Heads Up! Disney Junior And National Geographic Wild Go Dark In France By January 2025 As Orange Secures Rights To The Disney Channel

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The Disney Channel and National Geographic channels will survive in France through Orange boxes. Disney films will also be available 4 months after their theatrical release on Orange's VOD service. The historic operator unveils a reassuring distribution agreement with the American giant.

Following the divorce between Canal+ and Disney, Orange took advantage of the situation and announced, against all expectations, on December 20, a distribution agreement with The Walt Disney Company which strengthens access to Disney content in France and enriches the entertainment offering for Orange TV subscribers.

This partnership allows Livebox subscribers to fully access Disney content through three offers:

Included access for all TV customers to Disney's iconic channels : Disney Channel, the reference channel for young people, and National Geographic will be included from January 2, 2025 for all Orange TV customers, from their decoder and the Orange TV application on smartphones and a wide selection of connected TVs.

The possibility of subscribing to the Disney + streaming service under special conditions. Customers of the Orange Livebox Max offer benefit from a €5 discount for life by subscribing to Disney +, this offer has already been in place since last October. Other TV customers will benefit from a promotion with the first month free to discover the Disney + service. Orange subscribers will continue to be able to watch the platform's programs on their decoder.

Access to Disney films 4 months after their theatrical release on the Orange VOD service  : Orange will offer, through its transactional VOD offer, the latest cinema releases from the Disney group studios (Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, and Searchlight Pictures) via the Orange VOD service.

Hélène Etzi, President of The Walt Disney Company France, said, “  We are very pleased to partner with Orange to make our iconic content and stories accessible to as many households as possible,” or 12.4 million French people. It remains to be seen whether other operators such as Free, SFR and Bouygues Telecom will try to reach an agreement with Disney.

The article was originally published by Univers Freebox

Celebrate The Holidays With Disney Channels Festive Programming

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As part of their biggest festive campaign to date, Disney is continuing to Spark Joy This Holiday, with a festive feast of programming for young and the young at heart this December and January, exclusively on Disney Channel (DStv Channel 303) and Disney Junior (DStv Channel 309).

 

Whether you're snuggling up for a holiday classic, enjoying brand-new episodes, or discovering exciting new shows, there's something for everyone. Gather your loved ones, relax, and let the holiday cheer come to life with a mix of heartwarming specials, exciting series, and plenty of holiday cheer.

 

Festive movies and specials galore on Disney Channel

 

Kick off the summer break with the stunning comedy adventures Frozen and Frozen 2 on Disney Channel. The films, telling of epic adventures and unforgettable characters like Anna, Elsa, Olaf and Sven, will premiere on Thursday 28 November at 17:50 CAT and Friday 29 November at 17:00 CAT, with a back-to-back marathon on Saturday, 30 November at 17:50 CAT

 

From 16 December, Disney Channel kicks off a movie marathon at 11:05 CAT, starting with ZOMBIES – a music- and dance-filled story set in the fictitious world of Seabrook, a cookie-cutter community brimming with perky conformity 50 years after a zombie apocalypse. Round off the full trilogy with ZOMBIES 2 on 17 December and ZOMBIES 3 on 18 December.

 

On 19 December, don’t miss Big City Greens: Spacecation, where the Green family’s cosmic vacation goes hilariously wrong when Cricket drags them on a space adventure. Then, on 20 December, join Rey, Finn, Poe, Chewie, and the gang in Lego Star Wars Holiday Special for a festive adventure full of laughs and holiday spirit on Life Day. Rey sets off on a new adventure with BB-8 to gain a deeper knowledge of the Force.

 

 

On 21 December at 10:15 CAT, Home Sweet Home Alone brings Max Mercer, the ultimate trickster, into action. Left home alone while his family is away, Max must outsmart burglars trying to steal a valuable heirloom.

 

The Naughty Nine airs on Christmas Eve, 24 December at 17:00 CAT, where Andy, feeling slighted after landing himself on Santa’s naughty list, teams up with a group of fellow “naughty listers” to execute an elaborate heist in Santa’s Village at the North Pole to get the presents they feel they deserve.

 

Miraculous World: London - At The Edge of Time brings Ladybug and Cat Noir fans an exciting new adventure on 27 December at 17:00 CAT. Marinette becomes Chronobug and teams up with Bunnyx to defeat a mysterious opponent who travels through time, to save the future from a terrible fate.

 

The gang’s all together this Holiday on Disney Junior

 

From 14-25 December, Disney Junior is spreading more holiday cheer with festive episodes of SuperKitties, Pupstruction, Marvel Spidey and His Amazing Friends, Ariel, Firebuds, and Alice's Wonderland Bakery - airing at 09:30 CAT.

 

Plus, get ready for fresh, new episodes of Firebuds and Marvel Spidey and His Amazing Friends! From 7-15 December, tune in for Firebuds weekends at 09:30 CAT, where the team faces a forest fire while attending a family summer camp. Then, from 9-23 December, Spidey and the gang transform into dinosaurs to chase down baddies, protect nature and defend their amazing new Dino-Web Tree House, with the help of Reptile and their special new Dino-Web Suits.

 

The new year kicks off with brand-new episodes of SuperKitties starting 1 January at 10:25 CAT. And then, be sure not to miss the cutest little shorts Me & Winnie the Pooh - based on A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh stories – that follow Winnie the Pooh and his friends as they play, paint, and explore the Hundred Acre Wood. Watch them in batches on 18 January at 11:15 CAT and again at 12:45 CAT.  

 

More to win!

 

Be sure to tune in to both Disney Channel and Disney Junior this festive season, not only for the holiday programming, but a chance to win too! Together with FNB, PEP and Lego, Disney are giving away 10 festive hampers worth R10 000 each until 14 December, and all you have to do is spot the tree on the channel, snap a picture and send it to 31120*. Follow the prompts to enter your picture into the lucky draw to win a hamper of including a Christmas tree with decorations, Lego® goodies, a PEP Voucher, as well as exclusive Moana, Mufasa and Encanto merchandise.

 

This holiday season, Disney Channel and Disney Junior invite families to relax, enjoy some quality time together, and create lasting memories with a festive lineup that’s full of fun and heart. So, gather around, share the joy, and let the magic of the season fill your home with laughter and love.

November 2024 On Disney Channel And Disney Junior Across Africa | Channel Premiere: Marvel's Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur | Returning Shows Including Pupstruction | More

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Disney Channel 

  

MARVEL’S MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR

Season Premiere

Monday - Friday from 25 November at 16:30 CAT

“Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur,” based on Marvel’s hit comic books, follows the adventures of 13- year-old super-genius Lunella Lafayette and her 10-ton T-Rex, Devil Dinosaur. After Lunella accidentally brings Devil Dinosaur into present-day New York City, the duo works together to protect the city’s Lower East Side from danger. 

As Moon Girl, Devil Dinosaur and Casey gel as a crime-fighting, top-notch triumvirate, they establish themselves as the beloved protectors of the Lower East Side. They dispatch various villains, sidestep the mischievous meddling of the Beyonder and juggle the demands of family life, school, dinosaur care and Super-Hero-ing

Catch Season 1 episodes of brand-new Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur from Monday, 25 November - – 13 December at 16:30 CAT on Disney Channel.

