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"Enter The Splat Zone": Paramount Rebrands Nicktoons In The UK, Might Rebrand Alongside TeenNick In Parts Of Europe And Africa In The Coming Weeks
In 2023, Nickelodeon revived one of their iconic logos "The Splat" and incorporated it with the current font of the br...
Friday, September 22, 2023
Channel Shorts: Nick Jr. Global Expand To Latin America And Brazil, Star Channel Rolls Out In Netherlands And Flanders By November, And TNT Provides An Update On Their Status With StarSat
Tuesday, September 12, 2023
Why The Disney Channel Could Be Shutting Down On DStv And NOT National Geographic And ESPN?
Monday, August 28, 2023
Reminder: Disney To Close Their Remaining Linear Channels Across Asia In The Coming Months, More Markets Likely To Follow
Sunday, August 27, 2023
Amazon Reportedly In Talks To Buy Minority Stake In ESPN From Disney
Recap To The Decade: Disney Channel Resurfaced In The UK Prior To The Channel's 40th Anniversary
Monday, August 14, 2023
Disney+ Could Shut Down In Some Countries
Sunday, August 13, 2023
How MultiChoice Could Save The Disney Channel From Possible Extinction?
Disney Junior Remains As The Only Disney Branded Television Channel In Turkey, Could This Be The Future For The Disney Channels In Africa?
Disney is set to close their remaining linear offering in Hong Kong, Southeast Asia and Korea before the current financial year ends with more channels seen in Europe set to join with rumours swirling about the potential demise of the Disney Junior channel seen in Turkey.
As mentioned sometime ago, the preschool brand home to shows like Alice's Wonderland Bakery, Mickey Mouse Funhouse, Sofia The First and PJ Masks remains as the only Disney branded channel in the region likely due to the ongoing demand for preschool content.
Disney Channel and Disney XD were sacrificed years prior with further content folded under Disney+. Although, there's not much confirmation on if Disney Junior would join the other Disney branded channels, several feeds for the brand had been closed down in other countries.
This is part of a global effort which has taken sometime for Disney to transition into particularly in parts of Europe where most of their linear offering reside at the moment.
Should Disney Junior remain on for another year what fate should await the feed in Africa as both are managed in the EMEA should Disney Channel get the boot as seen in most parts of the world including Turkey.
Similar to Turkey, Disney Junior has garnered a lot of popularity in Africa so much so that it happens to be the leading preschool brand with such content also in demand. Compared to Disney Channel, it covers more households in Africa as opposed to being catered to a premium audience.
Unlike the Disney Channel, the channel's lineup isn't bombarded with reruns or being used a hub to promote further content from Disney+. Much less had their shows and films taken away from them amidst a season finale as seen with another former channel, FOX.
But I can't say it's in the best position to live on for another couple of years as Bluey took over the channel kind of like how a group of superheroes took over a children's channel. I mean these are popular brands but with Warner streamlining some would think this is the end.
Thursday, July 27, 2023
Disney To Halt Distribution Of DVD And Blu-ray In Australia
Recently, Disney announced it was closing down its Movie Club program in Canada following a shift in consumer patterns to watching films on digital and Disney+. And now, according to Digital Bits, multiple industry, distributor, and retailer sources, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment will be pulling out of distributing physical discs in Australia.
Over the past few years, many retailers in Australia and other countries, have slowly been withdrawing physical media, including video games, movies and music from sale, as audiences shift to digital platforms. Disney has previously stopped releasing movies on physical media in Latin America and across most of Asia. And it is likely other countries and regions will follow, as the sales of physical discs continue to fall.
For context, in the United States, in 2006, “Pirates of the Caribbean – Dead Man’s Chest” sold 14,476,924 million discs. In 2012, the highest-selling disc was “Hunger Games”, with 7,434,058 discs sold and in 2022, “Top Gun: Maverick” was the highest-selling DVD with 829,831 sold. However, in 2023, currently, “Black Adam” is the highest-selling DVD of the year, with just 74,353 discs sold in the US.
