Disney And Canal+ Remain Silent About French Overseas Territories Following The Upcoming Closure Of Disney Channels

Not long ago, it was reported that Disney would be axing their last remaining linear offering in France with Disney Channel And Disney Junior set to go dark on the platform by 31 December 2024. After the French broadcaster became the exclusive home to Marvel, Star Wars and Pixar will now be integrated with Disney+.

Aside from France, Disney also managed the feeds for consumers in Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Andorra, Haiti and Francophone Africa. With their fate being left up in the air, these territories are most likely to lose their channels seeing as they're all conjoined.

Another scenario which could be similar to what was seen in Middle East and North Africa is that these remaining French territories will likely be merged with Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). I think the question would have to be whether any French audio track will be provided if that was the case.

Kind of interesting is that MultiChoice who also offer Disney+ and the remaining linear offering in a separate agreement in Anglophone Africa is also in the process of being acquired by the French broadcaster. Basically, Canal+ would still have control over what the media consumes but in another territory.

Not Shocking!!! The Disney Channels To Go Dark In France By The End Of December With Further Content Being Allocated On Disney+

Canal+, which launched Disney+ in the French market, is to lose the streaming service from 1 January 2025.

Disney announced Monday that its content would no longer be available to Canal’s subscribers – the day that the Vivendi-owned company was celebrating its 40th anniversary.

It is a major blow for the pay-TV operator that has successfully pivoted to a super-aggregator after an earlier loss of rights to French top-flight football. 

In addition to Disney+, remaining linear channels such as Disney Channel will also be pulled, as will content from the Marvel, Star Wars and Pixar franchises, at least in the short-term.

The decision by Disney no longer let its latest films be broadcast by the pay-TV service six months after their cinema release, as is in the norm in France means it will now take 17 months before viewers are able to stream the latest titles through Disney+.

A spokesperson for Disney told Broadband TV News: “From 1 January, Canal’s customers will no longer be able to watch our upcoming new movie releases, Disney+ or our channels through Canal’s offering. Our blockbuster movies, award-winning TV series, and exclusive Originals remain widely available on Disney+ directly and through partners for everyone to enjoy their favorite stories from our brands.”

Speaking on France Info Gérald-Brice Viret, CEO of Canal+ France, was putting on a brave face. “They had the delicacy to do it on our anniversary. And on the other hand, I can tell you that it is a fairly marginal consumption by our subscribers: they prefer, for example, MAX, Paramount, Netflix, Apple TV or Ciné+,” he said. 

In 2019, Canal signed an exclusive distribution agreement for Disney’s streaming platform, a few months before its launch in France.

Rumour: "Disney Channel Africa" Might Be Rolling Out On DStv Very Soon, Here's Why

As readers have been made aware, TLC Africa was launched on channel 125 for consumers in Southern Africa (not South Africa) after being made available in West and Eastern parts of Africa. This left the main TLC brand on channel 135 to offer a broader range of content such as the transgender reality show I Am Jazz.

Now it appears as if Disney Channel might be also be going under the knife as a duplicate channel had been spotted on the iPlate section. This is where MultiChoice tests out potential DStv channels or upgrades an existing service and of course this version of the channel has slight variations.

Take for instance, Miraculous: Tales Of Ladybug And Catnoir and Big City Greens those are currently in their first seasons while the current feed viewed by consumers are on much later seasons. Monsters At Work and Jessie are currently on the network while this feed has supplemented those with Amphibia and Lab Rats: Elite Force.

If I one had to guess, MultiChoice is probably to separate the operations for these brands as seen with Nickelodeon, M-Net and not long ago. Best case scenario is that this channel will probably be referred to as Disney Channel Africa and occupy channel 313 while the main feed for SA consumers resides on channel 303.

I think the only thing here that has yet to answered is which feed MultiChoice has in development the one I presume will occupy channel 313 or perhaps takeover channel 303. As mentioned, it offers a program like Gravity Falls something that was banned in some parts of Africa of course the channel doesn't have a full schedule.

From the looks of it, this feed will probably takeover whatever is left of channel 303 from 1st November as no EPG had been provided for the channel unlike Disney Junior. Another scenario here is that they're probably going to move channel 303 to 313 for neighbouring countries while introducing this feed on channel 303 in South Africa.

NBA Signs New 11-Year Media Agreements With The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal And Amazon Prime Video

The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced the renewal of its partnership with The Walt Disney Company and new agreements with NBCUniversal (NBCU) and Amazon under which ABC/ESPN, NBC/Peacock and Prime Video will telecast NBA games beginning with the 2025-26 season and running through the 2035-36 season.

The NBA App will be a universal access point – seamlessly directing fans to every national game on Disney, NBCU and Amazon platforms.

The new media deals will expand the reach of NBA telecasts, with all national games available on broadly distributed streaming services – Prime Video, Peacock and ESPN’s forthcoming direct-to-consumer service – and with dramatically increased exposure on broadcast television.  Approximately 75 regular-season games will be on broadcast TV each season, up from the minimum of 15 games under the current agreement.