MECH-X4

Season Premiere

Monday - Thursday from Monday, 25 November at 17:00 CAT

 Ryan Walker is a freshman at Bay City High who has technopathy - the extraordinary ability to control technology with his mind. His talent mysteriously awakens MECH-X4, a giant 150-foot robot built by an elusive genius-in-hiding to defend their town against impending doom. Ryan recruits his two best friends and his older brother to help him operate MECH-X4. When monsters suddenly begin to descend upon their city, the four must quickly learn to work as a team in order to pilot the robot that is their only hope of saving their town, and ultimately the world, from mass destruction. But along da way, him and his friends must deal with normal lives too 

Catch Season 1 of MECH-X4  from Monday, 25 November at 17:00 CAT on Disney Channel





KLIK KLUB

Season 3 

Fridays, from 15 November at 16:50 CAT

The Klik Klub is a cool after-school club where a group of kids of different ages hang out and send invitation letters to their favourite influencers. They wait in anticipation to see which surprise celebrity guest will knock on their door, carrying a mystery box filled with ingredients representing their childhood food memory. Thereafter, the group splits into two teams to cook up a storm with the mystery box contents and compete in a taste challenge. The first of the new episodes features Micasa trumpeter Mo-T.

Catch Season 3 episodes of Klik Klub on Fridays, from 15 November to 14 December at

16:50 CAT on Disney Channel.

THE WONDERFUL AUTUMN OF MICKEY MOUSE

Special Feature

Saturday, 30 November at 09:50 CAT

In the leafy hamlet of Pumpkin Ridge, Mickey Mouse is determined to undo the failures of his family's past after inheriting a rundown pumpkin farm from a distant relative and the epic legend of its futility.

The Wonderful Autumn of Mickey Mouse is the fourth special of The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse. It is based on the season of Fall/Autumn. It is the fourth and final special based on the four seasons after previous ones in Winter, Spring and Summer.

Enjoy The Wonderful Autumn of Mickey Mouse on Monday, 30 November at 09:50 CAT on Disney Channel.

Disney Junior

PUPSTRUCTION

Season 1, New Episodes

Monday – Friday, from Monday, 4 November at 17:00 CAT

“Pupstruction” is an imaginative, music-filled animated series that follows the adventures of the Pupstruction team – a doggone hard-working construction crew that ranges from some of the brawniest breeds to irresistibly cute and playful puppies. It centers on Phinny, an innovative young corgi, who might be the smallest pup on the crew but proves that you don’t need big paws to have big dreams or big ideas.

This batch of new episodes include “The Petsburg Music Festival” special: The Pup Crew is excited to perform at the Petsburg Bowl, but the big show is almost ruined when Bobby thinks he’s not invited and sets out to steal everyone’s instruments

Catch Pupstruction Monday – Friday from 4 November at 17:00 CAT 

on Disney Junior.

ARIEL

International Music Day Stunt (22 November) and New Episodes

From Friday - Sunday, 22 -24 November at 09:30 CAT

With new Ariel episodes from Friday, 22-24 November at 14:00, 17:00 and 18:00

Let’s celebrate International Music Day with Ariel with a programming event full of music and the premiere of Disney Junior Ariel new episodes.

Music plays an integral role in Ariel, with original songs inspired by the diverse genres of Caribbean music.

Catch new episodes of Ariel from Friday, 22 November at 14:00 CAT

SUPERKITTIES: SU-PURR CHARGED

New Episodes, Season 2

Monday - Friday from 25 November at 15:00 CAT

“SuperKitties” is an adorable and action-packed series about four fierce and furry superhero kittens — Ginny, Sparks, Buddy and Bitsy — who are on a mission to make their town of Kittydale a more caring and “pawesome” place.  

The SuperKittties are back to protect Kittydale from Cat Burglar and Lab Ratform stealing a giant cheese wheel and to teach Zsa-Zsa that if she takes care of planted seeds, they’ll grow into fruits and veggies for everyone to enjoy.

Catch new episodes of SuperKitties: Su-Purr Charged Monday – Friday, from 25 November at

15:00 CAT on Disney Junior.

Disney Jr. Announces New Animated Series Marvel’s Iron Man and His Awesome Friends

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Disney Jr. announced the greenlight for Marvel’s Iron Man and His Awesome Friends, the first preschool Iron Man series which will feature a young Tony Stark (Iron Man) and his world-saving besties, Riri Williams (Ironheart) and Amadeus Cho (Iron Hulk). The young trio work together to make the world a better place, protecting their city and each other.

From Disney Branded Television, the series is currently in production and slated for a summer 2025 premiere on Disney Jr. and Disney+. The new series is part of Disney and Marvel’s expanded strategy to introduce these iconic Avengers characters and stories to a new generation of fans.

“Iron Man is the character that launched Marvel Studios and will always be especially beloved here as the hero that made the MCU possible,” said Brad Winderbaum, Head of Streaming, Television and Animation at Marvel Studios. “That’s why we’re so excited to partner with the incredible team at Disney Branded Television and bring Iron Man to a new audience. Together we are building a series that introduces the most brilliant scientists and inventors in the Marvel Universe as they share in fun armored adventures.”

Ayo Davis, President, Disney Branded Television, commented, “We’re thrilled to introduce Marvel’s Iron Man and His Awesome Friends to preschoolers on Disney Jr. and Disney+, expanding their connection to the iconic Marvel universe. Partnering with Brad and the Marvel Studios team on this series allows us to bring the incredible legacy of Iron Man to a whole new generation, sparking young imaginations with characters that embody courage, teamwork, and creativity.”

Synopsis: Marvel’s Iron Man and His Awesome Friends follows the adventures (and misadventures) of best friends and super geniuses Tony Stark, Riri Williams and Amadeus Cho as they work together to solve problems both big and small and protect their city. To help them in their Super Hero endeavors, they each have their own Iron Suits that allow them to fly and give them each enhanced super-strength. In addition, Iron Man has a Nano-Shield; Ironheart has a Heartbeat Bubble forcefield to protect people, and Iron Hulk has his strong Iron Boom clap and Iron Hulk Stomp. They work out of their beachfront base, Iron Quarters (IQ), under the supervision of their superpowered android, Vision, and their furry pup, Gamma, who has her very own Iron Pup suit and accompanies the Iron Friends on many of their adventures.

The series stars Mason Blomberg (Shameless), Kapri Ladd (Danger Force) and Aidyn Ahn (Kids Say the Darndest Things) as the voices of Tony Stark/Iron Man, Riri Williams/Ironheart and Amadeus Cho/Iron Hulk, respectively. David Kaye (Transformers) voices the role of Vision, and Fred Tatasciore (Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur) voices Gamma. Additional characters and casting will be announced at a later date.