Many movie fans are unhappy with this news, especially with a growing trend of streaming services like Disney+ making changes or removing content without notice. Disney has been releasing fewer of its films and shows on physical media over the past few years. Australian film collectors will still be able to import films from global retailers, but this will result in much higher costs due to international shipping etc.
“Guardians Of The Galaxy: Vol 3” is set to be the last physical release in Australia, which arrives in stores in August. Previously released titles will continue to be on sale, but as stock is reduced, these may become unavailable over time.
Ultimately, as audiences have moved to watching films on streaming services such as Disney+ and buying/renting films on digital platforms, it now looks like it’s no longer sustainable to distribute physical discs in Australia.
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
24Kitchen To Cease Transmission In Turkey By The End Of July, More Countries Likely To Follow
Thursday, July 20, 2023
What's Happening To The Disney Channel On DStv?
During the year, The Walt Disney Company had been strengthening the reach of Disney+ by using their a vast majority of Disney Channel and Disney Junior to promote a variety of content and this includes Chip'n'Dale: Park Life, Lady And The Tramp and Phineas And Ferb: Candice Against The Universe.
As seen in June, Chip'n'Dale: Park Life had been phased out from Disney Channel for more Miraculous Ladybug. If that doesn't get any worse apparently new episodes were slatted to be broadcast this month alongside The Owl House but due to some restructuring within the Disney stable those were delayed.
Similar to Disney XD, The House Of Mouse merged several feeds of The Disney Channel alongside the preschool component, Disney Junior. It's possible that Chip'n'Dale: Park Life was only removed as consumers hadn't viewed the content as yet similar to Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur in Africa.
As to whether these channels are on the verge of closing down, MultiChoice will carry them through (presumably early) 2024 for consumers in Africa but it's unknown whether all the upcoming content such as Zombies: The Re-Animated Series, Primo and even The Little Mermaid will be accessible before that happens.
Another theory is that these channels could live on for a couple more years presumably to just create hype about this content. But I don't think these brands have much of a future as the company hasn't tried distributing their brand to new territories and have other companies manage their content.
I mean if the goal was to keep the linear business alive why not get this content out there, why burden remaining consumers with this offering if you're only intention is to rip it away and divide linear consumers from streaming.
Disney Channel has shaped a lot of childhoods when it launched in 2008 with shows like That's So Raven, Hannah Montana and Phineas And Ferb alongside Disney Channel Original Films like Camp Rock, High School Musical, Cheetah Girls and Teen Beach.
Since it's rollout in 2011, Disney Junior had become the leading destination in preschool entertainment with shows like Doc McStuffins, Sofia The First, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Jake And The Neverland Pirates.
MultiChoice being the distributor of these channels would have to look at possible replacements some brands that come to mind include Kartoon Channel, WildBrain, ZooMoo and hopefully not repeat tainted channels like Nicktoons as seen in some parts of the world.
Another thing that some readers addressed was the backlash on replacements. My idea would be that the Disney Channels discontinuation would be treated as a rebrand sort of get another brand to occupy the space or have some of their content added to the lineup before the swap.
But I'm not expecting that although it would make sense consumer wise. The best option when looking at replacements is to take these brands to account Disney Channel was too mature for their current demographic while as Disney Junior was more entertaining something MultiChoice should look into when deciding replacements.
Sky launched a dedicated kids channel in the UK licencing content from NBCUniversal and featuring original productions. It wouldn't be far fetched if MultiChoice did something similar for consumers in Africa.
Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery aren't really looking to consolidate the content to streaming services but the moment your DStv becomes a VCR or a typewriter they're likely to pull the plug on their channels and get consumers onboard their own platforms.
MultiChoice aligning themselves closer to the kids market wouldn't seem far fetched as the last was with K-TV and Koowee both were handled by M-Net. This channel doesn't necessarily have to be M-Net based but come from another local provider like Ngwato Nkosi Group (Movie Room).
Rumour: Disney CEO Reportedly Planning To Sell Disney To Apple After Projecting $800M Loss
In a move that would shake up the entertainment industry, Disney CEO Bob Iger is reportedly planning to sell the company to Apple. The news has sent shockwaves through the industry, with many analysts and investors questioning the logic of the deal.
