# Starz
**Starz** (stylized STARZ) is an American premium subscription television and streaming service that offers commercial-free original series and movies, distributed through a direct-to-consumer app, 17 linear cable networks, and on-demand platforms. Launched on February 1, 1994 as a movie channel, it became part of Lions Gate Entertainment in the 2000s and returned to being a standalone public company, Starz Entertainment Corp. (NASDAQ: STRZ), after separating from Lionsgate on May 6, 2025.[1](https://expedientes.asesorstc.com/kcfinder/upload/files/229227671.pdf) • [2](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/929351/000092935126000021/starz-20260402.htm)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Launched | February 1, 1994, primarily on cable systems operated by Tele-Communications Inc.; the first two movies aired were dramas released in 1992[1](https://expedientes.asesorstc.com/kcfinder/upload/files/229227671.pdf) |
| Launch backing | $2.3 billion in rights to major films from Universal Pictures, Carolco, New Line Cinema, and Disney's Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Pictures, and Miramax Films[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-02-02-fi-18165-story.html) |
| Streaming | Standalone over-the-top app launched April 2016, among the first standalone premium OTT services[4](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/929351/000092935126000011/starz-20251231.htm) |
| Subscribers | 17.63 million U.S. subscribers as of December 31, 2025, including an all-time-high 12.7 million domestic OTT subscribers, up 7.6% year-over-year[4](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/929351/000092935126000011/starz-20251231.htm) • [5](https://investors.starz.com/news-releases/news-release-details/starz-entertainment-corp-reports-results-fourth-quarter-ended) |
| Corporate status | Starz Entertainment Corp. (NASDAQ: STRZ) since the May 6, 2025 separation from Lionsgate; Lionsgate Studios Corp. (NYSE: LION) holds the studio business[2](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/929351/000092935126000021/starz-20260402.htm) |
| Revenue | Approximately $1.3 billion in transition-year 2025; roughly 70% of revenue and subscribers come from OTT[2](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/929351/000092935126000021/starz-20260402.htm) |
| Price | $10.99 per month for the standalone ad-free service, or $74.99 annually if paid in advance[6](https://www.cabletv.com/starz) |
| Leadership | Jeffrey Hirsch, President and CEO; Kathryn Busby, President of Original Programming; Alison Hoffman, President of Starz Networks[1](https://expedientes.asesorstc.com/kcfinder/upload/files/229227671.pdf) • [7](https://www.axios.com/2026/06/18/fox-roku-streaming-distribution-bias) |
## Launch and early history
Starz began as a movie network. The Encore cable channel launched Starz on February 1, 1994 with backing from the nation's biggest cable operator at the time, and with a stated promise that the network would not air excessively violent films. To fill the schedule, Encore secured $2.3 billion in rights to major films from [Universal Pictures](https://www.edgepedia.org/universal-pictures), Carolco, New Line Cinema, and [Walt Disney](https://www.edgepedia.org/walt-disney)'s Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Pictures, and Miramax Films.[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-02-02-fi-18165-story.html) The channel launched primarily on cable systems operated by Tele-Communications Inc., and its first two broadcasts were dramas released in 1992.[1](https://expedientes.asesorstc.com/kcfinder/upload/files/229227671.pdf)
**Multiplex expansion.** Starz grew into a family of genre-specific channels alongside its sister network Starz Encore. As a cable offering, the Starz package came to include subchannels such as STARZ Edge, STARZ in Black, STARZ Comedy, STARZ Cinema, STARZ Kids & Family, and a set of Starz Encore genre channels, along with MoviePlex, IndiePlex, and RetroPlex; the company's services include 17 linear networks in total.[6](https://www.cabletv.com/starz) • [4](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/929351/000092935126000011/starz-20251231.htm) Revenue historically came mainly from subscriber fees paid under long-term affiliation agreements with cable operators, direct broadcast satellite operators, and telephone companies rather than from advertising, since premium and pay-per-view services do not sell advertising.[8](https://www.annualreports.co.uk/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/q/NYSE_QVCC_2007.pdf)
## Original programming
Starz began producing original programming in 2005, and its first mainstream original hit was the 2010 series *[Spartacus](https://www.edgepedia.org/spartacus-tv-series)*.[6](https://www.cabletv.com/starz) Its slate has since centered on adult-skewing scripted drama, with series and franchises including *Outlander*, the *[Power](https://www.edgepedia.org/power-tv-series)* crime drama franchise, *P-Valley*, *Heels*, *The Girlfriend Experience*, and *Party Down*.[6](https://www.cabletv.com/starz) • [9](https://time.com/6258245/streaming-service-guide/) *[Outlander](https://www.edgepedia.org/outlander-tv-series)* is the network's longest-running original, with eight seasons and 101 episodes by the time its series finale airs on May 22, 2026.[10](https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/streaming/3-best-starz-shows-you-really-need-to-stream)