From Disney Branded Television, Marvel’s Iron Man and His Awesome Friends is executive produced by Sean Coyle (Puppy Dog Pals) and Harrison Wilcox (Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends). James Eason-Garcia (Pupstruction) is co-executive producer and story editor, Alex Cichon (LEGO Marvel: Spider-Man: Vexed by Venom) is supervising producer; Ashley Rideout (Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends) is producer, and Michael Dowding (Hello Ninja) is supervising director.

The series is produced by Disney Jr. and Marvel Studios in association with Atomic Cartoons.

October 2024 On Disney Channel And Disney Junior Across Africa | Channel Premiere: Primos | Returning Shows Including Firebirds | More

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Disney Channel 

PRIMOS

Season Premiere

Monday – Friday from 21 -30 October at 16:30 CAT

“Primos” is a coming-of-age animated comedy that follows Tater Ramirez Humphrey, an eccentric girl with big dreams, determined to find what makes her extraordinary. When her 12 chaotic cousins (“primos” in Spanish) move in for the summer, they help her discover her true self.

Catch the brand-new series Primos from Monday, 21 October at 16:30 CAT on Disney Channel

HAMSTER & GRETEL

Season 2 Premiere

Monday- Friday from 7 -16 October at 14:50 CAT

The music-filled “Hamster & Gretel” introduces Kevin and younger sister Gretel, who are about to be bestowed super-powers by space aliens. But something goes awry, and it’s Gretel and her pet hamster (named Hamster) who suddenly have new abilities. Now, protective older brother Kevin must figure out how to work with both Gretel and her pet Hamster to protect their city from mysterious dangers.

Highlights of the Season 2 episodes include an episode where Gretel gets stressed out when Kevin returns from a relaxation camp with a laid-back attitude.

Catch Season 2 of Hamster & Gretel from 7 October at 14:50 CAT on Disney Channel 

Lego Star Wars Terrifying Tales

Disney Channel Movie Premiere

Friday, 25 October at 17:00 CAT

Just in time for Halloween - all-new scary special from Lucasfilm and the LEGO Group that will have fans ready for a frighteningly fun time. After the events of “The Rise of Skywalker,” Poe and BB-8 must make an emergency landing on the volcanic planet Mustafar where they meet the greedy and conniving Graballa the Hutt who has purchased Darth Vader’s castle and is renovating it into the galaxy’s first all-inclusive Sith-inspired luxury hotel. While waiting for his X-wing to be repaired, Poe, BB-8, Graballa, and Dean (a plucky and courageous young boy who works as Graballa’s mechanic) venture deep into the mysterious castle with Vader’s loyal servant, Vaneé. Along the way, Vaneé shares three creepy stories linked to ancient artifacts and iconic villains from across all eras of Star Wars. 

Catch the fun animated series Lego Star Wars Terrifying Tales On Friday, 25 October at 17:00 CAT

KLIK KLUB

Season 2 Stunt

Weekends, 26 & 27 October at 06:50 & 12:20 CAT

Wandi & Kabz, a live-action meets animation comedy series, is anchored by Ogadinma Ngobili (14) as Wandi and Marang Neo (10) as Kabz. These besties go on grand adventures together, meeting popular African historical figures, thanks to Wandi’s special antique, time-travelling pocket watch. After a quick and playful interaction, the historical figures whisk Wandi and Kabz off to the past for a light-hearted glimpse into significant scenes from their lives. From the bustling streets of gold rush-era Johannesburg to the epic battles of the Zulu Kingdom, Season 2 of Wandi & Kabz brings history to life with trademark humour and wit. Viewers can expect to learn fascinating facts while laughing along with the show's infectious energy from figures that include Queen of Sheba, King Moshoeshoe and Albertina Sisulu.

Catch 3 episodes on each day in the morning from 06:50 CAT and two episodes later both days from 12:20 CAT on Disney Channel.

Disney Junior

Firebuds

Season 2 New Episodes

Monday - Friday from 14 October at 10:00 CAT 

Set in a fantastical world where talking vehicles live, work and play with the humans who drive them, Disney Branded Television’s “Firebuds” follows a boy and his firetruck as they team up with their first responder friends to help others in their community with problems, both big and small. Whether rescuing a young car that’s stuck in a tree, tracking down lost Dalmatian puppies or helping their neighbours stock up on emergency supplies during a blackout, the Firebuds highlight the importance of teamwork and helping your fellow citizens. Each episode is comprised of two 11-minute stories and features at least one new original song.

Catch Firebuds Monday - Friday from 14 October at 10:00 CAT on Disney Jr.

Halloween Fun with Mickey

Halloween Themed Episodes & Shows

Saturday & Sunday 26 & 27 October from 08:30 CAT

Find all the Halloween fun kicking off with Season 1 of Mickey Mouse Spooky Stories on Saturday, 26 October at 08:30 CAT and again on Sunday, 27 October at 10:30 CAT.

Mickey and Friends: Trick or Treats is a stop-motion Halloween special starring Mickey and Friends on Saturday, 26 October at 11:00 CAT (and again on Sunday, 27 October at 10:30 CAT). Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Daisy are trick-or-treating when Donald spies the spookiest mansion he's ever seen and assumes it has the best treats. After he convinces his friends to risk a visit, the owner, Witch Hazel, casts a spell that turns them into their costumes.  

Catch Mickey's Monster Musical on Saturday, 26 October at 12:00 CAT - a Halloween special of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. It is a parody of the 1970s cult classic musical film The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

On Sunday, 27 October, catch Mickey's Tale of Two Witches at 12:00 CAT. On Halloween, Mickey tells Pluto a story about two witches-in-training, Minnie the Wonderful and Daisy Doozy, who must pass four tests to graduate from the Witch Academy in Happy Haunt Hills. While Daisy isn’t confident about passing, she and Minnie join forces, along with Count Mickula and the gang, to defeat a mischievous ghost. Minnie and Daisy learn that working together makes their magic and their friendship stronger.

Catch all the Halloween fun with Mickey and friends on Halloween weekend, 26 & 27 October from 08:30 CAT on Disney Jr. 

Disney TV Announces New ‘Prep & Landing,’ ‘Moon Girl’ Shorts, ‘Kindergarten: The Musical,’ ‘Big City Greens’ S5 & Much More

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Today, during the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Disney Branded Television (DBT) announced a lineup of new animated projects and shared first looks from its preschool and kids slate. The announcements were made by Ayo Davis, President of Disney Branded Television, alongside DBT animation leaders Meredith Roberts, EVP of Disney Television Animation; Alyssa Sapire, SVP of Development, Series and Strategy, Disney Junior; and Orion Ross, VP, International Animation.

Additionally, Disney Television Animation commemorated its illustrious 40-year anniversary at the festival with a special panel highlighting the studio’s dominance in kids’ animation over four decades — with beloved titles like Phineas and Ferb, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Monsters at Work, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, Sofia the First and more — as well as current and future hits ranging from Kiff to Big City Greens, ZOMBIES: The Re-Animated Series, Hamster & Gretel and StuGo.

Disney Junior, Disney Television Animation and International Animation teams will feature several additional panels throughout the week, including one that highlights the power of storytelling through music and features Disney Junior’s Ariel, Kindergarten: The Musical, ZOMBIES: The Re-Animated Series, Kiff and Big City Greens, as well as a panel for the upcoming global series The Doomies.