There are a number of potential benefits to a Disney-Apple merger. First, the deal would create a media giant with unrivaled reach and scale. Disney’s vast library of content, combined with Apple’s global distribution network, would create a powerhouse that could dominate the streaming wars. The merger would allow Disney to accelerate its transition to a streaming-first business. But why is Disney’s CEO Bob Iger so keen on selling when he’s known as someone who builds, not breaks?
The deal of the century
There are ongoing rumors in the industry that Bob Iger, who was recently reappointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Disney, is planning on selling the company in its entirety after having already made up his mind about selling the company’s television assets. This could be because the company’s streaming division is currently looking at possibly $800 million in losses in its recently ended third quarter, according to sources.
Bob Iger returns to Disney after a 2-year retirement
Apple is already a major player in the streaming market, with its Apple TV+ streaming service. If this merger happens, it would give Disney access to Apple’s expertise and resources, which would help it grow its streaming business faster than ever before. The merger would also allow Disney to expand its reach into newer markets.
Apple has a strong presence in China, where Disney has struggled to gain traction. The merger would give Disney access to Apple’s Chinese customers, which would be a major boost for the company’s growth.
Is a merger between the two companies actually possible? And is it a good idea?
However, there are also some potential drawbacks to a Disney-Apple merger. First, the deal would raise concerns about antitrust regulation. The combined company would have a significant amount of market power, which could lead to higher prices for consumers.
Apple CEO Tim Cook
The folks at AppleInsider also claim that a deal this size is not very possible, and that is even if Apple has the kind of loose change lying around to buy Disney. Some time ago, a US judge denied a merger between two leading publishing houses just because a merger would mean lesser advances to their authors and cutting competition.
This means that if we consider even for a second that a deal as massive as Apple buying Disney were to go down, it would be happening through federal regulators of the United States.
Bob Iger is reportedly looking for an heir.
Second, the deal could lead to job losses. Disney and Apple are both major employers, and the merger could result in layoffs as the two companies consolidate their operations. Third, the deal could be seen as a sign that Disney is giving up on its own streaming business. Disney has invested heavily in its streaming services, such as Disney+ and Hulu.
The potential benefits and drawbacks of a Disney-Apple merger are complex and far-reaching. It remains to be seen whether the deal will actually happen, but it is clear that if it happens, it would have a significant impact on the entertainment industry.
Wednesday, July 19, 2023
Disney To Close ESPN Player Across Europe, Middle East & Africa
Disney has announced that it will be closing down the ESPN Player streaming service, which operates across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia, on August 18th 2023. ESPN Player offers a variety of sports, including basketball, baseball, American football, and many other sports. There are thousands of live events & on-demand content, including ESPN Films plus four 24/7 ESPN TV channels.
Here’s the official statement:
ESPN Player to close on August 18th, 2023
We want to inform you that ESPN Player will be closing on August 18th, 2023. We appreciate your support over the years.
As of August 18th, you will no longer be able to stream live sports, replays, or on-demand content on ESPN Player. You will also be unable to access any of your ESPN Player account information.
ESPN Player has been running for years and was operated by Endeavour Streaming. However, the platform has been neglected in recent years, with the app only available on a very limited number of devices like Android and Apple tablets and smartphones. So you couldn’t watch ESPN Player on your big screen through a Smart TV app or console. I myself wanted to get ESPN Player earlier this year to watch the XFL, but since I couldn’t watch it on my TV, I didn’t bother in the end. Also, the official social media accounts have been a little erratic in how often they post, which could have indicated a change was potentially coming.
Disney has announced where some of the content from the ESPN Player will be going, but it doesn’t cover every country, such as the UK. There are many possible outcomes for what’s next for ESPN within the EMEA region. Disney could have just decided it’s more cost-effective to just licence out its sports to other platforms in each country, or if it is planning on launching a new ESPN+ app globally, such as adding ESPN+ into Disney+ as a paid add-on.