“Our new global media agreements with Disney, NBCUniversal and Amazon will maximize the reach and accessibility of NBA games for fans in the United States and around the world,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.  “These partners will distribute our content across a wide range of platforms and help transform the fan experience over the next decade.”

“We look forward to building upon our incredible legacy of innovation and growth with our longstanding partners at the NBA,” said ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro.  “The NBA is a vibrant, ascendant league and through this premium collection of rights, including every NBA Finals on our platforms, we will continue to evolve together while successfully navigating the global digital transition and delivering the highest quality coverage for fans.”

“We are proud to once again partner with the NBA and WNBA, two iconic brands and the home of the best basketball in the world,” said Mike Cavanagh, President of Comcast Corporation.  “We look forward to presenting our best-in-class coverage of both leagues with our innovative programming and distribution plan across NBC and Peacock to entertain fans and help grow the game.”

“We are honored that the NBA has entrusted Prime Video to deliver its one-of-a-kind action and excitement to viewers around the world,” said Mike Hopkins, Head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios.  “We look forward to continuing to innovate and evolve live sports coverage for our customers, and are fully committed to building an incredible video experience for millions of NBA fans starting in 2025.”

Disney, NBCU and Amazon also secured the right to distribute an unprecedented number of WNBA live game telecasts, with a significant increase in the reach of WNBA games across broadcast, cable and streaming.  Full details regarding the WNBA’s media agreements will be issued in a separate press release.

The Walt Disney Company

Disney (ABC/ESPN) will distribute a total of 80 NBA regular-season games per season, including more than 20 games on ABC (generally on Saturday nights with NBA Saturday Primetime and on Sunday afternoons with NBA Sunday Showcase) and up to 60 games on ESPN (generally on Wednesday nights and, on occasion, Friday nights).  ABC/ESPN will continue to telecast all five NBA games on Christmas Day and provide exclusive national coverage of the final day of the regular season.

During the playoffs, ABC/ESPN will telecast approximately 18 games in the first two rounds each year and one of the two Conference Finals series in 10 of the 11 years of the agreement.  ABC will remain the exclusive home of the NBA Finals, which it has broadcast since 2003.

All NBA games and events on ABC/ESPN will be available on ESPN’s forthcoming direct-to-consumer service.  ABC/ESPN will continue to telecast the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, NBA Draft, NBA Draft Lottery and half of all NBA Summer League games.  ABC/ESPN platforms will also continue to distribute a package of WNBA and NBA G League regular-season and postseason games.

Disney will distribute NBA games on ESPN-branded assets in several international markets, including Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, Oceania and the Netherlands, and via Disney+ in select markets in Asia and Europe.

By the end of this renewal, the NBA’s partnership with ABC/ESPN will reach 34 years.

NBCUniversal

NBCU (NBC/Peacock) will distribute up to 100 NBA regular-season games per season – with more than half of the games airing on NBC (on Sunday and Tuesday nights).  NBCU will telecast the league’s opening night doubleheader on NBC each year and at least two games on MLK Day on NBC and/or Peacock each season.

Peacock will stream a doubleheader each Monday night of the season.  Every Tuesday night, NBC will telecast two games across certain NBC affiliate broadcast stations in different regions of the country.  The first game will start at 8 p.m. ET and be available on NBC across affiliate stations in the Eastern and Central time zones.  The second game will start at 8 p.m. PT and be available on NBC affiliate stations across the Pacific and Mountain time zones.  All Tuesday games will be available on Peacock nationally and certain stations may choose to televise both games.

NBC will become the home of NBA All-Star, including Rising Stars, State Farm All-Star Saturday Night, featuring AT&T Slam Dunk, Starry 3-Point Contest and Kia Skills Challenge, and the All-Star Game.  In the playoffs, NBC and/or Peacock will telecast approximately 28 games in the first two rounds of the playoffs, with at least half of those games airing on NBC.  NBC will also telecast one of the two Conference Finals series in six of the 11 years on a rotating basis with Amazon, beginning with the 2025-26 season.

As part of the partnership, NBCU will distribute NBA games in several European markets through Sky Sports as well as in the Caribbean and Sub-Saharan Africa.  Additionally, NBCU will distribute WNBA games and be the home of all USA Basketball Senior Men’s and Women’s National Team games.

Xfinity will become the Official TV Service of the NBA, WNBA and USA Basketball.  The partnership includes collaboration on marketing and storytelling opportunities, virtual signage during game telecasts and activations at marquee NBA, WNBA and USA Basketball events.

Amazon

Amazon will distribute 66 NBA regular-season games on Prime Video each season, including Thursday night doubleheaders beginning in January, Friday evening doubleheaders, select Saturday afternoon games, at least one game on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving), and the Quarterfinals and Semifinals in the Knockout Round of the Emirates NBA Cup.  In addition, Prime Video will stream the Championship Game of the Emirates NBA Cup.

