The Star (daily) and Sunday Star, Malaysia's most widely-read English-language daily and Sunday newspapers, are published in four editions – two editions which cover the northern peninsular states of Penang, Kedah, Perlis and northern Perak while the other two editions cover the rest of the country.

There are two main printing plants that publish the four editions of The Star on a daily basis. The northern editions are printed at the newly opened Star Northern Hub in Bayan Lepas, Penang, while the other two editions are printed at the Star Media Hub in Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam, Selangor.

The Star is packaged as a 3-in-1 paper, comprising the Main Paper, StarBiz and StarTwo. It recently underwent a revamp at the beginning of 2003, whereby snazzier, sharper elements were incorporated into its various sections, making for a new, fresh and contemporary look for the new millennium.

The Main Paper covers the latest in both local and international news while StarBiz offers a comprehensive coverage of business developments, market trends, financial reports and updates in the stock market. StarTwo features articles on   lifestyle, entertainment, health, parenting,  social etiquette, science, environment, fashion, food and many more.

Weekly sections include Star Maritime (every Monday) which covers the shipping and sea-trade industry, Star-In.Tech (every Tuesday and Thursday) which focus on computers and information technology, Youth 2 (every Thursday) which features lifestyle and trends for the young, and  StarWeekend, which   replaces StarTwo on Saturdays, offering articles on hobbies, holidays, leisure and weekend getaways. The Star BizWeek is a weekly financial magazine published every Saturday that highlights issues, companies, personalities, developments, and stocks that are likely to make news in the week ahead.

Regional sections include StarMetro (Monday to Saturday) which  focuses on happenings and entertainment in the Klang Valley, and North (Wednesday and Friday) which features the goings-on in the northern region, namely Penang, Perlis, Kedah and northern Perak.

Special topic-based sections by The Star are Audiofile (every Thursday) which provides an insight into hi-fi, home cinema and car audio,  Clove (every second Thursday of the month) which offers articles on family, fashion, beauty and relationships, and The Star NIE (Newspaper-in-Education), which offers a fresh, new approach to the teaching and learning of English in secondary schools.

Sunday Star offers current worldwide news and special reviews. It contains an Education section that features careers,  exam tips, advice on higher studies, comments by well-known educationists and NIE highlights. StarMag is a lifestyle magazine with the tagline “Your Lifestyle Companion”, covering travel, food, the arts, life, fashion, trends, books, motoring and living spaces – all the elements that promise a great weekend read.

There are two pullouts within StarMag. Fit For Life focuses on the various aspects of well-being, and offers up-to-date articles on medical research and treatments, track fitness trends, diet and nutrition, mental and emotional health issues, matters related to ageing and public health, complimentary therapy and vibrational healing methods. Variety puts together TV and radio entertainment stories and useful highlights, comics, interactive items like puzzles and other staples like the horoscope, children's pages and TV guide.

The Star was first published on Sept 9, 1971, starting off as a regional newspaper with its plant in George Town, Penang.

Its birth created a couple of firsts in the country - it was the first tabloid and the first English language daily to be printed using the web-offset process.

Over the next five years, the newspaper's circulation grew rapidly and by early 1976, it became Penang's premier newspaper, outselling the then 139-year-old New Straits Times.

During the same period, too, Malaysia's first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman, who had retired a few years earlier, joined the board of Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (the publisher of The Star and its sister paper, Sunday Star) and became its chairman.

The Star went national on Jan 3, 1976, when it set up an office in Kuala Lumpur. Two years later, it relocated its headquarters from Penang to Kuala Lumpur.

To accommodate a growing staff and a new press incorporating the latest technology, it moved its headquarters from Kuala Lumpur to its present premises in Petaling Jaya in 1981.

On June 23, 1995, Star Publications created history when it became the first Malaysian newspaper -- and the third in Asia -- to launch a World Wide Web edition.

The Star also achieved a new milestone in its corporate history in 1995 by being listed on the Main Board of the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange. In the year 2000, The Star relocated in stages to its very own 17-storey premises, Menara Star in Section 16, Petaling Jaya.

In January 2002, The Star's new printing plant, Star Media Hub was officially opened by the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Dato' Seri Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi in Shah Alam, Selangor. The Star also has a new office and printing plant - Star Northern Hub in Bayan Lepas, Penang. These new lines will increase printing capacity and offer greater flexibility for newspaper pagination and colour.

The Star has undergone many changes in its growth but one characteristic remains the same - its reporting style continues to be refreshing, with news and articles that are varied to cater to different interests.

KUNTUM
An educational monthly in Bahasa Malaysia for children ages 6 to 12. In keeping with its "Learning is Fun" motto, the Kuntum Club organises many fun activities and holiday outings for its members each year. Kuntum is sold at RM1.50 (S$1.00 in Singapore)

(Kuntum was first published in February 1980)

SHANG HAI
Commonly regarded as the most authoritative Chinese language business monthly in the country. Priced at RM3.80 (S$3.80 in Singapore), this magazine focuses on the latest economic, social, political and business issues and is well-read by many businessmen and executives.

(Shang Hai was first published in March 1979)

GALAXIE
A light-reading forthnightly English entertainment magazine which has become a hit with teenagers and young working adults. This magazine costs RM3.00 (S$2.00 in Singapore).

(Galaxie was first published in October 1974)

FLAVOURS
A bi-monthly magazine on good food and fine dining, with recipes of local and international cuisines, interviews with renowned gourmets, snippets on nutrition and a directory of restaurants and eating spots in town. Flavours can be obtained at the newsstands for only RM10.80 (S$5.50 in Singapore).

(Flavours was acquired in July 1995)