Disney signs with DStv, even as possible Disney+ launch nears

The Walt Disney Company Africa and MultiChoice Group have signed a distribution deal for Disney’s factual and family channels that air on DStv until 2024.

This is despite expectations that Disney will launch its Disney+ streaming service in South Africa in mid-2022.

“National Geographic, National Geographic Wild, Disney Channel, Disney Junior as well as ESPN and ESPN2, which debuted on the DStv platform in 2020, will continue to be carried by DStv for the next two years, taking the total of Disney-run linear channels on DStv to six,” MultiChoice said in a statement on Wednesday.

The channels will be available on the following DStv packages:

• National Geographic: Compact and up
• National Geographic Wild: Access and up
• Disney Channel: Compact and up
• Disney Junior: Access and up
• ESPN: Compact and up
• ESPN2: Compact+ and up

“This distribution renewal with the MultiChoice Group marks another proud milestone in our long-term relationship,” said Christine Service, senior vice president and GM of The Walt Disney Company Africa, in Wednesday’s statement.

In August, it was reported that Disney CEO Bob Chapek had said the launch of Disney+ in Eastern Europe had been delayed from this year to 2022 to accommodate a launch in South Africa and some markets in the Middle East.

Chapek reportedly alluded to a “summer 2022″ launch, which equates to a winter 2022 debut for Disney+ in South Africa, News24 reported at the time.

Disney+ has enjoyed strong growth since its launch, posing a meaningful threat to streaming market leader Netflix. It had 118.1 million subscribers as of 2 October, just two years after its launch. That compares to Netflix’s global subscriber base of 214 million as at 19 October.  – © 2021 NewsCentral Media