Reminder: Paramount Global Is Planning To Close Several Channels In Poland And Hungary

Paramount Global, the American media conglomerate, is set to discontinue several of its television channels in Poland by the end of 2025, according to a spokesperson for Orange Polska in an interview with wirtualnemedia.pl. The affected channels include TeenNick, NickMusic, Polsat Comedy Central Extra, and a suite of MTV-branded channels: MTV 80s, MTV 90s, MTV 00s, MTV Hits, MTV Live, and Club MTV. 

This comes as Disney over the last few years has also shut down many of its cable TV networks in international markets inclduing Europe and parts of Asian. This includes shutting down the Disney Channel in these markets pushing people to Disney+.

The decision aligns with Paramount Global’s broader cost-cutting strategy following its recent takeover by Skydance Media. This follows reports from zive.sk last week, which revealed similar channel closures in Slovakia and Hungary, and Media Insider’s disclosure of planned terminations of Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. in New Zealand. The closures are part of a larger restructuring effort that includes layoffs and studio consolidations, reflecting the company’s response to a challenging media landscape. All as spotted by NickALive.

In Poland, the impacted channels cater to diverse audiences. TeenNick Polska, launched in September 2021, targets viewers aged 10 to 16 with older live-action Nickelodeon series and teen-focused TV movies. NickMusic Polska, which replaced MTV Music in June 2021, offers music content tailored for children and teenagers. Polsat Comedy Central Extra, introduced in March 2020, features international sitcoms like Friends and Keeping Up Appearances, alongside Polish favorites such as Świat według Kiepskich. The MTV channels—MTV 80s, MTV 90s, MTV 00s, MTV Hits, MTV Live, and Club MTV—focus on music videos and live performances from specific decades or genres, with most originating from Paramount’s Polish operations. 

These channels, primarily broadcast in standard definition and commercial-free, are available on platforms like Polsat Box and CANAL+ via satellite and cable networks. They fall under Paramount Networks Europe, Middle East, Africa & Asia (EMEAA), a division of Paramount International Networks, wholly owned by Paramount Global.

The closures signal a strategic pivot for Paramount, which is grappling with declining linear TV viewership and increased competition from streaming platforms. In Poland, Paramount will continue to operate core channels like Nickelodeon, NickToons, Nick Jr., MTV Polska, Paramount Network, and Comedy Central. 

The termination of these niche channels has sparked concern among Polish viewers, particularly younger audiences and music enthusiasts who value the specialized programming. Industry analysts suggest that Paramount’s focus on streamlining operations could redirect resources toward digital platforms, but the loss of these channels may leave gaps in the Polish media market.

As the deadline approaches, stakeholders await further details on how Paramount will manage the transition and whether affected programming will find a new home on its remaining channels or streaming services.

The article was originally published by Cord Cutter News

Heads Up!!! Blink Kant Bo Season 3 Streams On eVOD From August 20

The third season of the Turkish series Blink Kant Bo (Yalı Çapkını) is set to stream on eVOD from August 20th with the second season airing weeknights at 20:00 on eExtra.

Details regarding the first episode of Blink Kant Bo 

The difficult days push Seyran and Ferit in different directions in life. Feeling happier thanks to Sinan, Seyran surprises everyone by taking a bold step and proposing marriage to him. While Suna tries to explain the gravity of this decision to her sister, Seyran remains certain of her choice. Meanwhile, Ferit has somewhat distanced himself from his past since the arrival of Diyar. However, the news of the developments in Seyran's life is hard for him to handle. Orhan also experiences a significant change in his life, surprising everyone. An unexpected coincidence causes tension between Seyran and Sinan. As Ferit witnesses a scene he can hardly bear, he suddenly finds himself face-to-face with Seyran.

The third season promises to explore deeper emotional conflicts while continuing to captivate audiences with the rich drama and romantic tension that have made the series so popular. Pelin Akil, who plays Diyar, also made headlines for her comments about fan reactions to her role, reminding viewers to distinguish between fiction and reality.

In other developments, eMedia Investments is looking to rollout its first Zulu dubbed Bollywood drama on e.tv titled Uzozisola - Regrets. It was also seen on the defunct Glow TV brand as It's Complicated and was produced by Indian broadcaster Colors TV.

Movie Picks: Minions: Rise Of Gru On Studio Universal, Straight Outta Nowhere: Scooby-Doo! Meets Courage The Cowardly Dog On Play Room And Ghoomer On Zee Zonke

We're currently doing a little experiment and as such have launched a movie picks segment which comprise of channel premieres. These include movies that were likely accessible to premium and ones consumers couldn't see first hand when it was released.