Prime Video will also distribute all six SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament games.  In the playoffs, Prime Video will stream approximately one-third of the first and second rounds each year.  Additionally, Prime Video will stream one of the two Conference Finals series in six of the 11 years on a rotating basis with NBCU, beginning with the 2026-27 NBA season.

Amazon will distribute NBA games globally as part of Prime Video, with an expanded package of games in select territories, including Mexico, Brazil, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom and Ireland.  This expanded package includes a minimum of 20 additional primetime regular season games each year, a Conference Finals series each year, and the NBA Finals in six of the 11 years.  Prime Video will also become the NBA’s strategic partner and third-party global destination of NBA League Pass – the league’s live NBA game subscription service, with expanded distribution rights for NBA League Pass in the U.S. and internationally.   Additionally, as part of the agreement, Prime Video will stream half of all NBA Summer League games as well as a package of WNBA and NBA G League regular-season and postseason games.

Disney XD Might Be Coming An International Comeback After Being Spotted On Eutelsat 9B Satellite For The Cosmote TV Platform In Greece

Disney XD was an international children's channel targeting boys aged 7 to 14 years old. Operated by The Walt Disney Company, it was home to shows like Gravity Falls, Marvel's Spider-Man, Big City Greens and Kick Buttowski: Surburbian Daredevil. 

Following Disney+ inception in 2019, most of the international feeds of Disney XD had been closed with remaining feeds residing in America, Netherlands, Canada and Poland. This was part of Disney's attempt on prioritizing Disney+ which led to more cord cutting.

Although Disney XD continued to have a presence in these regions no original content had been commissioned with the latter residing from Disney Channel and Disney+.

According to the information obtained from KingOfSat, DigitalBitrate and Parabola.ca, Disney XD has appeared on Eutelsat 9B satellite for Cosmote TV platform in Greece. This endeavors had led some to wonder if Disney were to be reviving the channel. 

Disney Channel had been operating under a unified feed in parts of Europe and Africa. During the year, these endeavors were minimized as Scandinavia and Nordic opted for a localized feed to Disney Channel which led to cancellation of Disney Junior. 

Recap To The Month: Canal+ Looking To Make MultiChoice A Global Powerhouse Against The Likes Of Disney And Netflix By Making Local Content Go Global

During the month, Canal+ Group CEO was approached by journalists where he addressed several matters regarding MultiChoice. As reported, he's been given the greenlight to acquire the remaining shares and is currently drawing up a proposal to appease legislation. 

Together the merged company would have reached 50 million households (30 million reside within Africa). It would make it the biggest entertainment company across the world that's not based in the United States.

Apart from the MultiChoice deal in Africa, the group had increased its share in the Hong Kong-based streaming platform Viu to 30% - with the option of increasing it to 50%. Viu has accumulated 15 million subscribers in Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

Canal+ plans for MultiChoice's local endeavors 

Saada says the new, merged company will take a "very, very different approach" than the American companies, by focusing on the highest quality local content. "And it's not necessarily very difficult, but it needs resources. And once you reach a scale of 50 million subscribers, then you have the resources."

Implying that local content from M-Net and various of other brands like Mzansi Magic, Africa Magic and KykNET will likely resurface in parts of Europe and Asia. Now that funds coming into MultiChoice will have additional outlets and possible increase local commission. 

MultiChoice Studios' offering was limited to Showmax and various M-Net channels. With Canal+, we'll probably be seeing more of Blood Psalms and Recipe For Love And Murder and possible content distributed in France before Africa. 

Where does this leave brands like eNCA and SABC News?

Nothing can be for certain in regards to that as Canal+ does supply various local channels from DStv onto their platforms in Francophone Africa. These include Africa Magic Epic, M-Net Movies, SuperSport La Liga and Premier League and Zee World.

South African content has been known to be kind of pricey one of the reasons eNCA is not viewable on a platform like Openview. It's not necessarily about exclusivity but the fact that there's not much competitors that can aid in MultiChoice's pursuit in that regard.

If anything, it would probably be a miracle if some content from these channels wind up on French based news channel Canal+ 8 (C8). There's been scenarios where TV channels would just invest in regional content it was like that with BBC News and CGTN.

Disney, Fox and WBD Unveil Name of Sports-Streaming Venture: Venu Sports

The joint venture of Disney/ESPN, Fox Corp. and Warner Bros. Discovery to package together a sports streaming bundle has a name — Venu Sports.

“We are excited to officially introduce Venu Sports, a brand that we feel captures the spirit of an all-new streaming home where sports fans outside of the traditional pay TV ecosystem can experience an incredible collection of live sports, all in one place,” Pete Distad, CEO of Venu Sports, said in a statement. “As preparations for the platform continue to accelerate, we are singularly focused on delivering a best-in-class product for our target audience, built from the ground up using the latest technologies to engage and entertain discerning sports fans wanting one-stop access to live games.”