The company positions its programming for women and underrepresented audiences, a strategy it describes as differentiating it from general-entertainment streamers.[2](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/929351/000092935126000021/starz-20260402.htm) Approximately 20% of the content available on Starz's services is programming original to Starz, with the remainder drawn from licensed theatrical and library films and television.[11](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/929351/000092935126000022/starz2025transitionannualr.pdf) Audience-demand measurement by Parrot Analytics found that a Starz original series attracted over five times the U.S. audience demand of an average TV series over the twelve months ending June 19.[12](https://www.parrotanalytics.com/announcements/starz-partners-with-parrot-analytics-to-tap-into-global-audience-demand-for-rapid-growth/)
In 2025 the company began owning more of its intellectual property, greenlighting *Fightland*, the first Starz-owned original series, which premiered in 2026; management cites ownership as giving greater control over costs and unlocking international licensing revenue.[2](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/929351/000092935126000021/starz-20260402.htm)
## Streaming and distribution
Starz launched a standalone over-the-top app in April 2016, placing it among the first premium networks to offer a direct-to-consumer streaming service.[4](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/929351/000092935126000011/starz-20251231.htm) The STARZ App is available on platforms including iOS, Android, Amazon Fire, and Roku, and serves both direct subscribers and distributor-authenticated subscribers; it has received Editor's Choice awards from Apple's and [Google Play](https://www.edgepedia.org/google-play)'s editorial teams.[4](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/929351/000092935126000011/starz-20251231.htm) The standalone service costs $10.99 per month, or $74.99 annually if paid in advance.[6](https://www.cabletv.com/starz)
Distribution runs through both retail and wholesale channels: direct to consumers via the app and website and retail partners such as Apple and Google, and through multichannel video programming distributors including cable operators, satellite providers, and telecommunications companies.[4](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/929351/000092935126000011/starz-20251231.htm) Starz has also placed its service as an add-on inside other platforms, including a Peacock bundle with dedicated Starz rails announced for that app.[13](https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/peacock/peacock-subscribers-can-add-starz-now-heres-what-you-get-and-how-much) In October 2026 the company announced a distribution agreement restoring all Starz channels, Starz On Demand, and the app through [Verizon Fios](https://www.edgepedia.org/verizon-fios).[14](https://investors.starz.com/news-releases/news-release-details/starz-announces-distribution-agreement-reached-verizon)
**Canada.** TMN Encore, the Canadian companion network, was rebranded as STARZ on March 1, 2019, adding more than 80 Lionsgate films and series such as *Nurse Jackie* to its library.[15](https://static.telus.com/common/cms/files/tv/STARZ_Rebrand_FAQ_Mar_1_2019.pdf) In October 2025, Starz restructured its Canadian operations so that its partner assumed all operational oversight of the service and Starz moved to a content licensing arrangement.[4](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/929351/000092935126000011/starz-20251231.htm)
## Separation from Lionsgate
Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. acquired and operated Starz as its Media Networks segment, distributing Starz-branded premium subscription video services in the U.S. and Canada through the app and through wholesale OTT and multichannel distributors.[2](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/929351/000092935126000021/starz-20260402.htm) Under an arrangement agreement dated January 29, 2025 and amended March 12, 2025, the separation was completed on May 6, 2025: Old Lionsgate was renamed Starz Entertainment Corp. and took the Starz Business, trading on Nasdaq under STRZ, while a new Lionsgate Studios Corp. took the studio business, trading on the [New York Stock Exchange](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-york-stock-exchange) under LION.[2](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/929351/000092935126000021/starz-20260402.htm) Trading as a standalone company began on May 7, 2025.[16](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/929351/000119312525114510/d864362dex991.htm)
