1971 The Star's first issue On September 9, 1971, The Star arrived on newsstands as a provincial tabloid from Penang. From day one, it stood on three enduring principles - press freedom, political balance, and the highest traditions of journalism
1974 First colour front page & first home The Star moved into its own premises in Pitt Street (now known as Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling), Penang, in January 1974 and published its first coloured front page on 27 May 1974 — signalling ambition beyond a local daily.
1976 Penang at heart - Nation at hand In 1976, the Made in Penang tabloid advanced from an island daily to a national daily and relocated its headquarters to Jalan Travers, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur. On Jan 3, 1976, The Star published its first national edition. Meanwhile, The Star Penang remained active in the northern corridor.
1977 Making it big Figures from Survey Research Malaysia showed The Star achieving a meteoric 68% growth since its launch. From an average daily circulation of 10,000 to 15,000 copies, the newspaper grew to 31,000 copies daily and 46,000 copies every Sunday by 1977 .
1980 Kuntum is born On Feb 5, 1980, Kuntum, a children’s Bahasa Malaysia magazine, launched to educate and inspire young Malaysians — a publication that aims to shape generations
1981 The New Red in Town December 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.
1987–1988 A defining test of press freedom Oct 28, 1987 – The Star’s license was revoked by the government during Operation Lalang.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. Mar 26, 1988 – After 149 days, it returned — reaffirming its commitment to responsible, independent journalism and earning the trust of readers nationwide.
1989 Beyond news: Education for the nation The first Star Education Fair was held on Feb 23, 1989, marking the start of The Star’s long-standing role in education advocacy.
1995 Malaysia’s first news website goes online June 23, 1995 - TheStar.com.my is launched, making The Star the first national newspaper in Malaysia with an online edition — a bold leap into digital journalism.
1995 Listed on Bursa Malaysia Star Publications was listed on the KLSE on Sept 29, 1995 , reflecting strong public confidence and institutional growth. The listing exercise involved a public issue of 27,075 million shares valued at RM3.10 per share.
1999 Breaking barriers & going global July 19, 1999 – By the end of the decade, The Star joined the Asia News Network (ANN), placing Malaysian journalism on a broader regional platform alongside leading media organisations across Asia.
2000 Expanding platforms & audiences In the 2000s, The Star broadened its portfolio across platforms and communities, including The Star Sarawak, youth portal The Daily Chilli, Chinese weekly Red Tomato, and the acquisition of Singapore-based Cityneon Holdings Ltd.
2001 New home, new scale On Sept 10, 2001 , The Star relocated to Menara Star in Petaling Jaya — a new headquarters designed to support its growing newsroom and expanding media operations.
2002 Bukit Jelutong Media Hub On 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.
2003–2009 Bahasa Malaysia news portal, Radio, mobile, and digital evolution SMG expanded into radio (988, RedFM, Suria FM), mobile news, ePaper, SMS alerts, podcasts and launched Bahasa Malaysia news portal, named mStar on Nov 2, 2005 — meeting audiences wherever they were.
2010 SOBA launches The year 2010 marked the launch of The Star Outstanding Business Awards (SOBA), created to champion SMEs and fuel Malaysia’s entrepreneurial growth.
2014 Star Golden Hearts Awards 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.
2016 Global recognition for journalism R.AGE won World Young Reader News Publisher of the Year for its groundbreaking multimedia documentary journalism, Predator in my Phone.
2019 First Malaysian woman to join the World Editors Forum advisory board 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.
2020 Journalism in a time of crisis March 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.
2020 Star Media Group included in F4GBM index June 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.
2021 50 years of history Celebrating our golden jubilee, we launched 'Starchive', a digital treasure trove featuring over 17,000 front covers. It’s a journey through five decades of headlines that shaped the nation.
2021 Empowering local heroes Through the inaugural Star Social Impact Grant, we awarded RM200,000 to help local NGOs drive sustainable change, from environmental health to women’s economic empowerment.
2022 Leading the ESG conversation The Star ESG Academy is launched to help Malaysian businesses navigate the future of sustainability. This initiative provides SMEs with essential tools and knowledge to integrate ESG practices into their operations.
2023 Voted Malaysia’s Favourite Media Brand The Star clinched the prestigious Gold award in the Media & Networks category. Voted for by over 11,000 consumers, this win solidifies our position as the nation’s preferred and most impactful media brand.
2023 Championing ESG excellence We hosted the inaugural ESG Positive Impact Awards to recognize Malaysian companies excelling in sustainability. The landmark gala reinforces SMG’s leadership in promoting responsible business practices across the country.
2024 A-EPIC: Asia’s first ESG Positive Impact Consortium Star Media Group ("SMG") joined forces with regional media giants, Media Group of Kompas Gramedia (“KG Media”) and Inquirer Group of Companies (“IGC”), to launch A-EPIC, Asia’s first ESG Positive Impact Consortium. This marks a watershed moment in driving green economic growth across Southeast Asia.
2025 Discover the New Kuali — Lebih Daripada Resipi! In 2025, Kuali underwent a significant brand transformation, evolving from a traditional recipe aggregator into a comprehensive lifestyle-inspired platform under the tagline "Lebih Daripada Resipi" (More Than Recipes).
55 Years Strong For 55 years, Star Media Group has been more than a storyteller — we’ve been a companion on the journey of a nation. As we celebrate this milestone, we honour the generations who have trusted us, the people who have shaped our journey, and the shared spirit that drives us forward. Because the story of Malaysia is still unfolding — and together, we will continue inspiring progress, shaping tomorrow.