View source for Star Chinese Channel

{{For|a TV channel that replaced the STAR Chinese channel in Chinese mainland and Hong Kong and Macau in 1996|Phoenix Chinese Channel}}{{short description|Taiwanese Mandarin general entertainment television channel}}
{{promotional|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox television channel
| name = Star Chinese Channel
| logo = Star Chinese Channel logo 2016.png
| logo_caption = 
| logo_size = 
| logo_alt = 
| image = 
| launch_date = 21 October 1991<ref name="and"></ref>
| picture_format = [[1080i]] [[HDTV]]<br>(downscaled to [[480i]] for the SD feed)
| network = 
| owner = [[The Walt Disney Company]] ([[Taiwan]]) [[Limited company|Ltd]]<br /><small>([[Disney International Operations]])</small>
| country = [[Greater China]] (21 October 1991-30 March 1996)<br>[[Republic of China (Taiwan)]] (30 March 1996-31 December 2023)
| language = [[Cantonese]] (21 October 1991-30 March 1996)<br>[[Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin]] (21 October 1991-31 December 2023)
| area = [[Taiwan]] (21 October 1991-31 December 2023)
| headquarters = [[British Hong Kong]] (1991-30 March 1996)<br>[[Taipei]], [[Taiwan]] (30 March 1996-31 December 2023)
| former_names = Star TV Chinese Channel (21 October 1991-31 December 2000)
| replaced = 
| closed_date = {{End date and age|1996|3|31|df=y}} (Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Macau and Mainland China)<br>2 July 2020 (SD, Brunei)<br>19 September 2021 ([[Transvision (Indonesia)|Transvision]] in Indonesia feed) <br> 1 October 2021 ([[Unifi TV]] in Malaysia feed and [[Singtel TV]] in Singapore feed)<br>31 January 2022 (Astro in Malaysia feed) <br> 30 September 2023 (Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Macau)<br>{{End date and age|2023|12|31|df=y}} (Taiwan)
| replaced_by = [[Phoenix Chinese Channel]] (Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Macau and Mainland China)<br /> [[KMTV Asia|KMTV]] (Taiwan)
| sister_channels = [[Star Chinese Movies]]<br>[[Star World]]<br>[[Star Movies|Star Movies Gold & Star Movies HD]]
| timeshift_service = 
| website = {{URL|https://www.dngtw.tw/scc/}} (Taiwan)
| online_serv_1 = 
| online_chan_1 = 
}}
'''Star Chinese Channel''' ({{zh|t=衛視中文台}}) was a Taiwanese general entertainment television channel operated by The Walt Disney Company (Taiwan) Ltd. Its programming featured dramas, variety shows, lifestyle programs, and talk shows in [[Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin]]. 

Launched on 21 October 1991 at 16:30 [[Hong Kong Time]] by its predecessor, Star TV, the channel initially targeted audiences in [[Greater China]], broadcasting in both [[Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin]] and [[Cantonese]]. However, on 30 March 1996, it reduced its broadcasting area to [[Taiwan]] and switched to Mandarin-only programming.

Star Chinese Channel, along with its sister channel, Star Entertainment Channel, ceased operations on 1 January 2024, as Disney further expanded its [[Disney+]] streaming platform.

== History ==
The fourth of the five original channels of Star TV,<ref name="and">{{cite news |title=SBC and HK's Star TV in new tie-up |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19911101-1.2.30.4 |access-date=22 December 2023 |work=The Straits Times |date=1 November 1991}}</ref> Star Chinese Channel was launched on 21 October 1991 at 16:30 [[Hong Kong Time]] as STAR TV Chinese Channel. Initially, it targeted audiences across [[Greater China]], broadcasting in both [[Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin]] and [[Hong Kong Cantonese|Cantonese]]. 

Star Chinese Channel was introduced as a [[24-hour clock|24-hour]] [[Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin-language]] [[variety show|variety]] [[entertainment|entertainment channel]], featuring full [[Chinese language|Chinese-language]] content primarily provided by<!-- no need TVB because it was ATV's rival !--> [[Asia Television|ATV]] in [[Hong Kong]] and broadcasting from [[Mainland China]]. It also aired [[television series]] from other regions in [[Greater China]], including [[People's Republic of China|China]], [[Hong Kong]], [[Macau]], [[Taiwan]], and [[Singapore]]. Additionally, it was the first [[commercial broadcasting|commercially owned television channel]] to broadcast in [[Taiwan]]. 

Originally a [[free-to-air|free-to-air channel]], Star TV later encrypted its signal. Until 30 March 1996 at 19:00 Hong Kong Time, the channel was broadcast across [[Greater China]]. On that date, Star TV regionalized STAR TV Chinese Channel, reducing its broadcast area to Taiwan only. Viewers outside Taiwan were instead provided access to [[Phoenix Chinese Channel]].

