The Walt Disney Company Africa and MultiChoice Group have signed a multi-year distribution deal for Disney’s portfolio of linear channels on DStv until 2027. National Geographic, National Geographic Wild, Disney Channel, Disney Junior as well as ESPN and ESPN2 will continue to be carried by DStv for the next four years.
The channels will continue to be available on the following DStv packages:
• National Geographic: Family and up
• National Geographic Wild: Access and up
• Disney Channel: Compact and up
• Disney Junior: Access and up
• ESPN: Access and up
• ESPN2: Compact and up
Christine Service, Senior Vice President and General Manager of The Walt Disney Company Africa, says: “This distribution renewal ensures that we will be able to continue bringing our six 24-hour channels to audiences across the continent and marks another proud milestone in our long-term relationship with the MultiChoice Group. With a strong foundation of creativity, story-telling, exploration and multi-generational emotional connection, we are proud to continue offering DStv viewers the very latest from our high-quality, premium kids, factual and sports content.”
“Championing our mission to enrich lives and elevate entertainment experiences, we’re thrilled to ensure our customers can savour their favourite shows and movies effortlessly, anytime, anywhere, thanks to our state-of-the-art platforms. “Extending our Partnership with The Walt Disney Company and the incredible linear channels on DStv elevate our offering and amplifies the joy of entertainment!” Nomsa Philiso, CEO: General Entertainment, MultiChoice South Africa.
The Walt Disney Company operates on 24-hour channels in Africa, in both English and Portuguese across the portfolios of family (Disney Channel and Disney Junior), factual (National Geographic, National Geographic Wild) as well as sports (ESPN and ESPN 2).
Disney Channel (CH 303) celebrates friendships through feel good, fun stories infused with music. It’s a place where young viewers can be themselves amongst extraordinary friends. Disney Junior (CH 309) invites kids into a magical world of fun and imagination, featuring the characters they love.
With a promise to inspire the explorer in everyone, National Geographic (DStv CH 181) pushes the boundaries of exploration through ground-breaking storytelling, offering viewers the opportunity to go further. National Geographic WILD (CH 182) is dedicated to providing a unique insight into the natural world and the amazing creatures that inhabit it. From the most remote jungles to the forbidding depths of our oceans, to the protected parks on our doorsteps, National Geographic WILD uses spectacular cinematography and compelling storytelling to unveil the mysteries of the natural world.
ESPN & ESPN 2 feature every major US sport as well as European football, and fans across the continent can look forward to popular premier American leagues including the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL) and Major League Baseball (MLB).
bout MultiChoice Group
MultiChoice Group (MCG), listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), is a leading provider of entertainment and related consumer services, with an expanding ecosystem, underpinned by scalable technologies, and a track record now spanning almost 40 years. MCG provides video entertainment products and services through its linear and streaming platforms to 23.5m households across 50 countries on the African continent and continues to grow by producing and acquiring the best local, sport and international content and offering tiered subscription packages and aggregated streaming services to its customer base. MCG’s superior technology capabilities enables it to continue innovating around distribution, digital and payment solutions and content security to offer the best customer experience across the continent. Reaching up to 100 million individuals on a daily basis, the MultiChoice Group is using its scale and distribution to expand its platform to include sports betting and interactive entertainment, fin-tech services, household services (focused on internet connectivity and emergency response services) and ed-tech. Irdeto, MCG’s technology business, provides platform cybersecurity services which protect over 6bn devices and applications globally for some of the world’s best media and technology brands, as well as clients in the connected industries sector.
About The Walt Disney Company EMEA
The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise that includes Disney Parks, Experiences and Products; Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution; International Content and Operations and three content groups—Studios, General Entertainment and Sports–focused on developing and producing content for direct-to-consumer, theatrical and linear platforms. Disney is a Dow 30 company and had annual revenues of $82.7 billion in its Fiscal Year 2022.
The Walt Disney Company has been in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) for over 80 years and employs thousands across the region. Between Disneyland Paris and its other iconic brands, including Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, 20th Century Studios and ESPN, The Walt Disney Company EMEA entertains, informs and inspires millions of consumers in more than 130 countries through the power of unparalleled storytelling. Disney+, the company’s direct-to-consumer streaming service, is currently available in 60 markets across EMEA.
