The Philippine Star is one of the leading newspapers in the Philippines, with a rich history dating back to 1986. Founded by the Philippine Daily Inquirer's rival, the newspaper was established by the Inquirer's founder, Belen Atienza's brother, Jesus Drilon.
The Philippine Star was initially launched as a broadsheet newspaper, with a focus on providing in-depth news and analysis to its readers. Its early years saw it compete fiercely with the Philippine Daily Inquirer for readership and influence.
The newspaper's early success can be attributed to its innovative approach to journalism, which included the use of color printing and a focus on investigative reporting. This approach helped to set it apart from other newspapers in the country at the time.
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Ownership and Structure
The Philippine Star is owned by PhilStar Daily, Inc., which is majority owned by Hastings Holdings, Inc. with 50.998% shares.
The Belmonte family holds a significant stake in the newspaper, with 20% of the shares. Feliciano Belmonte, the patriarch, owns a 4.8% stake, while his children Miguel, Isaac, Kevin, and Joy each own a 3.8% share.
MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., the media arm of PLDT, has a controlling stake in PhilStar Daily, Inc. through Hastings Holdings, Inc. MediaQuest Holdings acquired a majority stake of 51% in 2014, but the Belmonte family retained management and editorial control.
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Ownership Structure
The Philippine Star is operated by PhilStar Daily, Inc., which is majority owned by Hastings Holdings, Inc. with 50.998% shares.
The company is part of the PhilStar Media Group, which includes other media outlets like Philstar.com, Pilipino Star Ngayon, Business World, and The Freeman.
Hastings Holdings, Inc. is actually a subsidiary of Mediaquest Holdings, Inc., the media arm of PLDT, chaired by business tycoon Manuel “Manny” V. Pangilinan.
The Belmonte family retains a 20% stake in PhilStar Daily, Inc., with patriarch Feliciano owning a 4.8% stake and his children each owning a 3.8% share.
Sara Soliven de Guzman, daughter of co-founder Maximo Soliven, owns a 10% stake, while the remaining 15% are registered under Leadway Holdings, Inc. and Majent Mgt. & Dev’t Corporation.
Mediaquest Holdings, Inc. acquired a majority stake of 51% in The Philippine Star in 2014, with the Belmonte family retaining a 21% stake and management and editorial control.
PLDT's chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan has been instrumental in shaping the company's ownership structure, having expressed his interest in acquiring a stake in The Philippine Star as early as 2009.
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Affiliated Interests CEO
The CEO of Affiliated Interests is the president and CEO of The Philippine Star. He is the third son of the broadsheet’s founder Betty Go-Belmonte.
His father Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. was a former House Speaker, and his sister Joy Belmonte is the incumbent Quezon City mayor. This family connection may have influenced his career path.
Miguel is credited for the growth of the PhilStar Media Group, which is now a multimedia enterprise that includes several publications.
Founding
The Philippine Star was first published just seven months after the 1986 People Power Revolution that toppled strongman Ferdinand Marcos.
The newspaper's founders, Betty Go-Belmonte, Max Soliven, and Art Borjal, were veteran journalists involved in the "Mosquito Press", a collective name for the different newspapers critical of the Marcos administration.
Before founding The Philippine Star, Belmonte was the publisher of a small, monthly magazine called The Star, a predecessor of The Philippine Star.
In 1985, Belmonte, Soliven, and Borjal, along with Eugenia Apostol, Louie Beltran, and Florangel Rosario-Braid, founded the English-language newspaper Philippine Daily Inquirer, which became the Marcos administration's most vocal critic.
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However, after the revolution, a rift among the Inquirer's founders led to Belmonte, Soliven, and Borjal's founding of The Philippine Star.
Belmonte served as the founding chairman of the Board of Directors, while Soliven acted as the founding publisher and chairman of the editorial board.
Antonio Roces was the first editor-in-chief until his resignation in 1989.
Philstar.com began as an online repository of The Philippine Star, but it has since begun producing its own content and has a separate editorial team.
Media and Affiliations
The Philippine Star has a strong leadership team behind its success. Affiliated Interests CEO Miguel is the president and CEO of The Philippine Star, and he's credited with growing the PhilStar Media Group into a multimedia enterprise.
The media group now includes several publications, such as People Asia, BusinessWorld, and The Freeman. This expansion has helped The Philippine Star reach a wider audience and stay competitive in the industry.
Miguel's family has a long history with the company, with his father Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. serving as a former House Speaker and his sister Joy Belmonte being the incumbent Quezon City mayor.
For your interest: San Miguel Corporation
Affiliated Interests & Key People
Miguel is credited for the growth of the PhilStar Media Group, which is now a multimedia enterprise that includes People Asia, BusinessWorld, The Freeman, Pilipino Star Ngayon, Pang-Masa, Banat, and InterAksyon. He is the president and CEO of The Philippine Star.
is the Associate Editor of The Philippine Star. She was a former Lifestyle editor and has been a journalist since 1970.
is the Managing Editor of the Philippine Star.
is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Philstar Daily Inc., Philstar Global Corporation, and Pilipino Star Ngayon, Inc. He is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Maynilad Water Services, Inc.
is one of the stockholders and a member of the Board of Directors of Philstar Daily Inc. and Philstar Global Corporation.
is the Corporate Secretary of Philstar Daily Inc. He served as the broadsheet’s editor-in-chief until 2012.
is the Assistant Corporate Secretary of Philstar Daily Inc and Pilipino Star Ngayon. She also sits as the Corporate Secretary of Philstar Global Corporation and JS’ Publications (The Freeman) Co., Inc.
is the Data Protection Officer of Philstar Daily Inc.
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Media Companies Groups
The Philippine STAR has its roots dating back to July 28, 2011, as mentioned in an article by Yu, D.G.
MediaQuest Holdings, Inc. is a significant player in the media industry.
The Philstar Media Group is a notable media company, and it's worth noting that Hastings Holdings, Inc. is involved with it.
Philstar Daily Inc. and Philstar Global Corporation have a common Chief Financial Officer, who is also associated with MediaQuest Holdings, Inc.
Take a look at this: MediaQuest Holdings
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