Disney International Channel Closures Thread

[Moe]

I have a question for y'all. After Disney+ became popular in UK and the US, why did Disney Channel UK closed but not Disney Channel US?

 

[Mister Faiz]

I have a question for y'all. After Disney+ became popular in UK and the US, why did Disney Channel UK closed but not Disney Channel US?

Because they still make good money from it and also probably has do to with content quota for making content in the uk , they probably needed free up some money to make content and people to make that content

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk

 

[RegularCapital]

I have a question for y'all. After Disney+ became popular in UK and the US, why did Disney Channel UK closed but not Disney Channel US?

I can think of quite a few reasons:

1. Disney's international business is now the same department as direct-to-consumer (i.e. Disney+), it seems that Disney wants to exit broadcasting where possible outside the U.S., where as the U.S. channels are ran by Disney Branded Television.

2. Internet connections are better on average in the UK compared to the U.S., the UK being more densely populated is a factor in this.

3. Disney's viewing ratings were rock bottom in the UK, where as Disney Channel is still rather strong in the U.S., only Disney Junior was keeping things afloat in the UK and people were more interested in Sky Movies Disney, as movies are Disney's strongest asset.

4. Sky (Satellite) and Virgin (Cable) didn't give enough money for continuation of carriage, it's likely that Disney has overpriced their channels, where as Sky and Virgin looked at the viewing figures and gave Disney what they thought was a fair price, it could likely be that Disney purposely overcharged and offered an unacceptable price, as an excuse to close the channels so they can focus on Disney+.

5. It's likely that Disney looked at the projection of Disney+ UK subscribers and made a judgment that they should close the channels, from personal experience, two of the biggest Disney Channel fans I know of personally that live in UK and Ireland, watched Disney Channel via an internet stream on the DisneyLife app and not on pay-TV, DisneyLife soon closed after Disney+ came available, so they could no longer watch Disney Channel. A reporter from Bloomberg randomly asked me about the channel's closure and asked me whether the viewers of the channel are now using Disney+ instead. As they're at the top of the game, there is one thing that's psychologically ingrained in Disney, is that they don't want to admit failure.


Disney+ is doing well here, it's the second fastest growing streamer in the UK after Amazon Prime Video, it's helped by heavy advertising, which can be costly, as advertising would be needed to stay relevant and present in the public eye, it's a bit easier when you have a channel slot on a electronic TV guide that people use, so abandoning linear TV does have that disadvantage, luckily Smart TVs and streaming sticks usually present Disney+ as a main app option in their software.

Disney+ is also helped by premium exclusive content and popular franchises, the inclusion of Star has helped accelerated its growth. If it wasn't for Star, I wouldn't have joined.

The only real reason why I think people join Amazon Prime Video is for Premier League Football, that or they already or want to make use of Amazon Prime for delivery etc.

 

[JulianRO]

I'm curious what's gonna happen with Disney Channel in CEE, since we know that Disney+ will come this summer.

 

[zakawer2]

I'm curious what's gonna happen with Disney Channel in CEE, since we know that Disney+ will come this summer.

Personally, I think that Disney Channel EMEA, Disney Channel Turkey, Disney Channel CE, Disney Channel Israel, Disney Channel Poland and Disney Channel CEE will remain active even after Disney+ is launched in more EMEA countries and territories.

I mean, Disney Channel Germany, Disney Channel Scandinavia, Disney Channel France, Disney Channel Netherlands, Disney Channel Belgium, Disney Channel Spain and Disney Channel Portugal all air in countries where Disney+ is already available (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland and Austria) and are still active to this very day.

 

[Perla Magica]

Final closedowns of Star Premium channels in Latin America:

Star Cinema

Star Classics

Star Series & Star Action

 

[guimax]

Terrible the way Disney closed the channels, I believe that on 03/31/2022 the other channels including Disney XD will be the same way, without any farewell.

 

[Insidus]

Just thought of leaving this here I read a whole lot of something and nothing

The Risks of Disney’s Quick Fix for Subscriber Growth

bit.ly

 

[Moe]

Just thought of leaving this here I read a whole lot of something and nothing

The Risks of Disney’s Quick Fix for Subscriber Growth

bit.ly

Yeah, we are forced to pay for unwanted, failing ESPN+.

It didn't help - I already subscribed 3 years worth of Disney+ that isn't expire until November 2022, so I'm basically paying for two Disney+.

If Disney miss the goal for new numbers of subscription, so next Disney's tactic would be...

1) Force YouTube TV, Sling TV, Fubo TV to add $8 per month, per subscriber, but Disney tried with YouTube TV that led to removal of Disney channels temporarily, so eventually return without require to include Disney+.

2) If first above fails, so next would be cable and satellite companies to be forced to include Disney+ to be able to receive Disney owned channels.

3) Discontinue of Disney Channel, Junior and XD in the US as attempt to force viewers to subscribe Disney+ in massive numbers, but it could be a huge backfire and lead to expensive lawsuit by cable/satellite companies and their customers. I wouldn't surprise if the Congress gets involved to revise 1992 Cable Act and likely, Telecommunications Act of 1996 to impose the requirement, fair competition and other tools to ensure that is fair to TV providers and their subscribers.

Disney value their investors, not us.

 

[Chevistian C]

Apparently Disney Junior Brazil shuts down on March 31 along with Disney XD, Nat Geo Kids, FX Movies and Star Life but i can't find any source on that

 

[Francisque]

Already mentioned earlier

It's not a new thing

 

[ilpuyopuyo]

Disney Channel Turkey will cease broadcast this year.

 

[Checkerboard]

That's a shame. Hm.

 

[RegularCapital]

Isn't Disney Channel Turkey free-to-air? I guess no channel is safe.

 

[JMTV]

Isn't Disney Channel Turkey free-to-air? I guess no channel is safe.

Is it Disney XD Poland or Netherlands also free to air as well? I don't remember.

BTW, Disney XD Poland and Netherlands still going or still planning on shutting down soon? Just want clarification.

 

[zakawer2]

Is it Disney XD Poland or Netherlands also free to air as well? I don't remember.

BTW, Disney XD Poland and Netherlands still going or still planning on shutting down soon? Just want clarification.

Disney XD Netherlands is free-to-air, but I'm pretty sure that Disney XD Poland is a pay TV channel.

 

[JMTV]

Disney XD Netherlands is free-to-air, but I'm pretty sure that Disney XD Poland is a pay TV channel.

Oh okay.

Are these channels still ongoing or were planning on shutting down?

 

[bezbebeknana]

Isn't Disney Channel Turkey free-to-air? I guess no channel is safe.

Yes, Disney Channel Turkey is free-to air. Even channel's slogan was "Always free-to-air."(Uyduda Her Zaman Şifresiz) for a long time.

 

[zakawer2]

Oh okay.

Are these channels still ongoing or were planning on shutting down?

As far as I am concerned, I can't currently think of any confirmed plans to shut down either Disney XD Netherlands or Disney XD Poland in the foreseeable future.

 

[Francisque]

As far as I am concerned, I can't currently think of any confirmed plans to shut down either Disney XD Netherlands or Disney XD Poland in the foreseeable future.

Disney XD Poland would be definitely the first to go though.

It has no weight over the current Polish market, compared to XD NL