Our Story So Far

At the heart of everything we do are our consumers and the connections we forge along the way.

From humble beginnings as a regional tabloid to becoming the nation’s leading English daily, The Star has always retained its core value of having people as its driving force.

Check out The Star’s very first publication on Sept 9, 1971, along with our National Launch Supplement on Jan 3, 1976 that featured the pioneers.

In our mission to enrich lives, cultivate strong communities and drive progress across all touchpoints, we have evolved into a media organisation specialising in news, lifestyle, entertainment and education, with a strong presence in print, digital, radio, as well as events and exhibitions. Aside from The Star, the Group is now home to many other major brands like R.AGE, mStar, Kuntum, Suria, 988, StarProperty, Kuali, Dimsum Entertainment and many more.

As our journey continues, The Star will continue telling stories that need to be told, for we believe that the voices of the people have the power to inspire change and shape the nation for decades to come.

Our MilestonesClick through the years and travel back in time with us.

  1. 1970
  2. 1980
  3. 1990
  4. 2000
  5. 2010
  6. 2020

    • Made in PenangChoong envisioned a “Made in Penang” daily, perfect to inspire generations to come. He then went on to become the first Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of the local daily titled “The Star – North Malaysia’s Bright New Daily” with a catchphrase “Welcome Readers To The Impact Compact". Three pillars were established to govern The Star’s news reporting – press freedom, political balance, and best tradition.

    • The Star's First IssueSept 9, 1971 – The Star, a provincial tabloid, hit the newsstands for the first time.

    • The Star moved into its own premises on January 1974 on No. 15, Pitt Street (now known as Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling), Penang.

    • 27 May 1974 – The Star published its first ever coloured front page.

    • Penang At Heart - Nation at HandIn 1976, the Made in Penang tabloid advanced its status from an island daily to a “national daily”. The newspaper relocated its headquarters to Kuala Lumpur by renting the premises in Jalan Travers, Brickfields.

    • January 3, 1976 – The Star published its first national edition. Meanwhile, The Star Penang remained active in the northern corridor.

    • Making it BigFigures from Survey Research Malaysia saw The Star achieve a meteoric 68% rise since the newspaper’s birth. Starting off with an average daily circulation of 10,000 to 15,000 copies, The Star’s circulation rate was at 31,000 copies daily and 46,000 copies each Sunday sold by 1977.

    • Feb 5, 1980 –The birth of Kuntum, a children’s Bahasa Malaysia magazine. The monthly magazine is filled with fun and stimulating activities, puzzles, exercises, exam tips and articles on current affairs and general knowledge. To-date, it is the only children’s educational magazine that is endorsed by the Ministry of Education.

    • The New Red in TownDecember 1981 – Finally having its own premises, The Star relocated its HQ in Kuala Lumpur to Section 13, Petaling Jaya. The shifting of premises brought along a new printing capacity of 60,000 copies per hour, as well as plans to computerise editorial, advertising and accounting operations.

    • A Learning CurveOct 28, 1987 – The Star’s license was revoked by the government during Operation Lalang. The tabloid was shut down for allegedly stirring communal sentiments and racial tension.

    • We’re BackMar 26, 1988 – 149 days later, the ban was finally lifted and printing was resumed. The People’s Paper returned to a roaring reception from readers. The Star introduced even more new sections to the newspaper, to engage its increasing number of readers.

    • Events, Fairs and ExhibitionsFeb 23, 1989 – The Star introduced the first Star Education Fair held at the Dewan Tunku Canselor, Universiti Malaya. The three-day fair attracted more than 30 local and international educational institutions, offering services to parents and students alike. To-date, it remains the largest education fair in Malaysia.

    • Jan 1995 – The Star acquires Flavours, a quarterly gourmet magazine which features articles on the variety of cuisines in Malaysia and overseas.

    • Birth of TheStar.com.myJune 23, 1995 – The Star launched its first e-portal and Malaysia’s first ever news website, TheStar.com.my. Being the first national newspaper to offer an online edition, TheStar.com.my’s content covers a diverse range, from national and regional news, to lifestyle pieces and community stories.

    • Sept 29, 1995 – Star Publications was listed on the main board of the KLSE (Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange), known as Bursa Malaysia. The listing exercise involved a public issue of 27,075 million shares valued at RM3.10 per share.

    • Smashing the Glass Ceiling for Women NationwideDatuk Ng Poh Tip became the first woman group chief editor in the country when she was appointed to that position at The Star in January 1999. This landmark appointment brought about a big shift in The Star, elevating the newspaper to new heights.

    • Going GlobalJuly 19, 1999 – By the end of the decade, The Star became a member of the Asia News Network, taking its place among the prestigious media icons of the Asian and global platforms.

