Disney to completely exit linear TV business in Southeast Asia, parts of East Asia by 2024

Bye, Nat Geo!

Through articles published since Tuesday, Disney was revealed to be pulling the plug on its remaining linear television assets in South East Asia and East Asia regions by this year’s end. These channels are namely: National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild, Star Chinese, Star Chinese Movies, Star Movies, and Star World. It should be noted that all of these are part of the suite of channels that Disney acquired from 21st Century Fox in 2019.

According to the plan, the channels will cease in Southeast Asia (the Philippines included), Hong Kong, and South Korea this October. In Taiwan, the timetable are as follows: Nat Geo (CHT only), Nat Geo Wild HD, and Baby TV will end on October 1.

While the operations of the eight other channels (National Geographic Channel (in all pay TV operators), Star Chinese Channel, Star Movies, Star Movies Gold, Star World, Star Entertainment Channel, Star Chinese Movies HD and Star Movies HD) are set to end on New Year’s Day 2024.

The decision to end the operations of these channels, which mostly operate in cable and satellite television in the region, comes amidst the conglomerate’s push to drive subscribers to its direct-to-consumer segment, primarily Disney+ or Disney+ Hotstar in other areas. In the Philippines, Disney+ launched in November 2022.

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The cessation of broadcasts for the remaining Disney-owned linear channels spells the company’s full exit from the linear television business in the region. In 2021, the company had already shut down 18 of its channels, including the Asian feed of its flagship kids TV network, Disney Channel.

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Local pay television providers in the Philippines, where the Disney-owned channels are available at the moment, have yet to release their respective official advisories with regards to the matter. But what is clear now is that once the closure of the TV channels happens in October 2023, the primary access point for content from National Geographic and Star, along with other Disney-owned IPs, will shift over to the Disney+ service.