Disney, Fox and WBD unveiled their partnership in February, positioning the new streaming bundle as a way to reach consumers who don’t subscribe to pay TV. It’s pegged to debut in the fall of 2024. The trio in March announced the hiring of Distad, who worked for a decade at Apple and most recently was responsible for Apple TV+ business, operations and global distribution. Distad is based out of the Venu Sports offices in L.A.

Pricing and a specific launch date haven’t been announced for Venu, which will combine ESPN+ with the three companies’ linear TV networks that carry sports programming (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network, TNT, TBS and truTV).

When the joint venture was announced, some had jokingly dubbed it “Spulu,” a mash-up of “sports” and “Hulu,” which had originally been formed as a JV among TV broadcasters.

The venture also launched a new website at venu.com. A notice at the bottom of the landing page says, “Launch is conditional on receiving regulatory approval and is expected for Fall 2024.” The site’s terms of service indicate that it’s operated by “Rookie Enterprises, LLC,” a subsidiary of Fox Corp. In announcing the new name, the three companies also noted that the JV is still pending the “finalization of definitive agreements amongst the parties.”

The Justice Department reportedly has planned to review the three-way venture to look at anticompetitive implications, and last month two leading congressional Democrats expressed concerns that the JV may “result in higher prices for consumers and less fair licensing terms for upstream sports leagues and downstream video distributors.” Meanwhile, streaming TV provider Fubo filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block the JV service’s launch, alleging the venture violates antitrust laws. On May 2, Fubo, DirecTV, Dish Network, Newsmax and others sent a letter to members of Congress calling for hearings on the state of competition in the pay-TV market, specifically calling out the Disney-Fox-WBD joint venture as “rais[ing] serious competition concerns that call for Congress’s immediate oversight.”

Venu (pronounced “venue”) will be made available directly to consumers via a new app, the companies said. Subscribers will also have the ability to purchase it in a bundle, including with Disney+, Hulu or Max.

The JV’s new name and brand identity were developed in partnership with R/GA, a global design and advertising firm. According to a spokesperson for the company, the Venu Sports name “takes inspiration from where live sports lives: the stadiums, arenas, speedways, octagons, courts, rinks, ballparks and more, where fans come to watch and connect with the action.”

Disney Is ‘Pretty Dramatically’ Reducing Spending on Traditional TV Content, CEO Iger Says

Disney CEO Bob Iger said that as the traditional pay-TV universe continues to shrink, the company is cutting its investment in programming for linear entertainment TV networks while amortizing overall content spending across streaming platforms.

The strategy is “to reduce pretty dramatically our investment in content specifically aimed at those traditional networks,” Iger said Wednesday at MoffettNathanson’s 2024 Media, Internet and Communications Conference in New York. The conclusion Iger reached after reviewing Disney’s TV business when he returned as CEO in the fall of 2022 was that “it’s not a growth business, but it could become an important component to our ability to basically engage with the consumer.”

Iger gave credit to Dana Walden, co-chair of Disney Entertainment, who oversees the portfolio of linear networks, for managing the transition. Disney will invest in some traditional TV areas, Iger said, but it is managing traditional networks and the streaming platforms under the leadership of one executive — Walden on the entertainment side, and ESPN chair Jimmy Pitaro on the sports side — whose goal is “basically to drive bottom-line growth.”

For example, when ABC airs a new episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” or “Abbott Elementary,” it goes on Hulu “pretty quickly” and “what we’re getting is unduplicated audiences. We’re basically aggregating greater audience and we’re amortizing costs,” Iger said. Disney is “doing that across the board,” at ABC, Disney Channel, National Geographic and other networks, and “it’s working,” Iger added.

“We’re going to continue to see erosion in terms of subs for those businesses, but we’re going to actually continue to drive profitability because we’re managing our costs so effectively,” Iger said. “We feel comfortable with our hand right now, because we’re using those networks efficiently and effectively.”

During the MoffettNathanson session, Iger said when the company first launched into the streaming business in 2019 with Disney+, “we were neophytes” — and overinvested in content.

“As we got into the streaming business in a very, very aggressive way… basically, we invested too much,” well ahead of “what was truly monetizable,” he said. That contributed to billions in losses, he said, and “It resulted in volume, not quality.”

After Iger returned as CEO in November 2022, Disney restructured its operating divisions so that creative executives have P&L accountability for what they spend on content and the revenue it generates. Iger said it’s key to have a CEO with “a deep creative background”: “The entire organization knows there’s some guy in the corner office watching everything carefully… Good isn’t good enough — it has to be great.”

On streaming, Disney’s major push in the near term is to boost engagement in order to reduce churn. As part of furthering that goal, Disney+ has integrated Hulu for subscribers of both services, and Disney+ will add an ESPN tile in December that will offer non-ESPN+ subscribers a “taste” of live games and programming (while ESPN+ customers will get access to all the content within Disney+). In addition, Disney is going to crack down on illicit password sharing, starting in limited markets in June followed in September when it will roll out “more aggressively across the globe,” according to Iger.

