Star becomes ‘India’s home of HBO’

21^st Century Fox-owned pay TV service Star India has become the latest local ‘home of HBO’ after an agreement with the US-based premium television provider.

As of January 1, 2016, Star’s English-language networks and digital platform Hotstar will become the exclusive broadcaster of all HBO programming, including Game of Thrones, Veep (pictured) and True Detective.

Hot forthcoming series Vinyl, which debuts in the US on February 14, 2016, and Westworld are included in the deal.

HBO has struck similar agreements with Canada’s Bell Media, Japan’s Star Channel (not related to Star India) and Sky in Europe in recent weeks.

“Star will become the exclusive destination for screening HBO content in India – once again resetting the benchmark for quality and depth of content offering for its viewers,” said Star India CEO Uday Shankar.

“Fans will be able to watch their favourite HBO Original programmes on Hotstar on the same day as the telecast in the US. Viewers will also be able to see the HBO Original programming on Star’s English channels.”

“HBO is delighted to enter this new chapter in India with Star,” said HBO Asia Jonathan Spink. “Through the first release of our shows on Hotstar, Indian audiences will now have unprecedented flexibility in how they consume HBO’s much loved premium programming.”