Below is a list of premieres consumers should keep an eye on

Minions: The Rise Of Gru 

13 August 

18:00

Studio Universal 

In 1976, an eleven-year-old Gru dreams of becoming a supervillain, assisted by the Minions, whom he has hired to work for him. Gru is ecstatic when he receives an audition invitation from the Vicious 6, a supervillain team now led by Belle Bottom, who hope to find a new member to replace their founder, the supervillain Wild Knuckles, following their betrayal and attempted murder of Knuckles during a heist to steal the Zodiac Stone—a stone connected to the Chinese zodiac.

Straight Outta Nowhere: Scooby-Doo! Meets Courage The Cowardly Dog 

17 August

16:00

Play Room

The film is set in Nowhere, Kansas, where the co-protagonists are facing a giant Cicada Queen. They discover that the cicada's unnatural size and every other strange encounter which Courage has dealt with were the result of a dark matter meteor located under Courage's residence.

Ghoomer

17 August

18:00

Zee Zonke 

Young batting prodigy Anina loses her right hand on the eve of her international cricketing debut. A failed cricketer enters her life and offers her new hope. With innovative training, she becomes a bowler for the Indian cricket team, and they invent a new style of bowling.

Disney Jr., The Powerhouse Brand Behind Streaming’s Top Preschool Series, Unveils New Slate At ‘Disney Jr. Let’s Play!’ Event

After a record-breaking year, Disney Jr., which currently dominates preschool television with the top three shows on streaming for Kids 2-5 — Bluey, Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends, and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse — unveiled a slate of new series, specials, casting news and premiere dates today. The announcements were made by Ayo Davis, president, Disney Branded Television, at the “Disney Jr. Let’s Play!” fan celebration.

Highlights included new series Cars: Lightning Racers, inspired by Disney and Pixar’s Academy AwardⓇ-winning Cars films, with Owen Wilson and Larry the Cable Guy reprising their iconic roles; Marvel’s Avengers: Mightiest Friends, the first-ever preschool Avengers series; and two new seasons of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse+, which debuted July 22 on Disney+ as the biggest original Disney Jr. launch on the platform to date* and was also the #1 streaming series in average audience for Kids 2-5 in its premiere week, per Nielsen.

Said Davis: “Disney Jr. is where preschool magic begins — and no one does it bigger or better. Our shows are often a child’s very first connection to the world of Disney, sparking the songs they sing, the characters they adore, and the adventures they want to live again and again.” She continued, “Today’s announcements build on that leadership, expanding the worlds kids already love and introducing new multiplatform stories that will capture the hearts of the next generation.”

NEW SERIES, SPECIALS AND SHORTS

CARS: LIGHTNING RACERS (New Series)

• Debuts 2027 on Disney Jr., then Disney+

• Produced by Disney Television Animation in association with Pixar

• Executive Producers: Travis Braun and Frank Montagna

• Story Editor: Dana Starfield

• Supervising Director: Nathan Chew

Building on Disney and Pixar’s beloved Cars franchise, Cars: Lightning Racers follows Lightning McQueen as he gears up for all-new adventures in Radiator Springs alongside his hilarious best friend Mater and new friends thrill-seeking drag car Pipes and mud-loving monster truck Miles. The all-star cast returning to their original roles includes Owen Wilson as Lightning McQueen, Larry the Cable Guy as Mater, Tony Shalhoub as Luigi, Cheech Marin as Ramone, Bob Peterson as Chick Hicks and John Ratzenberger as Mack. Leah Lewis (Elemental) and Yuri Lowenthal (Marvel Rivals video game) join the cast as Pipes and Miles, respectively. Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary) will also voice a new character, Ms. Blinker.

Evolving from the new Marvel’s Iron Man and his Awesome Friends series (premiering Aug. 11 on Disney Jr., next day on Disney+), Marvel’s Avengers: Mightiest Friends introduces kid versions of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes: Iron Man (Tony Stark), Captain America (Steve Rogers), Hulk (Bruce Banner), Black Panther (T’Challa), Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff) and Thor. Together, the young Avengers strive to be their best selves while facing off against classic Super Baddies.