Another way Disney plans to increase engagement is using artificial-intelligence technology to deliver more personalized content experiences to users. “That first great experience has to be dynamic,” Iger said of Disney’s streaming services. “Every time they open the app it has to be something different — this is where AI will just be a huge, huge important tool to do all this.”

Iger said coming soon to ESPN will be a customized version of its popular news and highlights show “SportsCenter,” which will serve content based on a user’s favorites sports or teams. When you turn on ESPN to watch “SportsCenter,” Iger said, “it should know I’m a Knicks fan. We are actually working on that.”

Iger didn’t comment on ESPN’s specific sports rights negotiations, including its current talks with the NBA. But, he said, “We have passed on things. We knew we couldn’t buy everything.” That said, ESPN has “the most in terms of volume and the most in terms of audience engagement.”

“We aim to manage a portfolio of rights that will enable ESPN to maintain a leadership position in sports,” Iger said. In that way, “you protect your economics… If you’re a sports fan, you need ESPN.”

Disney And Warner Bros. Discovery To Rollout Bundled Disney+ And Max Streamer

The companies are aiming to launch the bundle this summer. The exact launch date and the price point have not yet been announced, but plans call for both ad-free and ad-supported versions to be available.

The move creates the first cross-company partnership for any of the top-tier services to come to market as the race to catch up with Netflix began in earnest about five years ago. It follows years of speculation and public musings by top executives about when bundling across the industry might reduce friction and begin to make streaming more cost-efficient for programmers and consumers alike. Pay-TV operators long served as third-party bundlers in the cable age, but while distribution deals with the likes of Roku and Amazon are key to any streaming service gaining traction, it’s mostly every-app-for-itself in the streaming era.

Churn, the industry term for the number of canceled subscriptions in a given period, has been a nagging problem for media companies. For decades, they had grown accustomed to the far more stable patterns of pay-TV, which was built on a foundation of long-term contracts and physical equipment. In the realm of direct-to-consumer internet businesses, a tap of an app can vaporize revenue, one of the many reasons why companies have been looking more closely at bundling, especially with cord-cutting ravaging their pay-TV network holdings.

Viewers, meanwhile, complain of a dizzying landscape of apps and titles filling their screens, making the simple act of finding something to watch a grueling process. The “endless scroll” of Netflix and later imitators has amplified Bruce Springsteen’s fabled lament about “57 channels and nothin’ on.”

Within companies, synergistic bundling has been commonplace for several years, with Disney in the vanguard with its successful troika of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+. Many players are taking the next step and more fully consolidating services. Max last year rebranded from HBO Max and added Discovery+ programming. Disney has been steadily bringing its flanker services into closer alignment with flagship Disney+, adding a Hulu tile to Disney+ earlier this year and planning an ESPN one later this year.

In yet another sign of the times, Paramount+ and Showtime’s streaming service fully merged in 2023. Paramount Global’s recent travails and efforts to finalize a potential merger have also been accompanied by speculation that Paramount+ would be ripe for the kind of bundle announced by Disney and WBD. Comcast and Paramount had held talks about a Peacock-P+ combo, but those discussions reportedly faltered due to disputes over control.

Disney, despite rolling up all of Hulu in a buyout of Comcast’s one-third stake in recent months, has shown increased interest in joint ventures. It recently teamed with Fox Corp. and WBD on a sports-focused streaming bundle. That still-unnamed service, nicknamed “Spulu,” is due to launch this fall.

Brands to be showcased in the new Disney-WBD bundle include ABC, CNN, DC, Discovery, Disney, Food Network, FX, HBO, HGTV, Hulu, Marvel, Pixar, Searchlight and Warner Bros. The new offering will be available for purchase on any of the three streaming platforms’ websites.

“On the heels of the very successful launch of Hulu on Disney+, this new bundle with Max will offer subscribers even more choice and value,” said Joe Earley, President, Direct to Consumer, Disney Entertainment. “This incredible new partnership puts subscribers first, giving them access to blockbuster films, originals, and three massive libraries featuring the very best brands and entertainment in streaming today.”

“This new offering delivers for consumers the greatest collection of entertainment for the best value in streaming, and will help drive incremental subscribers and much stronger retention,” said JB Perrette, CEO and President, Global Streaming and Games, Warner Bros. Discovery. “Offering this unprecedented entertainment value for fans across all the complimentary genres these three services offer, presents a powerful new roadmap for the future of the industry.”

Disney & ESPN Reportedly In Talks To Acquire The NFL

Back in July 2023 it was reported that Disney is in talks with the NFL, NBA, and MLB to have them take joint ownership of ESPN along with Disney. Now it is being reported that Disney is close to a deal that would see ESPN take over the NFL Network in a deal with the NFL.

Exact details of the deal are unknown but earlier reports said that the NFL would offer their games to be aired on ESPN in exchange for a small share of ESPN. Exactly how much the NFL would own of ESPN is unknown. It is also unknown if this deal will still include the NFL taking part ownership of ESPN.

