Starz Encore

About Starz Encore

Starz Encore is an American premium television channel owned by Starz Inc., a subsidiary of Starz Entertainment Corp., featuring primarily older and recent theatrically released feature films. Launched as Encore on April 1, 1991, it was the first major United States premium channel to debut in nearly eleven years, and it grew to become one of the most widely distributed premium services in the country, at one point outpacing HBO in subscriber reach. The channel operates a multiplex of themed services including Starz Encore Action, Starz Encore Black, Starz Encore Classic, and Starz Encore Suspense, and it serves as the sister channel to the flagship Starz network and MoviePlex. Headquartered at the Meridian International Business Center in Meridian, Colorado, Starz Encore adopted its current name in April 2016 and its current logo in September 2022.

Founding and launch

Encore was founded in 1991 as Liberty Star, later renamed the Encore Movie Group, a joint venture of Liberty Media and Tele-Communications Inc., two companies controlled by John C. Malone, with JJS Communications, a company owned by former TCI sales and marketing executive John J. Sie, as a minority owner. The channel launched at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time on April 1, 1991, on four cable systems operated by Tele-Communications Inc.

The launch began with an introduction by founder John Sie, who served as the network's president from its launch until 1999 and as chief executive until his retirement in 2004, followed by the channel's first movie telecast, the 1980 comedy 9 to 5. Encore was the first major American premium channel to debut in almost eleven years, since Cinemax launched on August 1, 1980; at the time, HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, and The Movie Channel were its only competitors, and Encore was the only upstart premium channel of its era to gain lasting traction.

Early focus on classic films

In its early years, Encore focused on films from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, positioning itself as a complement to the newer-release focus of HBO and Showtime. The channel's library-driven approach appealed to movie lovers seeking classic titles, and its lower price point relative to the established premium networks helped it gain carriage on cable systems across the country.

The network's early success demonstrated that there was room in the premium landscape for a service built around library films rather than recent theatrical premieres. Its growth encouraged the development of the multiplex channels that would become central to its business.

Corporate evolution

The channel's corporate history tracks the consolidation of the cable industry. In 1994, the Encore Movie Group was renamed Encore Media Corporation, the same year the company launched Starz as a multiplex-style premium service. Encore Plex, now known as MoviePlex, followed in 1997. In 1997, TCI transferred part of its ownership stake in Encore Media Corporation to sister company Liberty Media, and after Liberty Media acquired TCI's remaining stake following the 1999 AT&T merger, it assumed full ownership.

In 1999, the company was renamed the Starz Encore Media Group, becoming the Starz Encore Group in 2001 and the Starz Entertainment Group in 2005. A 2003 restructuring eliminated 100 jobs across nine regional offices, four of which were closed. The premium channel itself retained the Encore name until April 2016, when it was renamed Starz Encore to align it with the flagship Starz brand.

The multiplex

Starz Encore operates a multiplex of themed channels alongside its flagship service. The multiplex has included Starz Encore Action, devoted to action films; Starz Encore Black, targeting African-American audiences with films and series; Starz Encore Classic, focused on classic feature films; and Starz Encore Suspense, devoted to thriller and suspense programming. Some multiplex channels also carry acquired television series, including reruns of network series from the 1970s through the 1990s in specialized blocks.

The multiplex strategy allows the service to segment its film library by genre and audience, giving subscribers multiple themed options within a single subscription. The channels are typically sold together, though some providers offer the Starz Encore multiplex separately from Starz.

Subscriber reach

Starz Encore has historically enjoyed one of the largest subscriber bases of any American premium channel. Prior to 2018, it outpaced HBO for the largest subscriber reach of any domestic premium service; according to February 2015 Nielsen estimates, Starz Encore had 40.54 million pay subscribers compared with HBO's 35.8 million. As of September 2018, its programming was available to approximately 34 million United States households with multichannel television subscriptions, with about 30.9 million receiving the primary channel at minimum.

The channel's broad reach stems partly from its packaging: although Starz and Starz Encore are often sold together, some digital cable, telco, and satellite providers offer the Starz Encore multiplex separately as part of an a la carte tier packaged with other film-oriented channels such as MGM+, FX Movie Channel, and LMN. Subscribers therefore do not necessarily need to take Starz to receive Starz Encore.

Programming

Starz Encore's programming features mainly older and recent theatrically released feature films, spanning from the 1970s to the present day with select titles from the 1950s and 1960s. The flagship channel presents a mix of library favorites and more recent releases, while the themed multiplex channels focus on their respective genres. Acquired television series appear on some multiplex services alongside the film schedules.

The network's film library draws on output agreements with major studios, and its schedule is programmed to complement rather than duplicate the flagship Starz network's premieres and original series. The service's emphasis on library films distinguishes it from premium competitors built around first-run theatrical windows.

Ownership

Starz Encore is owned by Starz Inc., a subsidiary of Starz Entertainment Corp., and headquartered at the Meridian International Business Center complex in Meridian, Colorado. The company owns and operates the Starz, Starz Encore, and MoviePlex pay television channels, along with the Starz streaming platform.

The Starz business has operated through multiple corporate structures, from the Liberty Media era through its time as part of Lionsgate and its subsequent separation as a standalone public company. Throughout these changes, the Encore service has remained a core asset of the premium television portfolio.

Streaming and on demand

Starz Encore operates a subscription video-on-demand service, Starz Encore On Demand, available at no additional charge to subscribers. In April 2016, the Encore Play TV Everywhere service and MoviePlex Play were merged into the Starz streaming app and website, consolidating the company's digital platforms.

The Starz app serves as the TV Everywhere offering for linear subscribers and is also sold directly to streaming-only consumers, giving Starz Encore viewers on-demand access to the service's films across devices. The integration of the Encore digital services into the main Starz platform simplified the company's streaming footprint.

Digital presence

Starz Encore's digital presence is centered on starz.com, the online home of the Starz service, where subscribers can stream the multiplex's films and find schedule information. The network maintains social media accounts under the Starz brand family, promoting its film premieres and multiplex programming.

As viewing has shifted to streaming, the Starz app has become increasingly central to the service's distribution, complementing its traditional premium cable carriage. The network's combination of broad linear reach and streaming availability has helped it maintain its position among American premium channels. Its official website is https://www.starz.com.