There are dozens of ESPN documentaries available on Disney+ already, so it’s possible we could end up seeing ESPN documentaries heading here if there is no alternative plan for the brand within the region. Unfortunately, we will just have to wait and see what happens next.
Disney has been making changes to ESPN this year to try to become more profitable, including making ESPN a stand-alone division, outside of the theme parks and entertainment divisions and, most recently, laying off staff across the sports division.
Here is where some of the sports content will be heading to:
Major League Baseball (MLB)
Stream MLB games live or on demand with an MLB.TV subscription. Subscribe today for the rest of the 2023 season for $94.99 or $24.99/month.
National Hockey League (NHL)
NHL.TV is available in selected territories. Information about the 2023-24 package will be made available prior to the start of the season. Visit NHL.TV in mid-September for further details.
NCAA Football: Territories and Broadcasters
Israel, One Sport
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Lichtenstein: DAZN, Pro Sieben
Spain and Andorra: Telefonica
Netherlands: ESPN
Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Slovenia, Kosovo, Croatia, Macedonia: Sportklub
Czech Republic: AMC
Hungary: Network 4
Africa: ESPN
France: beIN
Italy: Helbiz
NCAA Basketball: Territories and Broadcasters
Israel: One Sport
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Lichtenstein: DAZN
Spain and Andorra: Telefonica
Netherlands: ESPN
Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Slovenia, Kosovo, Croatia, Macedonia: Sportklub
Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey: CIS, Saran
Greece, Cyprus: Saran
Africa: ESPN
France: beIN
Baltics: All Media
Italy: Helbiz
Middle East: MBC
Hungary: Network 4
Other NCAA Championships: Territories and Broadcasters
Netherlands: ESPN
Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Slovenia, Kosovo, Croatia, Macedonia: Sportklub
Africa: ESPN
Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia: Network 4
Israel: One Sport
Here are some useful details on the closure of ESPN Player:
How can a customer get a refund?
If you are an active subscriber, with time remaining on your subscription after August 18th you will be refunded the amount for that remaining time. No action is required by you. Refunds will be paid automatically to the payment card with which your initial purchase was made after August 18th.
Will it be a full refund?
You will be refunded based on the remaining length of your subscription after August 18th 2023.
If I purchased through Apple/Google/third party billing, how will I receive a refund?
Users will be refunded by the relevant app store or third-party provider. Refunds will be paid automatically to the payment card with which your initial purchase was made after August 18th.
Will the content be available until you close?
Yes, if you are an active subscriber, you will be able to stream live sports, replays, or on-demand content on ESPN Player. As of August 18th, you will no longer be able to stream live sports, replays, or on-demand content on ESPN Player. You will also be unable to access any of your ESPN Player account information.
How do I cancel now?
To perform all of the below actions, please head to My Account:
Update my payment method
Update my password
Review my payment history
Cancel my account
Monday, July 17, 2023
RUMOUR: End Of An Era, Disney Junior To Cease Transmission In Turkey By 2024, Could Africa's Be Next Alongside The Disney Channel?
During the week, it was reported that Disney is looking to sell several linear channels which are no longer core to their business. On top of that, they're looking to close their remaining linear channels in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia by the end of 2023.
According to sources, Disney Junior would cease to exist in Turkey by 2024 and this was the last brand under Disney Branded Television following the closures of Disney Channel and Disney XD as further content from all these brands is allocated to Disney+.
Disney Junior launched as Playhouse Disney in 2007 and since then he proven to be a popular addition amongst consumers featuring shows like Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Sofia The First, Doc McStuffins, Spidey And His Friends and PJ Masks.
MultiChoice, an outlet seen in Africa to package Disney Junior alongside Disney Channel, National Geographic, National Geographic Wild, ESPN 1 and ESPN 2 had mentioned in 2021 that these brands were extended through 2024.
With Disney Junior in Turkey set to shut down by the end of 2023 around the time other parts of Asia would be losing their feeds. Could it be possible that the Disney Channels in Africa will join Turkey seeing as they're both operated by Disney EMEA alongside other regions.