“Disney Branded Television is proud of our four-decade legacy of creating magical and visually stunning animation beloved by young audiences around the world,” said Davis. “It’s a momentous year at Annecy, as we celebrate our studio’s milestone anniversary and showcase some of our most exciting new projects and creative talent that are ushering us into a new era of storytelling.”

Among the new Disney Junior and Disney Television Animation titles and first looks announced at Annecy are the following:

New Series & Specials

Prep & Landing: The Snowball Protocol (22-minute special)

Produced by: Disney Television Animation

Executive Producers: Kevin Deters and Stevie Wermers-Skelton

Story Editor/Co-Producer: Colleen Evanson

Producer: Melissa Kurtz

Director: Shane Zalvin

Writer: Hilary Helding

In this new installment of the Emmy-winning holiday specials, the high-tech team of elves from the elite unit known as Prep and Landing is back! When their holiday missions go awry, Wayne thinks he is in BIG trouble with Santa, which opens a vault of merry mishaps from the past. It’s going to be hard to dig their way out of the snowbank this time in Prep & Landing: The Snowball Protocol. The special will debut next year.

Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur: Moon Girl’s Lab (Shorts)

Produced by: Disney Television Animation

Executive Producers: Laurence Fishburne, Helen Sugland and Steve Loter

Co-Executive Producers: Rodney Clouden and Pilar Flynn

Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur: Moon Girl’s Lab is a new musical S.T.E.M.-focused short-form series in which Moon Girl is dropping knowledge and dropping bars as she uses the power of science to take down some serious baddies. Each of the eight shorts will feature a new song by Grammy Award winner Raphael Saadiq, who serves as executive music producer on the series, and a science theme, including adaptations, states of matter, plants, force and motion, light, echolocation and coding.

The shorts will premiere Friday, June 28, on Disney Channel and Disney Channel YouTube. All eight shorts will be available on Disney+ the same day.

SuperKitties: Sup-Purr Adventures (Shorts)

Produced by: Sony Pictures Television – Kids in association with Disney Junior

Creator: Paula Rosenthal

Executive Producers: Sarah Mullervy, Kirk Van Wormer and Audu Paden

Supervising Producer: Bryan Korn

SuperKitties: Su-Purr Adventures is a new short-form series inspired by 2023’s No. 1 new preschool series, SuperKitties. It features Bitsy, Ginny, Sparks and Buddy as they showcase their superhero skills and kitty kindness that they use to work together as a team to make their town of Kittydale a great place to live.

The shorts will premiere Wednesday, August 7, on Disney Junior and Disney Channel and next day, Thursday, Aug. 8, on Disney+ and Disney Junior YouTube.

Series Renewal 

Big City Greens (Season 5)

Produced by: Disney Television Animation

Creators/Executive Producers: Chris and Shane Houghton

Executive Producer: Anna O’Brian

Co-Executive Producer: Stephen Sandoval

Producer: Michael Coughlin

Greenlit for a fifth season today, Big City Greens was the No. 2 most-watched kids animated series of 2023, with more than 2 billion hours watched across linear and streaming since it debuted in 2018.

The series follows the offbeat adventures of 10-year-old Cricket Green (voiced by Chris Houghton), a mischievous and optimistic country boy who moved to the big city with his wildly out-of-place family. The show is heavily influenced by the brothers’ childhood growing up in St. Johns, Michigan, a small rural town north of Lansing, also known as the mint capital of the world. Many of the characters are inspired by real-life family members and childhood townsfolk.

This summer also marks the premiere of Big City Greens the Movie: Spacecation, which will be screened at Annecy as part of the prestigious Le Pâquier lawn screening series. Additionally, Anna O’Brian, director of the movie, has joined the series for season five as executive producer.

First Look

Disney Junior’s Ariel

Produced by: Wild Canary in association with Disney Junior

Executive Producer: Lynne Southerland

An exclusive first-look clip from the highly anticipated new series Disney Junior’s Ariel was released today.

Inspired by the beloved story of The Little Mermaid, the series debuts Thursday, June 27, on Disney Junior in the U.S. with an initial batch of eight episodes available on Disney+ the following day, Friday, June 28.

The series follows 8-year-old mermaid princess Ariel as she and her friends embark on fun-filled, action-packed underwater adventures throughout their Caribbean-inspired fairy tale kingdom of Atlantica and beyond.

Kindergarten: The Musical

Produced by: Oddbot Entertainment in association with Disney Junior

Creators: Michelle Lewis and Charlton Pettus

Executive Producers: Tom Warburton, Michelle Lewis, Kay Hanley, Charlton Pettus and Dan Petty

Co-Executive Producer/Story Editor: Laurie Israel

The main title theme song — performed by Grammy Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated actress and singer Eva Noblezada (The Great Gatsby) — and key art for Disney Junior’s upcoming new series Kindergarten: The Musical was also released today.

The series follows five-year-old Berti, who, along with her new friends, is navigating all the exciting and emotional experiences that come with starting school for the very first time. Taking place in a kindergarten classroom at Porter Elementary, the series features fantastical Broadway-style song and dance numbers that help kids express their big feelings and provide a peek into their incredible imaginations. The series is set to debut on Disney Junior and Disney+ later this year.

StuGo

Produced by: Titmouse in association with Disney Channel

Creator/Executive Producer: Ryan Gillis

Co-Executive Producer: Sunil Hall

Story Editor: Craig Lewis

The main title theme song for StuGo was also released today. The series is set to premiere this fall on Disney Channel and Disney+.

The series follows six overambitious middle schoolers tricked into attending a fake academic summer camp by a mad scientist. Now they’re stuck for three months on a wild tropical island with mind-reading manatees, giant fighting fungi and fashion-forward mutants ― less academia than they’d hoped for but a lot more adventure.

The Doomies

Produced by: Xilam in association with Disney+

Co-Creator/Director: Andrés Fernandez

Co-Creator/Head Writer: Henry Gifford

Co-Creator/Art Director: Rémi Zaarour

An exclusive first look of Disney’s new spooky comedy animated series, The Doomies, was released today.

The chilling series follows best friends Bobby and Romy, who mistakenly open a gateway to the underworld and turn their sleepy coastal town into a hotspot for terrifying creatures of doom. As they try to cover up their mess, they get roped into an epic monster mystery, which will see them battle both literal and inner demons.

News Shorts: Disney Junior Looking To Rebrand Simply To Disney Jr. Along With Series Premiere, WildEarth's Live Safaris Relaunch On People's Weather And StarTimes Debuts New Swahili Dubbed Telenovela Channel ST Swahili Plus

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DJR is no more

Earlier in the year, Disney filed a new trademark for Disney Junior known simply as DJR. This had garnered poor reception from long time fans of the channel with some questioning Disney's loyalty for the brand as the trademark seemed dull and unimaginative.

During the month, Disney unveiled a trailer for the upcoming animated series The Little Mermaid based on the live-action of the same name. This was accompanied from what looks to be revised logo of DJR now Disney Jr. following Nick Jr. with ending their last name as initials.

