Following the launch of Disney+ in 2019, we’ve seen Disney slowly closing down its traditional linear channels in many countries around the world, including Australia, South Korea and the United Kingdom.
Recently, it was announced that the Disney Channel would be closing down in Spain on January 7th, 2025 and that some channels would also no longer be available via Canal+ in France.
This week, it’s been revealed that Disney will be closing even more linear channels in Brazil, including:
- Disney Channel
- National Geographic
- Star Channel
- FX
These channels will be closing on February 28th 2025.
However, the ESPN sports channels will remain operational and these closures are impacting on the whole of Latin America. Fans will still be able to watch Disney’s shows and films via Disney+, though not everything shown on these linear channels is currently available on Disney+.
This is the latest purge of linear channels in the region, as back in 2022, Disney closed down Star Premium, Disney XD, Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Kids, FX Movies and Star Life. A statement from Disney said:
“In response to the transformations in the local media and entertainment landscape, and to ensure we continue to evolve and meet the needs of our consumers with agility and innovation, we have decided to suspend the operation of some linear channels in Brazil as of February 28, 2025, This decision includes the closure of Star Channel, Cinecanal, FX, National Geographic, Disney Channel and Baby TV, without impacting our sports channels.”
Earlier this year, Disney made some significant changes to how it operates its streaming service across Latin America, merging Star+ into Disney+, which saw all of Star’s general entertainment and ESPN’s sports content brought into Disney+.
Roger’s Take: Over the past five years, we’ve seen Disney slowly pulling back from traditional television channels, as audiences abandon satellite/cable television, shifting over to streaming services. Ultimately, these channels get to a point where they are no longer profitable when their viewership drops too low or when providers want fewer channels to try to keep prices lower to reduce costs.
What do you think of this decision? Let me know on social media!
Roger Palmer
Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What’s On Disney Plus & DisKingdom.
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