MARVEL’S SPIDEY AND IRON MAN: AVENGERS TEAM UP! (New Specials)

• Two New 22-Minute Specials Debut: Special #1 premieres Oct. 16 on Disney Jr., next day on Disney+; Special #2 premieres 2026 on Disney Jr., then Disney+

• Produced by Disney Jr. and Marvel Studios in association with Atomic Cartoons

• Executive Producers: Bart Jennett, Chris Moreno and Harrison Wilcox

• Co-Producer: Becca Topol

The first special sees Iron Man and the Avengers joining Spidey to stop Ultron and Green Goblin from taking control of the city’s devices.

A second Halloween-themed special will premiere in 2026.

MICKEY & MINNIE’S HOLIDAY SONGS: HALLOWEEN (New Stop-Motion Shorts)

• Produced by Stoopid Buddy Stoodios in association with Disney Jr.

• Director/Producer: David H. Brooks

• Supervising Producer/Director: John Harvatine IV

These sing-along stop-motion music videos feature Mickey, Minnie and the gang as they get into the Holiday spirit.

RETURNING SERIES

MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE+ (New Season Orders — Seasons 2 and 3)

• Season 2 debuts 2027; Season 3 debuts 2028 on Disney Jr., then Disney+

• Produced by Disney Television Animation

• Executive Producer: Rob LaDuca

• Co-Producer/Story Editor: Kim Duran

A continuation of the beloved EmmyⓇ Award-winning original series, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse+ welcomes the next generation of preschoolers and their families to the iconic Clubhouse for all-new, plussed-up adventures with Mickey, Minnie and their pals. The first 10 episodes of Season 1 are currently streaming on Disney+, with additional episodes set to debut this fall.

SUPERKITTIES (Season 3)

• Produced by Sony Pictures Television – Kids in association with Disney Jr.

• Creator: Paula Rosenthal

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

SuperKitties — Top 10 most-watched streaming series for preschoolers — is an adorable and action-packed series about four fierce and furry superhero kittens — Ginny, Sparks, Buddy and Bitsy — who are on a mission to make their town of Kittydale a more caring and “pawesome” place. Season 3 introduces the new “Su-Purr Wild” story arc in which the SuperKitties travel into the Kittydale Wild Jungle to adventure with their wildcat friend, Willa, and new jungle critters.

CASTING NEWS

SOFIA THE FIRST: ROYAL MAGIC

• New series set to debut 2026 on Disney Jr., then Disney+

• Produced by Disney Television Animation

• Creator/Executive Producer: Craig Gerber

As previously announced, Ariel Winter (Modern Family) will return in the titular role as the voice of Sofia in this new series featuring the beloved Sofia the First, set to debut in 2026 on Disney Jr., then Disney+.

Announced today are additional returning cast members from the original series including Wayne Brady (Let’s Make A Deal) as Clover, Tim Gunn (Project Runway) as Baileywick, Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family) as Minimus, Sara Ramirez (Grey’s Anatomy) as Queen Miranda and Travis Willingham (The Legend of Vox Machina) as King Roland.

Sofia the First: Royal Magic follows Sofia as she attends The Charmswell School for Royal Magic, where she discovers she is the most magical princess in the realm and must learn how to master her powers while making new royal friends.

HEY A.J.

• Debuts 2026 on Disney Jr., then Disney+

• Produced by Surfing Giant Studios

• Executive Producers: Martellus Bennett, Jeff “Swampy” Marsh and Michael Hodges

Inspired by former Super Bowl champion and children’s book author Martellus Bennett, the upcoming new family comedy series Hey A.J.! is a whimsical and music-filled family comedy about an imaginative young girl who, along with her stuffed bunny sidekick, uses her big imagination to make ordinary life moments extraordinary.

As announced today, Amari McCoy (Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends) will star as lead character A.J., Martellus Bennett will voice her father, Marty, and GRAMMYⓇAward-nominated Jhené Aiko voices her mom, Siggi. Rounding out the cast is Juliet Donenfeld (Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures) as A.J.’s best friend Jessie, Innocent Ekakitie (Bunk’d) as Jazz, and David Mitchell (Phineas and Ferb) as A.J.’s bunny sidekick Theo. Pop superstar and GRAMMY Award winner Meghan Trainor will recur as A.J.’ s best friend Jessie’s mom.

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS 

DISNEY JR. ARIEL – THE LITTLE MERMAID (NEW SPECIAL)

• New 22-minute special debuts Aug. 22 on Disney Jr. and Disney+

• Produced by Wild Canary in association with Disney Jr.

• Executive Producer: Lynne Southerland

The new 22-minute special Disney Jr. Ariel – The Little Mermaid: The Glow Crystals will debut Aug. 22 on Disney Jr. and Disney+, and will air in rotation as part of Disney Jr.’s World Princess Week programming line-up (Aug. 24-30). It follows Ariel as she and her friends use their special gifts to rescue her family after a glitch in Ursula’s crystal ball sends her, Triton and Sebastian into a mystical cavern.