According to CNBC, theNFL could include Disney taking a stake in the NFL Network, NFL.com, and RedZone. With ESPN taking over production of all three. This could help both sides benefit by giving the NFL access to ESPN productions and Disney access to NFL money. The Wall Street Journal also added that the NFL+ service could be a part of this deal with Disney.

Disney currently owns 80% of ESPN, and Hearst owns 20%. Disney could easily sell part of ESPN to the NFL and NBA and still own a controlling majority of ESPN.

For now, we will have to wait and see what happens. Now that ESPN is building its own direct-to-consumer streaming service, it clearly is looking for partners to help make that a reality.

SuperSport And SABC In More Hot Water As Amazon And Disney Are Looking To Finalize Deal For The NBA

Amazon.com Inc. is close to a deal to bring NBA games to its Prime Video streaming service, according to two people familiar with the negotiations. 

The league is also nearing a new agreement with Walt Disney Co.’s ESPN, which is expected to keep the rights to the NBA finals but air fewer regular-season games, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing nonpublic information.

Details on the number of games Amazon will have in the regular season and playoffs are still being ironed out. Rights to the women’s league, the WNBA, are expected to be included as part of both deals.

The Athletic and Puck reported earlier on the framework of the deals. Both news outlets said the agreements would last a decade. Representatives for the NBA and Amazon declined to comment. ESPN didn’t respond.

The NBA’s incumbent partners are Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. The league’s current media deals are worth a total of $24 billion, or over $2.6 billion a year. Those contracts expire after the 2024-2025 season.

The NBA is looking double its income from TV rights and add at least one or two more partners, the people said. The league is also talking to Warner Bros., whose Turner division has carried games since 1984, and Comcast Corp.’s NBC, which lost its basketball rights in 2002.

Sports are the biggest draw for major TV networks, making them must-have programming, especially as the audience for general entertainment programming has declined.

Disney Might Be Looking To Bundle Disney+ With Other Streaming Services, Could This Be The Possible Outcome For European And African Markets?

After Netflix debuted, numerous companies wanted the piece of the pie with Disney+ despite being a late entrant managed to be one of the leading streaming services globally in its short span. It prompted the launch of Max, Paramount+ and Peacock. 

With the high levels of streamers, the whole thing just crashed as consumers weren't willingly to pay for these many streaming services. All of which were eyeing worldwide domination, come in short as streaming had proved to be most challenging in these markets.

It had led NBCUniversal and Paramount Global to rollout a joint streaming service through the Sky Group division in parts of Europe. As existing rivals such as Disney+, Netflix and Prime Video had been gaining the upper hand.

Although, Disney+ is the most successful late entry to the streaming market. Unlike the latter to have further consolidated their offering the streamer is not accessible in parts of Europe and Africa leading consumers to miss out on various content. 

Disney Channel to date has been treated as a promotional channel to the streamer. After launching at least one film from the streaming service on a monthly basis alongside animated series such as Monsters At Work and Chip'n'Dale: Park Life.

This has been the one of the few options consumers had in browsing some of the content not available in the region. 

In an interview with CNBC, Disney's CEO Bob Iger was asked whether they do see bundling as a option for the streamer. He assured consumers of that possibility although no definitive timeframe was given or how it would impact the existing Disney+ standalone service.

In 2021, WWE signed a content deal with NBCUniversal's Peacock which would see the WWE Network fold under the streamer. Now the question here is if Disney were looking to follow in a similar pursuit could it lead to the closure of the streamer. 

Disney had been reviewing their international business and limiting Disney+ local presence. Considering some countries have strict bylaws on local content a lucrative deal matching that of WWE Network would be one way to get away from those regulations. 

News Shorts: New 8-Bit Rugrats Game Available For Pre-Order, ‘Mandalorian & Grogu’, ‘Moana’ Live Action & ‘Toy Story 5’ Stake Out 2026 Release Dates And ‘Quantum Leap’ Canceled By NBC After 2 Seasons

Rugrats: Adventures In Gameland Honors The 8-Bit Era

Adventures in Gameland appears to be an old-school platformer where you need to do a little exploring and a little digging (literally) to find your way forward. My demo ended with a dramatic, multi-screen battle against the boss, "Big Boy" Pickles, the imaginary younger brother of Angelica Pickles from the TV show — a nice nod to Rugrats fans.

Last month, at PAX East at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, I was lucky enough to chat with Tomas Guinan, lead developer at The MIX Games, about what went into the creation of Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland. I was also fortunate to demo one of the game's six levels.

Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland doesn't have a firm release date, but it should arrive by the end of spring, according to Guinan. It will launch on PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, and, coolest of all, NES. 

Disney unveils a slate of content 

In big 2026 news, Jon Favreau’s big screen version of The Mandalorian — The Mandalorian & Grogu— is the updated Star Wars title on May 22, 2026. Star Wars films on a theatrical release calendar far far away use to release around Memorial Day weekend. The last one to do so was Solo: A Star Wars Story. No rival wide releases on Mando‘s date.

