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

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.

Development Alert: Monsters At Work To Rollout On Disney Channels Across Europe, Middle East And Africa (EMEA) In March Alongside Disney+ Original Movie Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers

Disney Channel, an international children's channel operated by The Walt Disney Company that distributes a variety of content for consumers between 6-15 years is set to add more content from Disney+ with Monsters At Work and Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers.

Synopsis for Monsters At Work

Monsters at Work begins the day after Henry J. Waternoose III's arrest, with the Monsters, Incorporated factory making the transition to laugh power. Tylor Tuskmon, a recent Scare Major graduate from Monsters University, having previously received a letter of acceptance from Waternoose to be a scarer at the factory, is excited to work at the same company as his idol Sulley. However, Tylor is devastated to learn that the company is no longer in need of scarers, and he is reassigned to work as a mechanic on the Monsters Inc. Facilities Team (MIFT). Meanwhile, Mike and Sulley encounter the trials and tribulations of running the company.

Serving as a direct continuation of the original 2001 film, it features the voices of Billy Crystal and John Goodman reprising their roles as Mike Wazowski and James P. "Sulley" Sullivan from the original film and the 2013 prequel Monsters University; several other voice actors from the films reprise their roles as guests. 

Synopsis for Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers

In a world co-populated by humans and fictional characters, two chipmunks named Chip and Dale meet in elementary school and become best friends. They later relocate to Hollywood and, after casting as extras in commercials and shows, go on to star in the successful television series Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers in the early 1990s. However, when Dale gets his own show, Double-O-Dale, the two have a falling out that leads to both shows' cancellation. Thirty years later, a former cast mate mysteriously disappears, Chip and Dale must repair their broken friendship and save their friend.

The film stars John Mulaney and Andy Samberg as the voices of the titular pair, respectively, with KiKi Layne, Will Arnett, Eric Bana, Flula Borg, Dennis Haysbert, Keegan-Michael Key, Tress MacNeille, Tim Robinson, Seth Rogen and J.K. Simmons.

The first season of Monsters At Work will air from 25 March on Disney Channel with a second season expected to launch on Disney+ sometime in 2024. Following the rollout of Chip 'n Dale: Park Life in 2023, the Disney+ original film Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers will air on 29 March.

Byron Allen Looking To Make MTV, Nickelodeon And Comedy Central "Cost Efficient", How Does This Impact Paramount Global's Linear Channels?

Last year, Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global were reportedly in talks for a potential merger. Fast forward to the present, Shari Redstone is looking to sell her shares at Amusement Park with Skydance that has collaborated with the company on various films making their bid with Byron Allen topping them.

As reported sometime ago, Allen Media Group made a proposal to acquire Paramount Global for $30 billion (R562 billion) part of which helps them cover up pending debts. Should this deal move forward, they would keep TV channels and the Paramount+ streaming service intact while selling off film studios and other intellectual properties.

The impact on TV channels in the United States

Byron Allen, the founder of Allen Media Group is looking to make these brands cost effective. Selling off "film studios and other intellectual properties" is another way to minimise expenses. It's not really known whether Allen will look to retaining various content from Nickelodeon and MTV.

Similar to CW, it's likely that we'll be seeing Nickelodeon and MTV relying more on third party content and possibly distributing even lesser originals. As mentioned, he was looking to run them on a more "cost-efficient basis". Nickelodeon has garnered popularity for shows like SpongeBob SquarePants and The Loud House, MTV on the other features shows like Teen Mom and Ridiculousness.

The impact on TV channels on a wider spectrum

With Nickelodeon and MTV getting less content, Paramount will likely look into closing channels across the country. This was likely implied when they mentioned selling off "film studios and other intellectual properties" I mean the company in question doesn't have much international presence.

There's always chances that they could retain a portion of channels such as Comedy Central and BET while secondary networks like Nicktoons and MTV Base cease to exist as they won't be much content to supplement the existing line-up of channels.

But then again Sony once offered linear services across the country before closing down most feeds while a few such as the UK were put under different management. Disney had been reducing the carbon footprint for Disney Channel while it continues to operate in the United States.

The future of SpongeBob SquarePants and Ridiculousness

As mentioned, Allen is looking to sell their film studios and it's possible that they could retain the more relevant brands such as Nickelodeon Animation Studios and sell majority of Paramount Pictures. There's been various companies that had their eye on their studios such as Netflix, Skydance, Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney perhaps one of them could look into acquiring.

As for the content in general, Paramount's remaining offering could be licenced to various local broadcasters I mean should these channels not have much of a presence globally.

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

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.

New Series Alert: Devoted Daughter Coming Soon To Zee One

Zee One, a Bollywood channel operated by Zee Entertainment Enterprises that distributes various English dubbed series and films from India is reported to be rolling out for the second new series for the year, Devoted Daughter (Ghar Ek Mandir - Kripa Agrasen Maharaj Ki).

It revolves around Genda, who is an ardent devotee of Agrasen Maharaj and belongs to a low-income family. She is married into a business family and faces a huge loss in their business after marriage. Meanwhile, Genda’s husband also suffers from epilepsy.

Produced under the banner Zee Studio, it premiered through &TV on 10 August 2021 and 139 episodes are reported to have been filmed soon so far. It starred Shrenu Parikh as Genda Agarwal, Akshay Mhatre as Varun Agarwal and Sameer Dharmadhikari as Agrasen Maharaj.

As reported through various media outlets, Devoted Wife will be making its freemium debut on Zee One after launching on Zee Family sometime in 2023.

Aside from Devoted Daughter, & TV had produced a number of productions to have been aired in Africa. That includes Begusarai, The Heir, Perfect Pati, Razia Sultan and Gangaa all of which are made available to Zee World and Zee One with Dayan, Destructive Beauty on eExtra.