If one has to guess Disney was probably taking to account consumer's feedback and altered the trademark to something more simple and familiar, Disney Jr. The new logo is anticipated to coincide and form part of a marketing campaign to promote The Little Mermaid. 

WildEarth on Openview 

Last month, MultiChoice at the request of WildEarth yanked the channel from DStv consumers in Africa. This formed part of a bigger conspiracy within MultiChoice as 10 other channels had exited including Me, Ginx TV, B4U Movies and NWTV. 

Since December, WildEarth had been supplying People's Weather their live safaris extending their reach to Openview. This was quietly yanked off from the lineup sometime ago with WildEarth reporting its reinstatement on People's Weather from 1st June. 

As some readers are aware, WildEarth had been undergoing a restructure and trying to build its content slate so that and possible distribution fees contributed to its disappearances from the channel with WildEarth now on 3 to 5 days a week.

Sunrise airs Wednesdays to Sundays at 06:30, On Safari and Sunset airs Fridays to Sundays from 14:30.

More telenovelas on StarTimes 

After eMedia Investments and MultiChoice had invested in locally dubbed programming which had spawned their own TV channels, ePleiser and Zee Zonke. StarTimes is hopping on the bandwagon with a Swahili dubbed telenovela channel, ST Swahili Plus. 

ST Swahili Plus is set to go live in East Africa on channel 162 and 432 on the Classic and Super packages. Programs set to join the lineup include Chandra Nandani, The First Nanny and The Iron Heart.

Press Release: Disney Jr's Ariel Premieres This June Across Africa

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Disney Branded Television announced the premiere date for the highly anticipated animated musical series “Disney Jr.’s Ariel.” Inspired by “The Little Mermaid,” the series will debut on SATURDAY, 29 JUNE, on Disney Junior at 8:30 a.m. CAT on DStv, Channel 309. Additionally, new recurring cast members were announced, including Yvette Nicole Brown, Melissa Villaseñor and Ron Funches.

To help build excitement for “Disney Jr.’s Ariel,” it was also announced that a new series of shorts titled “Disney Jr.’s Ariel: Mermaid Tales” will be featured across Disney Jr. beginning Monday, 24 June. Each two-minute short will highlight a different aspect of Ariel’s life in Atlantica.

Set in the Caribbean-inspired fairytale kingdom of Atlantica, the series follows young mermaid princess Ariel (Mykal-Michelle Harris) as she embarks on underwater adventures with her family and friends, including King Triton (Taye Diggs), Ursula (Amber Riley), Flounder (Gracen Newton) and mer-friends Fernie (Cruz Flateau) and Lucia (Elizabeth Phoenix Caro).

Each episode highlights themes of self-expression, curiosity and resourcefulness and celebrates the multicultural elements of the Caribbean through food, fashion, language and folklore. Dr. Patricia Saunders, professor of English and hemispheric Caribbean studies and director of graduate studies at the University of Miami, serves as cultural consultant on the series.

In addition to Brown as Aquatica, Villaseñor as Navi, and Funches as Delfino, the series recurring cast includes Kevin Michael Richardson as Sebastian, Parvesh Cheena as Ravi, Danni Washington as Tantie Chantale, Alanna Ubach as Cristina Cuttles, and Dana Heath and Jessica Mikayla as Ariel’s twin sisters Ayanna and Alanna, respectively.

Music plays an integral role in the series, with original songs inspired by the diverse genres of Caribbean music. The acclaimed songwriting teams are comprised of Anthony M. Jones (Tone), Sofia Quinn, Olivia Waithe, Chantry Johnson, Michelle Zarlenga and Rosemarie Tan. EmmyⓇ Award winner Christopher Willis serves as composer. Sean Skeete, dean of the Professional Performance division at Berklee College of Music, is the Caribbean music consultant.

“Disney Jr.’s Ariel” is executive produced by Lynne Southerland and is produced by Wild Canary in association with Disney Jr.

News Shorts: Alice's Wonderland Bakery Cancelled On Disney Junior After Two Seasons And The Iron Heart To Rollout On Novela E Plus Alongside A Rebroadcast Of Betty In New York On Telemundo

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Disney axes another program 

Back in 2022, Disney announced a brand new animated series for preschoolers and their families called “Alice’s Wonderland Bakery” that was inspired by the beloved world of “Alice in Wonderland.” The series debuted in 2022, with a second season renewal coming shortly after its premiere.

Centred on Alice, the great-granddaughter of the original heroine and a budding young baker at the enchanted Wonderland Bakery, each episode features two 11-minute stories about Alice’s recipe adventures with her best pals—Fergie, a white rabbit; Hattie, her madcap friend; and Rosa, the Princess of Hearts.

Disney has announced via the Disney Junior Instagram account, that the series finale of “Alice’s Wonderland Bakery” is going to air on the Disney Junior channel in the United States on April 15th 2024, indicating that the show is now coming to an end.

The Iron Heart debuts on Novela E Plus

Apollo Adelantar is an undercover agent who goes on a dangerous mission to bring down a crime ring name Altare unaware of his trusted friend when his two of his trusted allies becomes a enemy. Fueled by a bitter and painful past, Apollo and his allies face grueling tasks that will challenge his resolve and strength.

It starred Richard Gutierrez as Apollo "Pol" Adelantar, Kyle Echarri as young Apollo, Albert Martinez as Engr. Priam dela Torre, Dimples Romana as Selene Larisa and Sue Ramirez as Venus Z. Magbanua.

The series will air daily on Novela E Plus at 18:50 from 6 April.

Telemundo loads up on repeats

Based on the 1999 Colombian telenovela Yo Soy Betty La Fea, the romantic comedy Betty In New York followed Beatriz Aurora Rincon Lozano as she embarks on a new journey in New York when she takes on a job as a secretary at V&M Fashion.

The series will air daily on Telemundo at 18:00 from 13 April.

Development Alert: Disney Junior To Close In Scandinavia By The End Of March, Merges With Disney Channel

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As mentioned moments ago, Disney will continue to reduce their linear portfolio in parts of Europe with Disney Junior exiting Scandinavia by the end of March. This comes a month after the channel closed in Nordic as the latter folds under Disney Channel.

In Africa, these brands will continue to operate separately for another 3 years as Disney and MultiChoice extended their partnership. This also includes factual and wildlife brands National Geographic and National Geographic Wild and the two ESPN channels. 

Press release regarding the closure 

On April 1 this year, the existing channels Disney Channel and Disney Junior will merge, forming a new Disney Channel. The new Disney Channel is described as a flagship channel for all ages, and will, among other things, offer a special Disney Junior block on mornings and weekends.

Series to look forward to on the channel include

"Spidey and his Amazing Friends," "Star Wars: The Adventures of Young Jedi" and "Ariel." 

Hans van Rijn, who is the country manager and senior vice president of The Walt Disney Company Nordic & Baltic, comments on the merger: "We are proud and happy to be able to present the strongest tableau ever during the successful 20 years that the Disney Channel has been in existence in the north. The merger with Disney Junior gives us the opportunity to create an additional fully-fed Disney Channel with the absolute most popular and beloved content for young fans of all ages based on solid viewership analytics and engagement data.”