FIREBUDS (Season 3)

• Produced by Disney Television Animation

• Creator/Executive Producer: Craig Gerber

The series follows a team of young kids who are the children of first responders, living in the fantastical world of Gearbox Grove and Motopolis, where humans and their talking vehicle sidekicks work and play together. Season 3 introduces a new “Aquabuds” story arc and finds the Firebuds crew back with some new friends and equipped with new gear to use in daring water rescues.

STAR WARS: YOUNG JEDI ADVENTURES — (Season 3)

• Produced by Lucasfilm in collaboration with Wild Canary for Disney+ and Disney Jr.

• Executive Producers: Michael Olson, James Waugh, Jacqui Lopez and Josh Rimes

The anticipated third season will debut this Fall. Set 200 years before The Phantom Menace, during the High Republic era, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures follows Jedi younglings as they study the ways of the Force, explore the galaxy, help citizens and creatures in need, and learn valuable skills needed to become Jedi along the way. Season 3 follows the young Jedi as they delve into the world of droid care, befriending a droid shop owner named Dotti and three new droids: Beepers, Dozer and Gigi.

Canal+'s MultiChoice Ghana Could Be Forced To Shut Down It's DStv Services In The Coming Weeks

Ghana’s communication regulator, the National Communications Authority (NCA), has ordered the local shutdown of MultiChoice – Africa’s largest pay-TV operator — in 30 days from now, on Sept. 8, due to the streamer’s refusal to cut its subscription rate by 30%.

Like other countries in West Africa, Ghana has been up in arms about the steep increase in subscription charges for local pay-TV services which is partly caused by rampant inflation rates and weak currency across the continent.

Over the past two years, MultiChoice has drastically raised fees for its traditional satellite pay-TV business in several African countries, such as Nigeria and Kenya, as well as Zambia, Ghana, Uganda and Namibia, among others.

In Ghana, the pay-TV group increased the subscription fees by 15% in April with little notice, prompting the communications minister, Samuel George, to give MultiChoice an ultimatum to lower its rate by 30% by Aug. 7.

MultiChoice didn’t oblige and instead offered to maintain rates at existing levels, which wasn’t a good enough resolution for the local regulator. The latter told MultiChoice in Ghana that it has 30 days to “present its views, or provide remedial action, and submit a written statement of its objections to the suspension of the authorization”.

If the pay-TV group loses its license in Ghana, there is a risk that more African governments and regulators could follow Ghana’s example and start to retaliate against MultiChoice. If so, Canal+’s African takeover, when it goes through in October, could be worth less than what it’s paying for.

MultiChoice told sources it fears “dire consequences” if its Ghana operations must suddenly shutter a month from now. It will cause the loss of jobs of staff, installers, agents and retailers, said MultiChoise Ghana’s managing director Alex Okyere. The executive said it was “regrettable that Ghana’s minister took the stance to demand a 30% price cut notwithstanding our ongoing endevours to engage with him candidly and in good faith on this important matter.”

Okyere argued that MultiChoice has tried to “keep subscription fees as low as possible, despite the extremely challenging competitive and macro-economic environment in which we operate.” As such, it’s “not tenable to reduce fees in the manner proposed by the minister,” he said.

Canal+, meanwhile, declined to comment on the issue since it’s not yet the owner of MultiChoice.

The French pay-TV company has just obtained anti-trust approval for its takeover of MultiChoice. Some regulatory approvals still await in South Africa and are all expected to be cleared by Oct. 8. The region has the most evolved legislation on the continent in limiting foreign ownership and shareholding of local media licenses and companies.

In his investors’ presentation call on its latest half-year results, CEO Maxime Saada said Canal+ will make swift changes to MultiChoice’s operations to bolster the pay-TV television business.

“We will not wait for the beginning of next year to change a number of things,” Saada said. “We intend to provide benefits to consumers across all African geographies as soon as the end of the year, if we close when we expect to close. And we will launch a synergy plan as soon as we take control,” he continued.

Saada noted that “by the beginning of next year if everything goes to plan, we will already have launched some plans to generate some synergy.”

A looming question will be the way forward and plans with the money-guzzling joint streamer venture Showmax of MultiChoice and NBCUniversal.

Canal+ already runs Viaplay and has its own streamer Canal+ and is the second largest shareholder at 37.2% of the VIU video streaming service already available in South Africa.