Why Disney Channel's Move To Channel 315 Is Bad News For DStv Customers?

During the month, MultiChoice Africa announced that Disney Channel would be moving from channel 303 to 315 on DStv and these changes were applicable to consumers in Southern Africa. This is most likely due to a change in legislation in some countries if some remember Cameroon and Uganda instilled some very rules over LGBTQ.

This is what prompted Nurses to suddenly get yanked from Telemundo only for it to make a name a comeback with censorship. The laws in these countries were so severe that broadcasters like Telemundo would have lost their licenses to operate in these regions while some could be fined or detained.

MultiChoice may say that Disney Channel had moved to a new channel number and that consumer's viewing experience would remain unhinged. But that's not the case here at all, they took what you know as channel 303 and restricted it's access to consumers in South Africa where the restrictions are lighter.

They acquired Disney Channel's feed used in the East and Western parts of Africa and launched that on channel 315. For those who aren't aware, MultiChoice has two transponders one that covers Southern Africa and another the rest of Africa so they can basically make local variations with channels.

Considering South Africa shares their feeds with other countries residing within Southern Africa including Malawi and Zimbabwe they had to launch duplicate feed but block certain consumers from particular regions from seeing it. Similar to what you have with Moja 9.9. as consumers would have viewed the content on its premium counterpart.

Similar to TLC Africa, this feed viewed outside of South Africa is kind of depressing remember Marvel's Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur the show that DStv had advertised across their platforms for viewers in Africa for November 25. This managed to debut on the channel in South Africa alongside various European markets.

This has not been made available to consumers outside of South Africa and I would like to believe that MultiChoice Africa and Disney will try to air it at a later stage but heck even Walk The Prank is not airing. Instead in the slots where these shows would appear would be reserved for more Big City Greens or Phineas And Ferb. 

Disney Channel's moves to channel 315 as MultiChoice Africa wants to put it or the expansion of Disney Channel Africa which is what I'd call it is bad news for DStv consumers. Imagine this scenario already happened with Nickelodeon and The Loud House after Nigeria put up a ban Paramount opted to censor the show.

But when further complaints came from other African countries they took out The Loud House completely yet they're willing to air it's live-action counterpart and The Casagrandes. To top it off, Paramount+'s original film The Loud House: No Time To Spy wasn't made available for these consumers.

The results to these restrictions is more zombie TV which is what's seen on Nickelodeon and TLC with Disney Channel joining the ranks.

Despite the tight restrictions, there are consumers in these markets that wouldn't mind watching Marvel's Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur or The Loud House despite them featuring same sex couples. Disney Channel separating it's operations within in Africa means more content is likely to be divided away from Africa like Andi Mack and The Owl House.

Something New On The Horizon!!! Taxi And Driven By Deceit Are Coming In 2025 To Zee World

 Zee World is a pay-tv channel operated by Zee Entertainment Enterprises that distributes a variety of Bollywood films and series is slated to rollout two new shows in 2025. Driven By Deceit (known as Ammayigaru) comes from Zee Telegu while Taxi (known as Amader Ei Poth Jodi Na Sesh Hoy) comes from Zee Bangla.

Synopsis for Driven By Deceit 

Ammayigaru will primarily revolve around Roopa and Prathap Surya Dev, with Raju being a pivotal character. While Roopa is the rich daughter of education minister Prathap Surya Dev, viewers will see her as a unwatched girl who lacks parental care and affection. An incident in the past makes Prathap project his hatred for his wife onto his daughter, but Roopa wants to gain his love and respect.

On the other hand, Raju is Prathap’s right-hand man, who always makes it a point that he looks after Roopa’s best interest. An interesting relationship develops between them, but a shocking twist will take everyone on a rollercoaster ride of dramatic events. But will Roopa be able to gain her father’s love? That’s something that will keep the audience engaged.

Synopsis for Taxi

Urmi Rakshit is the granddaughter of a well known industrialist, Rajat Shubhra Rakshit. After losing her father at a very young age in a car accident which also made her mother sick for a long time, she was brought up by her paternal aunt and uncle (Gayatree Rakshit and Hirak Subhra Rakshit) who pamper her. But unbeknownst to her, their motives are sinister. It is revealed to the viewers that they orchestrated the car accident in which Urmi's father was killed, and their goal is to keep Urmi under their control so they can ultimately take over her share of the family inheritance. 