Development Alert: Moonbug's Morphle And The Magic Pets To Rollout On Disney Junior And Disney+ Internationally, Zeptolab's Om Nom Stories To Debut On Disney+

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Disney+ is getting more involved with internet-native animated series and has picked up global (excluding China) streaming rights to Moonbug’s new series Morphle and the Magic Pets and Europe, Middle East, and Africa rights to Zeptolab’s Om Nom Stories.

It’s little wonder that a mostly kids and family-focused media company looking to bring profitability to its streaming platform would be interested in acquiring web-based animated series. A recent study showed that kids are spending more and more time on gaming platforms and free streaming apps like Youtube, so it makes sense that Disney would be keen to bring some of that platform’s popular content to Disney+.

There is also precedent for this kind of move paying off in a big way. Last year, Netflix shared viewership data from the first half of 2023, which showed that the platform’s most popular animated series was Cocomelon, another Moonbug property that started life as a web series.

Morphle and the Magic Pets

Morphle and the Magic Pets was co-developed by Mark Palmer and Jill Sandford and is being animated by Toronto’s Guru Studio. The show is based on the hit Youtube franchise created by Arthur van Merwijk in 2011. The Morphle TV Youtube channel, launched in December 2011, has 11.7 million subscribers, and its videos have been watched over 8 billion times.

Moonbug’s Morphle general manager Olivia Chausson said of the Disney deal:

We are very excited to expand Morphle’s fantastical world in close partnership with Disney. We have big aspirations for the franchise, fueled by Morphle’s transformational powers and the richness of the magic pet universe. This year, we are supercharging growth across new audience touchpoints and are delighted to share Morphle and the Magic Pets with families across the globe.

Disney Junior senior VP of development, series, and strategy Alyssa Sapire added:

At Disney Junior, we are always looking for new ways to connect with our young audience of preschoolers and their families. We knew Morphle was already a big hit on Youtube with our core audience of kids three to five and were thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the Moonbug team to build out the world and characters.

Morphle and the Magic Pets will debut on Disney Junior and Disney+ in the U.S. on Wednesday, March 20. International rollouts will begin at a later date.

Om Nom Stories

Disney has picked up all 25 seasons of the Youtube hit series Om Nom Stories, produced by Spanish video game developer and animation studio Zeptolab. The franchise’s main Youtube channel was launched in March 2011 and has 4.11 million subscribers. It hosts more than 2,000 videos which have been watched more than 3.5 billion times. The 250 episodes heading to Disney+ each run 3.5 minutes, and will be presented in a format that accommodates adaptation into 17 languages.

Anna Shchur, executive producer and content distribution director at Zeptolab explained in a release:

The collaboration with Disney+ not only amplifies the reach of Om Nom Stories animation content throughout Europe but also aligns with the family-oriented values synonymous with our beloved Om Nom brand. This shared commitment to wholesome entertainment is of utmost importance to us, and we are excited about the positive impact this collaboration will bring. Moreover, we anticipate that our audience will be overjoyed to experience their favorite Om Nom stories on Disney+, creating an even more delightful and memorable viewing experience for fans of all ages.

Natalia Hebel, senior business development manager at Zeptolab, added:

We are incredibly excited about the opportunity to bring Om Nom Stories to Disney+ in Europe. It’s a fantastic platform with a rich history worldwide, and we are honored to be a part of it. We are committed to providing high-quality content to meet the high standards, and we are looking forward to contributing our share to the magic of Disney+.

Om Nom Stories will debut on Disney+ in Q4 of this year.

Recap To Last Month: Disney Junior Trademark To Be Shortened To DJr

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Last month, it was revealed through United States Patent And Trademark Office (USPTO) that Disney had filed a new trademark for Disney Junior known simply as DJr. This would be brand's first official rebrand following its inception back in 2011 in place of Playhouse Disney.

For several years, companies had been simplifying their logos and now they look to expand this to a younger demographic. For starters, there's CBeebies and PBS Kids whose current logos had been aligned to match of existing brands operated by BBC Studios and PBS.

Disney Junior's first logo is currently being used across several platforms with some minor modifications in other countries. Now this one seems bland and lifeless but this is only what's currently seen on paper and may not be the future of the whole brand.

If anything the font and styling used on Junior (Jr) implies that they could some playful aspects. Now with Disney Junior (soon to be DJr) is getting a complete makeover one has to wonder whether some of these aspects could spread to their other channels.

I mean the idea wouldn't seem far fetched, Disney Channel could simply be the "D" while Disney XD is DXD. But then again, the current logo for Disney XD had been simplified from the start while Disney Channel has more of that in Europe than the main market so it's either way.

Interesting to note, DreamWorks Channel and the block DreamWorks Junior have the same initials as Disney Channel and Disney Junior - DC/D and DJR.

Below is an ident to the upcoming rebrand:

Recap To The Decade: Disney Channel Remains As The Only Disney Branded Channel In Netherlands, Germany, Hungary, Brazil And Nordic Regions

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Since Disney+ inception, Disney has been moving away from their linear business to prioritise their streaming endeavours. There's been a decline in linear consumption and the idea for Disney+ was to sort of retain these consumers and to monetize on new content.

As mentioned this has led to a restructure of their global business with Asia streaming further content from FOX and National Geographic on Disney+ while most parts of Europe offer a reduced linear portfolio.

Disney Channel serves as one of the last remaining survivors across Europe. The channel is home to series like Hannah Montana, Raven's Home and Amphibia and following closures of Disney XD and some Disney Junior: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, PJ Masks and Big City Greens.

They've also curated (Disney+) original films from High School Musical, Camp Rock, Descendants, Lemonade Mouth, Home Alone, Phineas And Ferb: Candice Against The Universe and Teen Beach. 

In other developments, Disney Nordic had announced the closure of Disney Junior in the region with content migrating to Disney Channel. This closure might affect consumers in the Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden before hitting the rest of EMEA.

News Shorts: MultiChoice Silently Adds SuperSport La Liga To DStv Access Consumers, Eureka! Cancelled After One Season On Disney Junior And Telenovela Channel Phillipines To Close By The End Of February

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SuperSport La Liga on Access

Home of the Spanish La Liga & UEFA Europa League while also showcasing overflow matches from the UEFA Champions League. Several DStv consumers had spotted the channel on their package alongside Zee World, Star Life, and various others.

In an enquiry to MultiChoice, they mention that SuperSport La Liga will be opened until further notice (likely permanent) while all other channels will remain temporarily. Taking to account that NWTV and One Freestate Televisual had closed these channels are probably a distraction.

MultiChoice will be announcing their new annual prices which will come into affect from April. With these recent closures of channels, one has to wonder if MultiChoice has more developments up their sleeves aside from cost adjustments.

Another bites the dust

Eureka! is an American-Irish animated children's television series produced by Brown Bag Films. It premiered on Disney Junior in the United States on June 22, 2022. Set in the Stone Age within the location of Rocky Falls, it followed the eponymous girl Eureka who enjoys going on adventures and building gadgets.

