Success of Disney+ Forces Shut Down of 100 Disney Channels

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Disney Plus

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Disney+ — the ultimate streaming service for all Disney, Star Warsand Marvel fans. With the entire Star Wars Skywalker Saga, nearly every Walt Disney Animation Studios film, Disney Channel TV shows, all of the MCU movies, and Disney+ Originals such as WandaVision and The Mandalorian, it’s no surprise that Disney+ has been a hit ever since it first launched in 2019.

Related: Disney+ Or Disney Channel? Fans Speak Out On Possible Loss Of Disney Cable Networks

bob chapek disney plus
Credit: Disney

In fact, Disney+ has been so successful that just a few months after the streaming service first launched in November 2019, it forced the shut down of several channels including Disney Channel and Disney Junior in various countries such as Italy, Germany, Spain, and more.

And, just a few weeks ago, we reported that even more channels would shut down due to the success of Disney+. Well, it looks like the company is planning on shutting down additional channels in 2021 — in fact, Disney CEO Bob Chapek confirmed that 100 more would close this year.

Disney Plus
Credit: Disney+

During a recent Q&A with Chapek at the J.P. Morgan Global Technology, Media And Communications Conference, he was asked if more international networks would be shutting down soon. Chapek replied with:

“Well, we closed 30 channels in FY2020 or in 2020. We plan to close 100 in 2021. So yes, we will continue and continue at a robust rate. And then the content to your question, we’ll continue to migrate to Disney+, the great majority of that content will migrate to Disney+. And again, the decisions that we make in individual channels and individual markets, and the timing of such are sort of framed up by existing deals that we’ve gotten some of the constraints we’ve got there, but as you can see, that continues to be a core strategy for us as we pivot towards direct-to-consumer.”

At this time, and as Chapek mentioned, we do not know which channels will be shutting down as that is based on the individual markets. However, Inside the Magic will continue to update you as we get information.

Disney+ price increase
Credit: Disney

If you are not yet signed up for Disney’s streaming service, Disney+, you can get signed up here.

Are you upset to see channels closing down due to the success of Disney+? Or do you stream nothing but Disney+? Let us know in the comments below.

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