    • Rolling Out New Media In the 2000s, The Star would experience an astounding expansion with numerous acquisitions and successes, which included:
      - The Star Mobile News Services and mobile portal.
      - The Star Sarawak and printing of the newspaper in Kuching, Sarawak.
      - The Daily Chilli, a portal for the young and hip.
      - Red Tomato, a free Chinese weekly newspaper.
      - The acquisition of Singapore-based Cityneon Holdings Ltd., an investment holding company

    • Sept 10, 2001 – The Star relocates its headquarters to Menara Star in Section 16, Petaling Jaya.

    • Jan 16, 2002 - The Star Media Hub officially began operations on. This state-of-the-art plant located in Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam is the main printing plant for The Star and produces more than 220,000 copies on a daily basis to-date.

    • Bringing the people together with Bahasa MalaysiaThe Bahasa Malaysia news portal, mStar, was launched on Nov 2, 2005. Offering content such as entertainment, lifestyle and breaking news, the portal aimed to fulfill the growing needs of Malaysians by bringing society together through Bahasa Malaysia, elevating the status of the national language and promoting its use among Malaysians.

    • Jan 4, 2009 – The newspaper offered a new digital variable with The Star ePaper becoming a reality, along with the launch of SMS News Alerts and a podcasting service for mobile users.

    • In 2003, Star Publications acquired Star RFM Sdn Bhd (RedFM and 988) and Rimakmur Sdn Bhd (SuriaFM) radio stations.

    • Driving SMEs to Greater SuccessThe year 2010 marked the launch of The Star Outstanding Business Awards (SOBA), which aimed to inspire up-and-coming local companies and bestow unparalleled recognition on the exceptional achievements of the nation’s finest SMEs.

    • Star Golden Hearts AwardsIn 2014, Star Media Group and Star Foundation presented the Star Golden Hearts Awards as a tribute to homegrown everyday heroes who performed various acts of humanity and exemplified the true Malaysian spirit.

    • A Fresh Look Sept 9, 2015 – In conjunction with its 44th anniversary celebration, Star Media Group unveiled its new corporate logo

    • R.AGE wins World Young Reader News Publisher of the Year awardSep 5, 2016 – R.AGE was awarded the World Young Reader News Publisher of the Year by The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (Wan Irfa) for its groundbreaking multimedia documentary journalism, Predator in my Phone.

    • Bringing the best in entertainmentNov 8, 2016 – Star Media Group launched a new video streaming service provider, dimsum entertainment, serving the best Asian content from drama, entertainment and variety, to movies, documentaries and kids tv shows from from China, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.

    • First Malaysian Woman to join the World Editors Forum advisory boardDec 13, 2019 – Esther Ng, Star Media Group’s chief content officer, became the first Malaysian woman to be on the World Editor Forum advisory board. Her election to the advisory board is an acknowledgement of Star Media Group and the country’s role in shaping the global media industry.

    • Kuntum turns 40!March 7, 2020 – Kuntum commemorated 40 years of educating and entertaining Malaysian children with Star Media Group (SMG) employees with an anniversary bash at Menara Star!

    • Star Frontliners InitiativeMarch 25, 2020 – In the battle against Covid-19, Star Media Group (SMG) and Star Foundation launched the Star Frontliners Initiative, for the purchase of medical supplies for hospitals and medical staff to support the nation’s healthcare professionals who put their lives at risk on the front lines. SMG kick-started the fund with a RM1mil pledge, and the fundraising campaign wrapped up on April 25, having raised more than RM2,430,831.

    • Star Media Group included in F4GBM indexJune 19, 2020 – Star Media Group Bhd has been included as one of the six new additions to the constituents of the FTSE4Good Bursa Malaysia Index (F4GBM). This index recognises strong environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices among public listed companies.

    • Celebrating 25 years of TSOLAugust 19, 2020 – The year 2020 marks 25 years since The Star became the first mainstream media to go online. In conjunction with its 25th anniversary, TSOL launched The Star Merdeka art campaign, showcasing the best interpretations of ‘Malaysian People’ through photos or illustrations on Facebook and Instagram. The four-week campaign aims to create a treasure trove of visuals in the social media sphere, calling on Malaysians of all races and ages to take part in this visual celebration together as a harmonious nation.

    • mStar celebrates its 15th AnniversaryCelebrating its 15th birthday was a huge accomplishment for mStar in 2020. But the news and entertainment portal took things up a notch, recording its highest PV & UV in 15 Years, hitting a record high of 26 million Page Views, along with a total of 7.8 million Unique Users in September 2020!

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