Disney Closing Fox Channel, Moving Shows To Disney+

Disney+ subscribers in the UK are about to get a major influx of content on the streaming service as Deadline reports that the “Fox channel” across the pond is being shuttered after 17 years. The closure of the channel will see all of its programming move to the Disney+ streaming service, marking yet another indicator that The Walt Disney Company has their primary focus set on growing their streaming platforms. This announcement means that all the Fox channel programming will appear under the “Star” vertical on Disney+ in the UK, for Disney+ subscribers in the US there’s little to be excited about here.

A Disney spokeswoman said in a statement: “On 30th June the FOX channel in the UK will close. Many titles will become available on Star on Disney+ and will be announced in the near future. We appreciate the support of our UK fans and can’t wait to keep sharing the best stories with you. Star on Disney+ serves as the home of movies and television from Disney’s creative studios, including Disney Television Studios (20th Television and ABC Signature), FX Productions and 20th Century Studios.”

Among the programming that airs on Fox channel that will move to the Star banner on Disney+ in the UK are titles already streaming in the US on the Disney owned Hulu including American Horror Story, The Orville, and Atlanta, and others like The Walking Dead, L.A.’s Finest, and others. Fox channel originals like War of the Worlds already have a home elsewhere in the US to boot.

The Star brand has been one of the footholds used by Disney to increase their marketshare and gain subscribers in several international markets including the UK, but also Australia, Canada, and much of the rest of Europe, plus Singapore. It debuted in Japan, Hong Kong, and South Korea earlier this year.

Last week came word from The Walt Disney Company that the Disney+ service had hit 103.6 million subscribers worldwide as of April 3rd, meaning that 8.7 million global customers joined the service in the past quarter.

“Our robust collection of library titles allows us to continually attract new subscribers and retain existing ones,” CEO Bob Chapek said during their most recent earnings call. “At the same time, we are also closely monitoring the recovery of theatrical exhibition as consumers begin to return to theaters.”

If you haven’t signed up for Disney+ yet, you can try it out here.

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