At one point, the channel's operations were relocated from [[British Hong Kong]] to [[Taipei]] on 30 June 1997.

Shiau Hong-chi stated that Star TV's original business strategy was to broadcast popular American shows to Taiwanese audiences with minimal effort. However, he argued that this plan was unsuccessful, forcing Star TV to invest in localized branches such as Star Chinese Channel and Channel V Taiwan, as well as produce local programming.<ref name="SHIAU">Shiau, Hong-chi. ''Animating the cute, the mean and the beautiful: the production and consumption of animation: Taiwan's struggles in the age of globalization''. Saarbrucken [Germany]: VDM, Verlag Dr. Muller. 2008. {{ISBN|3639093976}}</ref>

As Disney, which had [[Acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney|previously acquired FOX International Networks]], decided to further expand [[Disney+]] across Asian markets, it made the decision to [[Disney Networks Group Asia Pacific#Disney ownership and channel operations closure|shut down its entire cable TV network]], including Star Chinese Channel. 

The channel had already ceased operations in [[Southeast Asia]], [[Hong Kong]], and [[Macau]] on 1 October 2023, while Taiwan was the final market to see its closure. Star Chinese Channel, along with its sister channel Star Entertainment Channel, officially shut down in Taiwan on 1 January 2024.<ref>{{cite web|last=Frater|first=Patrick|title=Disney to Close Remaining Linear TV Channels in Southeast Asia and Korea|url=https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/disney-closing-tv-channels-southeast-asia-korea-1235643667/|website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=June 14, 2023|access-date=June 23, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=迪士尼集團11頻道退出台灣，國家地理頻道、衛視中文台等最晚年底將下架|url=https://www.thenewslens.com/article/187077|website=[[The News Lens]]|date=June 14, 2023|access-date=June 23, 2023|language=zh-TW}}</ref> Following its closure, the channel in Taiwan was later replaced by [[KMTV Asia|KMTV]].<ref>{{cite web|title=拜拜衛視中文台！韓國娛樂台登上部分有線電視31頻道|url=https://udn.com/news/story/7238/7674592|website=UDN News|date=December 29, 2023|language=zh-TW|access-date=December 31, 2023}}</ref>

==Feeds==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Country/Region
!Date
|-
|{{TWN}}
|
* '''Star Chinese Channel''' ({{zh|t=衛視中文台}}): <br> 21 October 1991–31 December 2023
* '''Star Entertainment Channel''' ({{zh|t=星衛娛樂台}}): <br> (An alternative channel launched in 2012, available in certain cable TV providers and on [[CHT MOD]] in Taiwan): 2012–31 December 2023
|-
|{{CHNML}}
|
* '''Star Chinese Channel''' ({{zh|t=衛視中文台}}): 21 October 1991–31 March 1996
* '''Phoenix Chinese Channel''' ({{zh|t=凤凰卫视中文台}}): 31 March 1996–January 1 2024
|-
|International Feed:
*[[Southeast Asia]]: <br>{{HKG}}<br>{{MAC}}<br>{{MYA}}<br>{{MDV}}<br>{{THA}}<br>{{CAM}}<br>{{LAO}}<br>{{VIE}}<br>{{PHI}}<br>{{IDN}}<br>{{SIN}}<br>{{MAS}}<br>{{TLS}}<br>{{PNG}}<br>{{BRU}}

*NON Southeast Asia Countries: <br>{{AUS}}<br>{{NZL}}<br>{{KSA}}<br>{{UAE}}<br>{{SAF}}<br>{{UK}}<br>{{USA}}<br>{{CAN}}
|Hong Kong, Macau and Southeast Asia: 
* '''Star Chinese Channel''' ({{zh|t=衛視中文台}}):   21 October 1991–31 March 1996 and 2 October 2006–30 September 2023
* '''Phoenix Chinese Channel''' ({{zh|t=鳳凰衛視中文台}}): 31 March 1996–Today

Australia, New Zealand: 2 October 2006–2018

USA and Canada: 2 October 2006–2018

Middle East, South Africa and UK: 2 October 2006–30 September 2023
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|https://www.dngtw.tw/scc/}} (Taiwan)

{{Fox Networks Group}}
{{Star TV}}
{{Television in the Republic of China}}

[[Category:Television stations in Taiwan]]
[[Category:Defunct television channels]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1991]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations disestablished in 2023]]
[[Category:1991 establishments in Taiwan]]
[[Category:Fox Networks Group]]
[[Category:Disney television networks]]