Star will invest US$11.6 million for the stake, while its partner Juita Viden International Ltd will hold a 49% interest in LI TV Holdings.
Juita Viden International Ltd is a member of the Juita Viden Media Entertainment Group – the largest independent television programme distributor in Malaysia.
Vincent Lee, executive deputy chairman at Star Publications, said the investment in LI TV Holdings is part of its strategy of diversifying into media that is not within its portfolio of media assets. “Star’s venture into LI TV is a new touch point for us to widen our audience reach in Malaysia and across the region and opens up a new revenue stream,” he added.
Francis Foo, executive director at Juita Viden, meanwhile believed that its 33 years of experience and expertise in TV programming, and Star’s strength as a major media company with a strong print presence is an ideal partnership to make LI TV a success.
LI TV Holdings, which is incorporated in Hong Kong, owns and operates Li, Life Inspired, a high-definition pan-regional lifestyle TV channel.
The Li, Life Inspired channel, which is Asia's first HD lifestyle TV channel, has broadcast sincesince 2009, and is shown in Malaysia over Astro’s channel 706. It is also broadcast through other Pay TV broadcasters in Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia and Taiwan.