Satyaki Sarkar is a taxi driver hailing from a middle-class joint family. He was a good student but had to give up his dreams in order to take care of his family, but he dreams of having his own app-cab company someday. 

e.TV Acquires Broadcasting Rights To Open Season: Call Of Nature And Unveils Release Date

 e.tv currently ranks as the most watched channel in South Africa during primetime as seen in their annual results dated 30 September 2024. This contributed to further launches of Isiphetho: Destiny and the broadcaster's first Afrikaans soap Kelders Van Gehieme with the channel slated to air a new animated series titled Open Season: Call Of Nature.

Produced by 9 Story Media Group and Brown Bag Films with Sony Pictures Animation, Open Season: Call of Nature is created for kids 6-11, and follows best friends Boog, a lovable, risk-averse grizzly bear, and Elliot, a fast-talking, ‘act-first, think-later’ deer. When they discover an abandoned summer camp in the middle of nowhere, they embark on a brave and hilarious adventure to create a new place to live where animals get to embrace their inner wild.

9 Story Distribution International has worldwide distribution rights for the series and 9 Story Brands has worldwide merchandising rights. Aside from e.tv, other broadcasters to have licensed the show include DRTV (Denmark), RTS (Switzerland), AMC Networks (CEE), Canal Panda (Portugal), Paramount Media Networks (U.K., Italy), Roku (U.S.), XUMO (US), and PCCW (Hong Kong and Macau).

The series broadcasts on Monday 9 December at 14:55.

Open Season: Call Of Nature would serve as the fourth additional the broadcaster has introduced to their platforms. Other shows also slated to rollout in the month include Magic Adventures: The Crystal Of Dark, ChiChi Pingping and Pororo The Little Penguin for eToonz all of which reside in Asia unlike Open Season which is filmed in Canada.

Goodbye To Disney Channel: It Will Stop Broadcasting In Spain At The Beginning Of 2025 After 27 Years

An era in television for the little ones in the house is coming to an end as Disney Channel, a historic channel for children and young people's content, will end its broadcasts in Spain on January 7, 2025 after 27 years on our TV, as Tele has learned exclusively.

With platforms on the rise, The Walt Disney Company is betting on promoting its paid service Disney+ and will stop offering a free-to-air channel, Disney Channel, which for almost three decades has been the spearhead of its immersion in the Spanish market and a benchmark in children's television .

It will be next January 7 , after the Day of Kings, when it will disappear from DTT permanently. All the content that made up Disney Channel's linear programming will be available on the Disney+ platform, as confirmed by the company to verTele.

In an official statement to this portal, The Walt Disney Company Spain “thanks the support of its fans in Spain” and assures that they will continue “investing in both direct-to-consumer (OTT) distribution and linear businesses with the aim of offering our viewers multiple entry points to our content and our brand.”

The end of Disney Channel as a channel will not mean the end of its 'little brother' Disney Junior , a more child-oriented channel, which will continue to be available through pay operators such as Movistar Plus+, Orange TV and Vodafone TV, among others. It is confirmed as the last 'survivor' of a group of channels from which Disney Cinemagic (2008-2015) and Disney XD (2009-2020) have already disappeared, and now Disney Channel (1998-2025).

In addition to Disney Junior, the company's other brands will also be maintained in the subscription television services in Spain: "Disney is committed to continuing to drive the growth of Disney+ and maintaining a solid portfolio of channels , with leading brands in the general, factual and family entertainment segments in Spain: STAR, Disney JR, Baby TV, National Geographic, and National Geographic Wild ," the company details.

It is also important to note that Canal+'s current deal with Disney is set to expire on 31 December 2024 meaning this would be the second Disney Channel to exit international feeds. Unlike Spain, it had been reported that the batch of channels will exit France leaving questions as to what awaits the feeds in French Overseas.

Part of this article was published by verTele!

Celebrate The Holidays With Disney Channels Festive Programming

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.