Another thing, despite MultiChoice and Disney promise to retain them through 2024. It had mentioned that these channels would stick around for "another two years" bringing up that possible December 2023 closure if not early 2024 presumably before March.
Friday, July 14, 2023
Could National Geographic And The Disney Channel Also Be Shutting Down Across Africa By The End Of 2023?
Last month, it was reported that The Walt Disney Company plans to shutter the remaining linear offering in Hong Kong, Southeast Asia and Korea by the fourth quarter of the year with several content being integrated to Disney+ as the streaming service becomes their top priority.
During the week, it was learnt by Bob Iger, the current CEO of The Walt Disney Company that a possible restructure could be underway for their linear offering which could see some brands under their care being sold to foreign companies if not closed down as seen internationally.
MultiChoice extended their agreement with them for their remaining linear offering through 2024 and this included factual brands National Geographic and National Geographic Wild, sports brands ESPN 1 & ESPN 2 and children's channels Disney Channel and Disney Junior.
It's likely that these channels might be going dark by the end of the year if not later in 2024. Taking to account, the previous terminations: Disney XD closed September 2020 which coincides with the UK's Disney Channels followed by the FOX feeds in Africa, Germany and Asia in 2021.
Another thing, although MultiChoice states these channels will be carried through 2024 it's clearly stated in their 2021 press release that these channels stick around for "another two years" possibly hinting at a December 2023 closure which coincides with Asia.
Although not much has been confirmed on an end date, the blue brands favourite months for such escapades are January, February, June, September and December - kind of seasonal when you look at it.
In the past months, Disney Channel has been promoting a bulk of Disney+ content as well aired rebroadcasts of Walk The Prank and Lab Rats. Disney Junior schedules on the other hand is overcrowded by Bluey with some repeat variety in between.
Marketing for these brands had been downsized with further feeds seen internationally being merged as seen with Disney XD before it's demise.
Disney Branded Television Could Be Put Up For Sale
Disney Exploring Possible Sale Of Indian Business Home To Star Life And Star Select
Walt Disney (DIS.N) is exploring options to sell or find a joint venture partner for its India digital and TV business, a source with direct knowledge said on Wednesday.
The talks are in a "very, very nascent" stage and no potential buyer or partner has been approached so far, and it remains unclear how the process will pan out, the person added.
"Talks have begun internally (on) what makes sense to do," said the source, adding discussions were being driven by executives at Disney headquarters in the U.S.
Disney did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. The company's shares closed up 1.6% on Tuesday.
The Wall Street Journal was first to report news of Disney's talks and said the company had reached out to at least one bank about ways to help the India business grow, while sharing some of the costs.
The discussions come at a time when Disney has faced increasing pressure due to the emergence of Reliance Industries' (RELI.NS) streaming platform JioCinema, run by Asia's richest man, Mukesh Ambani. He has been marketing his streaming platform by offering free access to Indian Premier League cricket tournament, digital rights of which were earlier with Disney.
Research firm CLSA has estimated Disney+ Hotstar's subscriber base shrank by nearly 5 million users in India after it lost the digital rights for IPL.
Reliance's broadcast venture Viacom18, which runs JioCinema, also struck a deal with Warner Bros in April for HBO and other popular content such as Succession. Several of these top rated shows earlier aired in India on the Disney platform.
Viacom18's shareholders include Reliance, Paramount Global (PARA.O) as well as Bodhi Tree, which is a joint venture between James Murdoch and a former Star India executive, Uday Shankar.
Disney's India business comprises the Disney+ Hotstar streaming service and Star India, which it took over when it acquired the entertainment assets of 21st Century Fox in 2019.
The source, who declined to be named as the talks are confidential, said it will be difficult to find an outright buyer in India as the enterprise value of the India business was seen around $15-16 billion when Disney took over Fox's business.
Star India, which was rebranded as Disney Star last year, encompasses dozens of TV channels and a stake in a movie production company.
Disney, like its peers in streaming and the wider media industry, is cutting costs as macro economic headwinds weigh on its advertising revenue and subscriber growth.