According to Disney TVA News, Eureka! had been quietly cancelled after one season at Disney Junior, many members of the crew moved to Robogobo and non-Disney shows at Brown Bag Films. It would join The Ghost And Molly McGee, Secret Of Sulphur Springs and Bunk'd as shows to have been axed by the network.

Disney is focusing on building out its multicam strategy and that includes prioritising shows that are based on Disney-owned IP, and creating global tentpole programming.

Telenovela Channel Phillipines to go dark

Telenovela Channel served as the first and only telenovela channel in the Phillipines in 2011. Owned by Beginnings at Twenty Plus, Inc. with the partnership of Grupo Televisa would broadcast various Mexican dramas viewed on TLNovelas including Sortilego, La Rosa De Guadalupe and Las Amazonas.

After 12 years, it was reported the channel's website that Telenovela Channel Phillipines will end transmission after 12 years by the end of February which would coincide with the closure of Disney Junior in the Nordic market as further content integrates with Disney Channel.

Disney Shorts: Disney Enterprises Might Be Looking To Rebrand Disney Junior, Disney's Journey Alongside Dog And Frog Animated Series Rumoured To Be In Development For Disney Channel And Disney+

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Disney Junior's new look

It appears Disney Junior might be undergoing their first rebrand following its inception back in 2012 as a TV channel and years prior on Disney Channel. Disney had filed a trademark for this design but it has yet to be seen if this will be applied across EMEA following the channel's rebrand in 2022.

Disney adding another animal based program

Following the rollout of Kiff in 2023, Disney appears to be working on yet another possible animated series for the Disney Channel titled Dog And Frog. Not much is known about the project but Thurop Van Orman, Pedro Eboli and Mark Satterthwaite, Raj Brueggemann and Hannah Ayoubi are tied to it.

Disney adapting Dungeon And Dungeons

Following news of Dog And Frog is another animated project described as a Fantasy/Dungeon And Dragons type series titled Journey. It follows the titular character who is described as “always been a little right-brained, a little messy, a little ‘strange.’ Her interests include “Dungeons & Dragons” and fantasy stories.

Another character confirmed for the show, Tunde is “free-spirited, fun-loving, thrill-seeker with magic skills, living a nomadic lifestyle beyond the Dome with his small crew.” Also described as “a champion of peace and love,” the grid literally likens to Bob Marley.

Development Alert: Disney Nordic Announce The Closure Of Disney Junior In Denmark While VH1 Is Being Replaced By NickMusic

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Disney is closing more channels

After Disney closed and merged the Scandinavian feed of Disney Channel within EMEA/Southern Africa by 2023. It is was revealed through Digitalt.TV that the company will no longer distribute Disney Junior in Denmark by the end of February with content folded under Disney Channel.

Considering this was a decision made by Disney in the Nordic countries it's likely that Disney Junior could be going off air in Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Of course the pay-tv operator was based in Denmark so nothing can be confirmed as yet.

As mentioned, Disney Channel's feeds in these regions are all aligned with Southern Africa and if anything it's possible that Disney Junior's days for the rest of Europe could be numbered.

Although, it's just mere speculation Disney Channel has been running low on content following cancellations of Bunk'd and The Ghost And Molly McGee. It's basically become a graveyard for Disney+ programming such as Chip 'n Dale: Park Life and Cars On The Road.

NickMusic expands to Denmark

VH1 was an international entertainment channel which was basically a mash up of MTV and BET. It is operated by Paramount Global and over the last decade the company had been dismantling the trademark with various channels closed in most parts of the world.

After a viewer in Denmark had spotted VH1 with no EPG, it lead some to believe in the possible demise of the channel. Now Norlys is reporting that VH1 will fold under Nick trademark with NickMusic despite the existence of MTV.

Nick Music already has a presence in parts of Latin America and Europe broadcasting a large selection of music videos and music-related content for the whole family. By the end of March, Denmark will join these territories as VH1 exits the region.

Could Content Cuts Lead To The Closure/Merger Of Disney Channel And Disney Junior In Europe And Africa Alongside Disney XD In The United States?

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Following Disney+ inception, Disney has been consolidating their content thus leading to closures of several linear channels across the world. To date, most of the company's linear offering reside within Europe, Middle East and Africa as the streamer's trail goes dry.

From what was established, Disney's remaining linear offering will stick around for the foreseeable future. This was partially due to the absence of Disney+ in parts of the above-mentioned regions and another income as these brands help sustain Disney+.

As seen in the last few months, Disney Channel has been running low on content with shows like Bunk'd and The Ghost And Molly McGee axed. The channel has become a graveyard for Disney+ with programming like Cars On The Road and Chip'n Dale: Park Life.

Part of this may have to do with the actor's strike back in 2023 but honestly it wouldn't seem far fetched if more consolidation were underway. There's been a decline in linear consumption and also these affects have been underway across the world.

If anything, Disney XD could as well shut down in the United States with content being integrated between Disney Channel and Disney+. While Disney Junior's remaining linear offering in parts of the world could revert back to a mere programming block on Disney Channel.

DStv Without Disney Channel??? Wouldn't Seem Like A Far Fetched Idea At This Point

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During the week, it was reported various channels from The Walt Disney Company including Disney Channel, Disney Junior, National Geographic and National Geographic Wild had exited the OSN platform in the Middle East and North Africa.

When asked by OSN for comment in regards to the cancellation for these channels:

We periodically review and update our channel lineup based on customer feedback and viewing trends to ensure we meet your entertainment needs. The result of the latest analysis carried out is that it is time to update the channel list and improve the entertainment viewing experience.

These channels are still viewable in the affected regions but on much smaller platforms like YahSat, STCtv and Jawwy TV. On OSN, the provider had replaced them with Cartoon Network and Animal Planet with plans to source more entertainment for the affected channels.

Prior to Disney Channel's reduction, OSN had helped Disney in regards to the distribution of their streaming service, Disney+. On top of that content such as Marvel's Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur shows produced for Disney Channel were folded under Disney+.

MultiChoice currently package both Disney Channel and Disney Junior in a seperate agreement with Disney. Similar to OSN, they too had seen a reduction in programming and investment toward these channels so it's only a matter of time till these channels cease to exist.

Most parts of Europe mainly package National Geographic and ESPN with a few exceptions such as Turkey, Poland and Germany. Honestly, it wouldn't seem far fetched if Disney opted to discontinue the Disney Channels and focused their remaining efforts on ESPN and National Geographic.

Their PR development hasn't been as productive in recent years and all of this could be pertaining to the current state of the linear offering. Disney Channel's viewership had dropped as more consumers opt to streaming and also the last carriage deals had seen companies walk out with less channels.

The only challenge pertaining to Disney right now would be high data prices as a majority of households in Africa can't afford or offer Disney+. But if you've learnt anything from the closure of DW News, some businesses are more eager to handle risks at this point.

Sony Pictures Television once offered channels like Sony Entertainment Television and POP to consumers in Africa as well as a number of linear channels globally. It could have gone bankrupt or possible gotten sold but instead happen to be one of the leading entertainment brands.

