It's been 18 months since Star Plus started beaming in the UK and it has made its presence felt in the interrim. The jewel in the Star TV crown was voted favourite international channel at the Cable Guide's fifth annual Cable TV Awards 2002 held last month.
The Cable TV Awards, which are voted for by the UK's cable subscribers, are seen as a true indicator of the growth and success of the marketplace, an official release states. The Cable Guide Cable TV Awards, which were renamed the Scorpio Multimedia Cable TV Awards this year, saw over 400,000 viewers casting their votes across 19 categories.
Nominations were featured in the May and June issues of Cable Guide and ntl:guide and the winners decided by their readers. Votes were received via ntl:guide, Cable Guide and www.cableguide.co.uk, the release says.
Star Plus won the award edging out two time winner Sony Entertainment Television Asia and French channel TV5. The channel won kudos on the back of programmes such as Kaun Banega Crorepati hosted by Amitabh Bachchan, Kamzor Kadii Kaun hosted by Neena Gupta and numero uno soap Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi from production house Balaji Telefilms.
V-P business operations in the UK Lisa Srao said: "We are absolutely delighted to have won this Award only 18 months after our launch. The cable industry in the UK is a very important one, and our launch across both the Telewest and ntl platforms was a key element of our development in the UK. This award shows that viewers are enjoying the top quality programming that has made Star Plus number 1 in the subcontinent, and they are playing a role in making us number one in the UK too."
Star Plus and Star News are available on Sky Digital, NTL Home and Telewest Broadband, the release says.
This year's winners list includes:
1. Favourite drama on cable - ER. In India the show airs on Zee English
2. Favourite comedy on cable - Friends (again on Zee English)
3. Favourite fantasy Sci-Fi Series - Buffy the Vampire Slayer
4. Nickelodeon was voted favourite children's/teen channel
5. Toon channel Cartoon Network bagged the award for favourite pre-school channel (under-5s)
6. Animated show (First run) went to The Simpsons
7. Favourite comedy or drama first shown on BBC, ITV, C4, C5 - Da Ali G Show
8. MTV's Cat Deeley was recognised as favourite UK cable personality
9. Favourite shopping channel - QVC
10. Favourite lifestyle channel - UK Style
11. Favourite Sports Channel - Sky Sports 1, 2 and 3
12. The favourite factual/documentary channel category saw Discovery beating out sister channels Discovery Animal Planet and The History Channel
13. Sky News upset BBC News 24 and CNN International for favourite news channel
14. MTV bagged the award for favourite music/arts channel
15. Film buffs voted Sky Movies Premier as their film channel
16. Favourite interactive television site on ntl-home and/or telewest broadband - BBCi
17. International star of stars - Jennifer Aniston who plays Rachel in the sitcom Friends.
18. Discovery's Clive Anderson was voted as favourite presenter on cable