In February, the company said it would cut 7,000 jobs as part of an effort to save $5.5 billion in costs in a sweeping restructuring of the company.
Monday, July 10, 2023
FX To Be Revived As A Linear Channel In Poland A Year After It Returned To South Africa On Disney+
Tuesday, June 27, 2023
The Tale Of Gargoyles: The Abandoned Project From The Walt Disney Company
Monday, June 5, 2023
Disney Planning To Restart The Pirate Of The Caribbean's Franchise
Sean Bailey, the president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, recently spoke with the New York Times to talk about Disney’s live-action projects and one of those projects was Pirates of the Caribbean.
Bailey says restarting the Pirates franchise is a priority at Disney. “We think we have a really good, exciting story that honors the films that have come before but also has something new to say”
For those unaware, Disney is actually developing multiple Pirates projects and we highlight each project and share everything we know so far. So let’s set sail and get into the nitty-gritty.
Pirates Project #1
Back in 2018, it was reported that Deadpool and Zombieland 2: Double Tap writers Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese, were brought on to write Pirates 6, but would drop out months later and were replaced by Chernobyl and The Last of Us creator Craig Mazin and Pirates alum Ted Elliot. While there have been no story details or massive updates on this project, it is still the main Pirates project Disney is actively working on. That said, in 2019, we exclusively reported that Guardians of the Galaxy star Karen Gillan was someone Disney was looking at to star. This project will exist in the previous Pirates of the Caribbean movies continuity, so a return from stars Orlando Bloom, Kiera Knightley, Brenton Thwaites, and Kaya Scodelario is definitely on the table.
Pirates Project #2
In 2020, a report surfaced that Harley Quinn herself Margot Robbie would star in a female-led reboot from Bumblebee writer Christina Hodson. This project is not intended to be a spinoff, but a new story, with new characters set in the Pirates universe. Despite rumors last year that this project was axed, franchise producer Jerry Bruckheimer dispelled that, saying “I think that that script will come forward at a certain point. We developed two different stories for Pirates and the other one’s going forward first, so that’s what we’re working on, to try to get that one made.” The story Bruckheimer is referring to would be the first project we talked about. We had heard when this project was in active development Disney was looking at some pretty big-name actors to star alongside Robbie, names we heard included Jason Momoa, Richard Madden, and Sebastian Stan.
Pirates Project #3
A fun piece of information we shared on The DisInsider Show during our “Rumor of the Week” segment, is that Disney has put a Pirates of the Caribbean Disney+ on the drawing board and are in very early development stages. At this time, I don’t have any further information on this project as it is still in the early stages.
The Elephant in the Room
It’s what everyone wants to know, is Johnny Depp returning to the franchise as Captain Jack Sparrow? A role that garned him an Oscar nomination for his work in Curse of the Black Pearl. Despite rumors last year that the actor had actually closed a deal to appear in a sixth movie and that he was also planning to help co-write the film, after his very public defamation trial against Amber Heard last year, the actor made it very clear that he would never forgive Disney for the way they publicly distanced themselves from him. Some insiders believe he will return. Bruckheimer told Deadline earlier this year that he would still reach out to Depp because Johnny was both his friend and “an amazing artist.” Acknowledging that enough time has passed between him, Disney, and Depp, he explained his reasoning by saying, “You go through things in life that you wish you hadn’t done right.” Bailey was asked about Depp once again and said “Noncommittal at this point,” which is an inkling that a return is very possible.
Now, here is what we at The DisInsider know, we have talked with some people in the industry and we have heard the goal is to bring Depp back in a passing of the torch role, whether that would be in a starring, supporting, or cameo role is currently unknown.
The franchise originated with the Pirates of the Caribbean theme ride attraction, which opened at Disneyland in 1967, the last Disney theme park attraction overseen by Walt Disney. The attraction can be found at four Disney theme parks. Since then, it has become a moneymaker, the five films have grossed over $4.5 billion at the worldwide box office. The franchise has also become a revenue booster in video games, merchandise, and more.