The two companies remain commercially linked. Ongoing agreements license Lionsgate-owned original series and library content to Starz for the U.S. and Canada, grant Starz an exclusive U.S. pay television and SVOD window for Lionsgate- or Summit-branded theatrical films, and authorize Lionsgate to distribute certain Starz-owned original series internationally.[17](https://d18rn0p25nwr6d.cloudfront.net/CIK-0002052959/dff3255c-74bc-472f-a215-bfe9fd6f5b30.html)
## Business results and strategy
Starz reported fourth-quarter 2025 revenue of $322.8 million, grew sequentially, and met or exceeded all of its financial guidance for the transition year, with trailing-twelve-month adjusted OIBDA (operating income before depreciation and amortization) of $204.0 million and year-end leverage of 2.9x, better than its 3.1x guidance.[5](https://investors.starz.com/news-releases/news-release-details/starz-entertainment-corp-reports-results-fourth-quarter-ended) • [2](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/929351/000092935126000021/starz-20260402.htm) Domestic OTT subscribers reached an all-time high of 12.7 million, up 890,000 or 7.6% year-over-year, even as linear subscribers continued to decline.[5](https://investors.starz.com/news-releases/news-release-details/starz-entertainment-corp-reports-results-fourth-quarter-ended)
**Post-split priorities.** [Management](https://www.edgepedia.org/management) has de-emphasized quarterly subscriber counts in favor of four priorities: OTT revenue growth, adjusted OIBDA consistency and margin expansion, free cash flow improvement, and continued deleveraging.[2](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/929351/000092935126000021/starz-20260402.htm) Starz stopped disclosing subscriber counts beginning with its March 2026 quarter, making it the smallest streaming service to step away from subscriber counts as a performance gauge.[18](https://thedesk.net/2026/03/starz-stops-disclosing-subscriber-counts/)
## References
1. [Starz Inc. corporate profile (key people, launch history)](https://expedientes.asesorstc.com/kcfinder/upload/files/229227671.pdf)
2. [Starz Entertainment Corp. Form 10-K transition report excerpt (starz-20260402), SEC](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/929351/000092935126000021/starz-20260402.htm)
3. [Encore Launches 'Nonviolent' TV Network, Los Angeles Times (February 2, 1994)](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-02-02-fi-18165-story.html)
4. [Starz Entertainment Corp. Form 10-K (starz-20251231), SEC](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/929351/000092935126000011/starz-20251231.htm)
5. [Starz Entertainment Corp. Reports Results for the Fourth Quarter Ended December 31, 2025](https://investors.starz.com/news-releases/news-release-details/starz-entertainment-corp-reports-results-fourth-quarter-ended)
6. [Is a STARZ Subscription Worth it? Cost, Deals, and More, CableTV.com](https://www.cabletv.com/starz)
7. [Fox's Roku deal raises concerns over distribution bias, Axios](https://www.axios.com/2026/06/18/fox-roku-streaming-distribution-bias)
8. [Starz Entertainment Group annual report archive (QVCC 2007)](https://www.annualreports.co.uk/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/q/NYSE_QVCC_2007.pdf)
9. [A Comprehensive Guide to Every Streaming Service, TIME](https://time.com/6258245/streaming-service-guide/)
10. [3 best Starz shows you really need to stream, Tom's Guide](https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/streaming/3-best-starz-shows-you-really-need-to-stream)
11. [STARZ Entertainment Corp. 2025 transition annual report, SEC](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/929351/000092935126000022/starz2025transitionannualr.pdf)
12. [STARZ partners with Parrot Analytics, Parrot Analytics](https://www.parrotanalytics.com/announcements/starz-partners-with-parrot-analytics-to-tap-into-global-audience-demand-for-rapid-growth/)
13. [Peacock subscribers can add Starz now, Tom's Guide](https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/peacock/peacock-subscribers-can-add-starz-now-heres-what-you-get-and-how-much)
14. [STARZ Announces Distribution Agreement Reached with Verizon](https://investors.starz.com/news-releases/news-release-details/starz-announces-distribution-agreement-reached-verizon)
15. [STARZ Rebrand FAQ, March 1, 2019, TELUS](https://static.telus.com/common/cms/files/tv/STARZ_Rebrand_FAQ_Mar_1_2019.pdf)
16. [STARZ Announces Completion of Separation from Lionsgate (EX-99.1), SEC](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/929351/000119312525114510/d864362dex991.htm)
17. [Lionsgate Studios Corp. financial statements, Discontinued Operations note](https://d18rn0p25nwr6d.cloudfront.net/CIK-0002052959/dff3255c-74bc-472f-a215-bfe9fd6f5b30.html)
18. [Starz will stop disclosing subscriber counts, CEO says, The Desk](https://thedesk.net/2026/03/starz-stops-disclosing-subscriber-counts/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Broadcasting and journalism › Broadcast organizations and stations › Broadcast networks and channel brands › Cable and satellite television networks › Premium and movie channels*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license