore and MoviePlex maintain exclusive first-run film licensing agreements with Summit Entertainment (since 2023) and Universal Pictures (since 2022, after each films' 18 month window on Peacock and Amazon Prime Video).
In 2023, Summit Entertainment films started airing on Starz after an output deal with HBO ended at the end of 2022.
Lionsgate announced that Lionsgate+ would leave Latin America on December 31, 2023.
Customers who accessed Lionsgate+ through Amazon Prime Video would have continued access until February 9, 2024.
On December 19, it was confirmed that the shutdown date for Lionsgate+ in the UK would be on February 29, 2024.
As of 2024, Starz's video on demand streaming media service had 27.92 million paid subscribers.
In 2024, Lionsgate was renamed to Starz Entertainment, 6 months after spinning off most of their businesses into a new company known as Lionsgate Studios.
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