Star Channel

Star Channel is a Spanish general-entertainment pay television channel operated within The Walt Disney Company's Iberian business and the wider EMEA organization. The service is aimed primarily at viewers seeking internationally produced television, particularly American drama, crime, procedural, comedy and animation series presented in Spanish through dubbing and/or subtitles. The channel began broadcasting on 1 June 2001 under the Fox name. Its launch was significant within Fox's international expansion because it was described as the first Fox-branded channel available in Europe after the earlier Fox Kids service. From its initial identity, the channel positioned itself around recognizable American television properties and a broad entertainment schedule rather than a narrowly defined genre. Over the years, its programming portfolio included major network and cable series such as The X-Files, Lost, House, The Simpsons, Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, Prison Break, The Walking Dead, Modern Family, The Good Wife, NCIS: Los Angeles and numerous other scripted and animated titles. The service's catalogue has covered both contemporary acquisitions and established library programming. Current or recently listed programming includes series such as 9-1-1, Blue Bloods, Boston Blue, Bones, Bull, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Vegas, FBI: Most Wanted, High Potential, The Irrational, Law & Order, Paradise, The Rookie: Feds, The Simpsons, Station 19, Tracker, The Walking Dead, Will Trent and Watson. This combination gives the channel a schedule built around returning franchises, procedurals, general drama, comedy and animation. Star Channel's present identity is the result of a broader international brand transition. On 11 March 2024, the Spanish channel changed from Fox to Star Channel. The change formed part of Disney's discontinuation of the Fox channel brand in international markets. Disney had acquired most of 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets, while the Fox Corporation retained the Fox corporate and media brand; the international rebranding therefore separated Disney's entertainment channels from the Fox name. In Spain, the 2024 change completed the channel's move into the Star-branded international portfolio. The channel remains a linear pay-TV outlet rather than a standalone consumer technology platform. Its value proposition is based on scheduled access to a large entertainment catalogue, recognizable U.S. television franchises and Spanish-language presentation. Distribution details can vary by pay-TV operator, and the available reference material does not identify a complete operator list or a separate streaming product. Star Channel should therefore be understood as a Spanish television channel brand within Disney's international portfolio, not as the similarly named Star streaming service or as a Fox Corporation property.

Star Channel originated as Fox, a Spanish pay television channel launched on 1 June 2001. Its arrival extended the Fox brand into the European television market and was identified as the first Fox-branded channel in Europe after Fox Kids. The launch established a general-entertainment service aimed at viewers interested in internationally produced television, especially American series shown with Spanish dubbing and/or subtitles. During its Fox period, the channel developed a wide-ranging catalogue. It carried major American dramas, comedies, crime series, science-fiction titles, animation and reality-oriented entertainment. Its former programming list includes influential and commercially prominent series such as The X-Files, Lost, House, Prison Break, The Walking Dead, Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Dexter, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The O.C., Glee, Modern Family, The Good Wife, Family Guy and The Simpsons. The breadth of this catalogue reflects the channel's role as a general entertainment outlet rather than a service limited to one programming category. The channel operated within the Spanish business of the Fox television portfolio and subsequently became part of The Walt Disney Company's international operations after Disney acquired most of 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets. That corporate transaction created a brand distinction: Fox Corporation retained the Fox corporate and media identity, while Disney controlled the acquired international entertainment channels and content assets. Disney progressively replaced the Fox name on international television services with Star branding. In Spain, the transition occurred on 11 March 2024, when Fox became Star Channel. The rebrand completed the local channel's participation in Disney's international discontinuation of the Fox channel identity. Although the name changed, the channel continued to operate as a general-entertainment pay-TV service and retained a programming emphasis on imported American series. Current listings include procedurals and dramas such as 9-1-1, Blue Bloods, Bones, Bull, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Vegas, FBI: Most Wanted, Law & Order, The Rookie: Feds, Tracker and Will Trent, alongside animation and broader entertainment represented by The Simpsons and other titles. Star Channel's historical continuity is therefore visible in both its catalogue and its role within the pay-TV ecosystem. The Fox name supplied the original identity and international positioning; the Star name now expresses Disney's post-acquisition channel architecture. The available reference material does not establish a founding individual, a standalone corporate headquarters, a separate listed entity, or a complete distribution-operator list. The brand is best characterized as a Spanish linear television channel operated within Disney's Iberian and EMEA structure.

• 2024

  Rebrand from Fox to Star Channel

  [1]Star Channel (Spanish TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  On 11 March 2024, the Spanish channel adopted the Star Channel name as part of Disney's international retirement of the Fox channel brand.

• 2019

  Disney acquires most of 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets

  [1]Star Channel (Spanish TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  The acquisition brought the international Fox entertainment-channel operations into The Walt Disney Company's portfolio, while Fox Corporation retained the Fox corporate and media brand.

• 2001

  Launch as Fox in Spain

  [1]Star Channel (Spanish TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  The channel began broadcasting on 1 June 2001 as Fox, becoming the first Fox-branded channel available in Europe after Fox Kids.

A broad entertainment pay-TV channel for Spanish audiences, differentiated by access to major American scripted franchises, procedural dramas, general entertainment series and long-running animated programming.

• Pay television channel · 2001

  Star Channel linear television service

  The core Star Channel offering is a Spanish general-entertainment pay-TV channel. It schedules imported international programming, particularly American scripted series, in Spanish-dubbed and/or subtitled form. Its schedule spans police and legal procedurals, drama, comedy, animation and serialized entertainment, combining current titles with established library series.

• 2024

  Adopt the Star Channel identityStrategy

  Background

  The channel's Fox name became unsuitable for Disney's international entertainment-channel portfolio after the company acquired most of 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets and Fox Corporation retained the Fox brand.

  Action taken

  The Spanish service changed its name from Fox to Star Channel on 11 March 2024, aligning it with Disney's international Star channel architecture.

  Aftermath

  The rebrand completed the discontinuation of the Fox channel identity in the Spanish market while the service continued as a general-entertainment pay-TV channel.

  Source

• 2024

  Spanish Fox channel rebrands as Star Channel[1]Star Channel (Spanish TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  Other · Product generation

  The Spanish Fox pay-TV channel adopted the Star Channel identity on 11 March 2024. The change was part of Disney's international retirement of the Fox channel brand following its acquisition of most of 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets.

1. 1Star Channel (Spanish TV channel)en.wikipedia.org
2. 2Star Channel Spain official websitestarchannel.es