India's Star Wars

Rupert Murdoch's Star cable network's entertainment, movie and sports channels are among the most popular in the burgeoning Indian market. Star News is the No. 2 Hindi news channel in India and its market share is growing.

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Last week, though, Star News was making headlines rather than broadcasting them. Murdoch was suspected by Information and Broadcasting Ministry officials of sidestepping a government rule intended to keep foreigners from controlling local media. The issue is a regulation passed earlier this year requiring that news broadcasters be 74% Indian-owned. When Star News launched in 1998, it bought its programming...

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