Toy Story 5 is the title of the untitled Pixar movie on June 19, 2026. Warner Bros/New Line also have this date on hold for an untitled release. The live action version of Moana, impacted by the Thanksgiving release this year of Moana 2, will hulla- dance its way from June 27, 2025 to July 10, 2026. No competitive releases on that date.

The 20th Century Studios Rami Malek thriller, The Amateur, keeps getting kicked around the calendar, it’s moving from Nov. 8, 2024 this year to April 11, 2025. 

Quantum Leap axed on NBC 

NBC has decided not to proceed with a third season of its Quantum Leap reboot starring Raymond Lee. The news comes more than a month after the two-hour Season 2 finale aired Feb. 20.

The development is not entirely surprising as the series, from Universal Television, had been on the bubble. That is in contrast to last season when Quantum Leap received a very early renewal in December 2022.

A follow-up to the original series, which aired on NBC from 1989-93, Quantum Leap is set in present day. It’s been 30 years since Dr. Sam Beckett stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanished. Now a new team has been assembled to restart the project in the hopes of understanding the mysteries behind the machine and the man who created it.

Development Alert: Baby TV Unifies Its Latin American Signal With Spain And Other Parts Of Europe

Since today, the children's channel, international subscription television channel for babies, Baby TV, has merged its Latin American signal with one from Europe, to specify, Spain. 

Baby TV was launched in Latin America on April 1, 2007 by Fox Networks Group Latin America. On March 20, 2019, the channel became part of Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International as a result of The Walt Disney Company's acquisition of 21st Century Fox.

The brand at the time obtained a 3-hour morning block on the defunct Fox Life channel, only to return years later as a block on the OnDirecTV signal, this being the only way to view the channel's content in HD.

It is worth mentioning that the changes will not be as palpable, because BabyTV does not handle localized IDs and commercials, or in this case, the same ones are counted, this due to its programming basically intended for fewer 3-year-old children, so the only Notable change is the image quality.

It is also worth noting that the channel was already managed from Europe, offering a signal intended for Latin America due to the age rating indicators.

Credits: ANMTV

Estimated Guess On The Future Of Disney Channel Africa By 2027 And Beyond, Disney+ Absence In Europe And Africa

During the week, it was reported that Disney Channel and Disney Junior would remain in Africa on MultiChoice's DStv for another three years. As Disney extended the agreement with the pay-TV company which include channels from National Geographic and ESPN.

This comes prior to the closure of Disney Junior in parts of Europe as further content folds under Disney Channel. With Africa and a few other parts of Europe retaining the most linear channels one has to wonder how long it will be till these channels get purged. 

As some readers are aware, Disney had closed several channels across the world including the big 3 in Australia, UK and Ireland and Italy. With general entertainment brands in FOX in most parts of Europe while some retain it as FX or Star in that matter. 

While there may not be any definitive time frame on when Disney Channel will end transmission in Africa. Unlike feeds of Germany or Nordic, the Southern African feed of the brand had been redundant in the last few years this was picked by viewers.

Marvel's Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur which had managed to air on Disney Channel in the United States and the above-mentioned regions became a Disney+ exclusive in Africa. Final seasons of Big Hero 6, The Owl House and Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure were also excluded.

On top of that, Disney Channel had been distant to older seasons of most of their shows like Bunk'd and Raven's Home. There was even a point where all shows aired one season on loop which was somewhat hazardous.

All of this leads me to believe that Disney could be looking to alienate these channels from Africa as seen in other countries. I mean why else would shows move to streaming when others can view it on Disney Channel or better yet why reduce Raven.

I know Disney+ is not viewed in some of the regions which offer these brands. But Disney+ hasn't been profitable in the United States and a few other markets with speculation going around about its abrupt end in part of these regions should the matter not improve. 

As seen with Paramount+, Max and Peacock, the idea of Disney+ being consolidated in parts of these regions wouldn't seem far fetched. Not long ago, MultiChoice had relaunched Showmax housing content from these brands same with Sky in the UK.

While Netflix and Amazon Prime Video were able to sustain themselves in the main market. This wasn't the case in other countries with them either licensing content to other broadcasters if not excluding content from certain countries. 

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

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.”

News Shorts: Disney Channel's Southern Africa Feed Is Being Reduced Across Europe, Broken Bonds Makes It's Freemium Debut On eExtra And ST Movies Channel Relaunches On StarSat Channel 101

Disney Channel is going bust 

Last month, it was reported that Disney Junior would be exiting parts of Europe as further content folds under Disney Channel.  Shortly after, MultiChoice extended the agreement for these channels alongside ESPN and National Geographic through 2027.

Now it has been reported that more European feeds might be looking to exit the Southern African feed following its induction in 2023. This was after a viewer had spotted Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur and 44 Cats shows not seen on Disney Channel. 

Considering the launch of the Nordic feed is a few hours away, it's likely that more regions are looking to align their offering. Aside from 44 Cats and Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur, the viewer had also spotted Pupstruction alongside various content from Disney Junior.

Unlike Africa, Disney Junior is also going dark on Disney Junior in Scandinavia by the end of March.