In recent conversations with Disney's CEO, he was open to the idea of excluding if not closing Disney+ in countries that aren't profitable. Would it seem far fetched if Disney were to do the same with their linear offering I mean there's still regions that don't offer Disney+.

More Channel Closures As The Disney Channel Exits OSN In The Middle East And North Africa, Could More Regions Likely Follow?

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Since Disney+ inception back in 2019, Disney has closed various linear channels globally to prioritise their direct to consumer business. With the latter currently situated within Europe and Africa, Disney has slowly but surely further distance themselves from their linear business.

Last year, Disney axed their remaining linear offering seen in parts of Asia by New Year's Eve. They had also managed several linear channels within the Middle East and North Africa through pay-tv operator OSN who had substituted these brands with Cartoon Network and Animal Planet.

These channels are still available in the regions but on smaller platforms which will make it a lot more easier to close.

If there's one thing that's certain here, Disney Channel's days in South Africa and the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa are numbered and although a timeframe has yet to be reached. We presume that Disney will look into closing feeds in the surrounding areas ahead of time.

Similar to MTV and Nick Jr, Disney had been cutting back on localised feeds with the remaining aligning themselves with Southern Africa. It has been somewhat chaotic with shows like Hailey's On It and Disney's Saturdays airing as quadruple on weekdays.

Despite only having less than 13 episodes on air, it has been bumpy ride particularly with their programme guide mislabeling shows and movies. It's clear that all their efforts will be put on Disney+ if the plan would be making an original available monthly on linear platforms.

They had ripped away various originals such as The Owl House and Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure before their final seasons. Disney+ acquired exclusive rights to Marvel's Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur despite being viewed on Disney Channel overseas.

MultiChoice and various other pay-tv operators will have a hard time trying to replace these channels. Speaking as a long time fan, the best option would be having Disney Channel spun off like Sky Kids/Universal Kids have with DreamWorks but for consumers in Africa.

Enjoy Festive Favourite Shows Premieres Across Disney Channels These Holidays Including Brand New Series And Season Premiere In January Across Africa

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This holiday season, Disney Channel and Disney Junior promise to deliver a delightful mix of programming for the whole family. Cozy up and experience the magic of the season with beloved classics, new episodes, heartwarming specials, and exciting brand-new shows to warm hearts and spread holiday cheer.

Tune into Disney Channel (DStv Channel 303) and Disney Junior (DStv Channel 309) as the channels bring the joy of the holidays right into your homes. Earlier this month Disney Channel premiered the brand-new, Klik Klub, a series of local shorts. The Klik Klub is a cool after-school club where a group of kids of different ages hang out and invite invitation their favourite influencers and celebrities into their space for a surprise cook-off and interview. You can catch more episodes through December and January every Friday at 16:50.

On Friday, 15 December leap into the adventurous world of Ladybug and Cat Noir in Miraculous World: Paris, Tales of Shadybug and Claw Noir - a special at 17:00. Miraculous holders from another world appear in Paris. They come from a parallel universe where everything is reversed: the holders of the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous’, Shadybug and Claw Noir, are villains, and the holder of the Butterfly Miraculous, Hesperia, is a superhero. Ladybug and Cat Noir will have to help Hesperia face the attacks of her evil doppelgangers and prevent them from taking over Butterfly’s Miraculous. Can our heroes also help Hesperia make Shadybug and Claw Noir better people?

This special will be followed by Miraculous Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir Season 5 episodes on Saturday, 16 December from 09:00 and three Miraculous World Specials - Miraculous New York: United Heroez, Miraculous World Paris: Tales of Shadybug and Claw Noir and Miraculous World: Shanghai, The Legend of Ladydragon.

On 22 December, we have a DCOM (Disney Channel Original Movie), Once Upon A Snowman at 17:00 - the previously untold origins of Olaf, the innocent and insightful, summer-loving snowman who melted hearts in the Academy Award®-winning 2013 Disney animated feature, Frozen. All is revealed in the all-new Walt Disney Animation Studios animated short that follows Olaf’s first steps as he comes to life and searches for his identity in the snowy mountains outside Arendelle.

For even more DCOM fun, tune in from Monday to Friday from 18 - 22 December from 11:05. Highlights include back-to-back episodes of all the popular Descendants movies. Descendants is the live-action film based on the lives of the teenage children of iconic Disney Villains. Disney Descendants at 11:05, followed by Descendants 2 at 12:50 and Descendants Wicked World at 14:35.

All day-long on Christmas Eve, 24 December, you can enjoy Christmas-themed episodes of all your favourite Disney series, kicking off with Bizaardvark at 06:00 where Paige and Paige invite some deserving kids to Vuugle to celebrate the Christmas holidays.

Expect all the classics including Phineas and Ferb, K.C Undercover, Hannah Montana Forever (Season 4) and Stuck in the Middle. Highlights include the special in Hannah Montana Forever when Miley is recording her Christmas special with Sheryl Crow.

In the New Year, Disney Channel welcomes a brand-new show Cars on the Road, on 1 January from Monday - Thursday at 16:55 – a series that sees Lightning McQueen and his best friend Mater head east from Radiator Springs on a cross-country road trip to meet up with Mater's sister. And then on Friday, 5 January, there’s Lego Disney Princess: The Castle Quest at 17:00 – in this series Tiana, Moana, Snow White, Rapunzel and Ariel must work together to save their kingdoms.

January also brings with it new episodes of Raven’s Home – on Monday, 8 January with Booker, Neil and Ivy entering their senior year of high school; Alice starts middle school and Raven has a chance to go global as her fashion career hits high gear.

For the little ones, Disney Junior has the enchanting shorts, Mickey’s Christmas Tales Monday – Friday from 18-24 December at 09:00. This charming series sees Mickey and Friends have lots of Christmas fun and in the first episode they want to stay up past bedtime, so they can be awake to surprise Santa when he comes down the chimney. But will they be able to stay awake?

Also, from 18-22 December you can find Christmas-themed episodes of The Lion Guard, Doc McStuffins, PJ Masks and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. On Wednesday, 20 December there’s Mickey and Minnie Wish Upon a Christmas at 11:00. After a series of mishaps, Mickey, Minnie and the gang are separated all over the world and must try to get back to Hot Dog Hills by Christmas Eve. A mysterious and jolly stranger shows up to tell them about The Wishing Star, which could be the secret to bringing everybody home in time to celebrate together.

It’s cats versus dogs in January as we kick off the New Year on Disney Junior with back-to-back episodes of Bluey and Super Kitties from 09:00 until 10:30 from Monday – Friday, 1-5 January 2024.

And in keeping with the pup theme, Disney Junior premieres a brand-new series Pupstruction - an imaginative, music-filled animated series that follows the adventures of the Pupstruction team — a doggone hard-working construction crew ranging from some of the brawniest breeds to irresistibly cute and playful puppies. Tune in on Monday, 8 January at 17:30 to catch all the fun.

This holiday season, Disney Channel and Disney Junior invite the whole family to create lasting shared memories with its heartwarming and festive programming. Gather your loved ones, enjoy the laughter, and celebrate the magic of the festive season.