More Zee World repeats on Openview

During the week, it was reported that Katti Batti would be rolling out on eExtra this was after the channel provided various details pertaining to the 2018 series. As seen through various platforms, that is no longer the case as the channel adds Broken Bonds from Zee World.

Broken Bonds focuses on the lives of Shubhra, Kuldeep and their kids Roli and Rishi. After 10 years of their marriage, cracks start developing in Shubhra and Kuldeep’s relationship. Will Rishi and Roli succeed in erasing the differences between their parents? 

Originally titled Kyun Rishton Mein Katti Batti, it starts 4 March at 14:35 on eExtra.

St Movies Channel on StarSat

After ripping away TNT back in 2023 following contractual issues with Warner Bros. Discovery. StarSat decided to revive St Movies on channel 101 from 10 March following an abrupt end of the open window of the current St Movies Plus on channel 100.

St Movies Channel is a channel dedicated to Hollywood films, presenting the world's finest movies to our viewers. In partnership with several major Hollywood studios, the channel's line-up will consist of various genres including action, romance, comedy, and mystery.

StarSat remains silent on which package St Movies Channel will be allocated on but if we had to guess it will probably be available to the same consumers as TNT when it first broadcast on the platform.

Development Alert: Colors TV And StarPlus Owners Reliance And Disney Star Agree To Merge Media Business

In a mega deal in the entertainment segment, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and Walt Disney Co have signed a binding agreement to merge their media operations in India, according to a Bloomberg report.

As per the agreement, the media unit of Reliance and its affiliates are expected to own at least 61 per cent in the merged entity, with Disney holding the rest.

Disney reportedly agreed to sell 61 per cent of its India business to Viacom 18 at a valuation of $3.9 billion. Viacom18 is owned by Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) Chairman Mukesh Ambani.

There were reports earlier this month that Disney had agreed to sell 60 per per cent of its Indian business to Viacom18. The deal is expected to be a significant move in the Indian media and entertainment industry.

Last month, Sony of Japan dropped its merger plan with Zee Entertainment ended due to disagreements regarding the leadership of the proposed merged media entity.

In the line of fire from activist shareholder Nelson Peltz for poor succession planning, Disney recently appointed two new directors – Morgan Stanley CEO James Gormon and former group chief executive at Sky Sir Jeremy Darroch, late November. In the same month, Walt Disney CEO Iger said on an earnings call in November that the company was “considering options” but that it would like to stay on in India and try and “strengthen our hand, improve the bottom line”.

Development Alert: MultiChoice & Disney Africa Sign Multi-Year Distribution Renewal Through 2027

The Walt Disney Company Africa and MultiChoice Group have signed a multi-year distribution deal for Disney’s portfolio of linear channels on DStv until 2027. National Geographic, National Geographic Wild, Disney Channel, Disney Junior as well as ESPN and ESPN2 will continue to be carried by DStv for the next four years.

 

The channels will continue to be available on the following DStv packages:

• National Geographic: Family and up

• National Geographic Wild: Access and up

• Disney Channel: Compact and up

• Disney Junior: Access and up

• ESPN: Access and up

• ESPN2: Compact and up

 

Christine Service, Senior Vice President and General Manager of The Walt Disney Company Africa, says: “This distribution renewal ensures that we will be able to continue bringing our six 24-hour channels to audiences across the continent and marks another proud milestone in our long-term relationship with the MultiChoice Group. With a strong foundation of creativity, story-telling, exploration and multi-generational emotional connection, we are proud to continue offering DStv viewers the very latest from our high-quality, premium kids, factual and sports content.”

 

"Championing our mission to enrich lives and elevate entertainment experiences, we're thrilled to ensure our customers can savour their favourite shows and movies effortlessly, anytime, anywhere, thanks to our state-of-the-art platforms. "Extending our Partnership with The Walt Disney Company and the incredible linear channels on DStv elevate our offering and amplifies the joy of entertainment!" Nomsa Philiso, CEO: General Entertainment, MultiChoice South Africa.

 

The Walt Disney Company operates on 24-hour channels in Africa, in both English and Portuguese across the portfolios of family (Disney Channel and Disney Junior), factual (National Geographic, National Geographic Wild) as well as sports (ESPN and ESPN 2).

 

Disney Channel (CH 303) celebrates friendships through feel good, fun stories infused with music. It’s a place where young viewers can be themselves amongst extraordinary friends. Disney Junior (CH 309) invites kids into a magical world of fun and imagination, featuring the characters they love.

 

With a promise to inspire the explorer in everyone, National Geographic (DStv CH 181) pushes the boundaries of exploration through ground-breaking storytelling, offering viewers the opportunity to go further. National Geographic WILD (CH 182) is dedicated to providing a unique insight into the natural world and the amazing creatures that inhabit it. From the most remote jungles to the forbidding depths of our oceans, to the protected parks on our doorsteps, National Geographic WILD uses spectacular cinematography and compelling storytelling to unveil the mysteries of the natural world. 

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

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: