EXCLUSIVE | DISNEY channels to be removed from FETCH TV after FOXTEL walkout

Fresh from the announcement yesterday beloved kids channels Disney and Disney Jnr would soon be departing Foxtel, TV Blackbox can now confirm Fetch TV subscribers will also be losing the popular programming.

TV Blackbox was the first to reveal the Foxtel axing for Disney Channel and Disney Jr, and now we can confirm Fetch TV customers will also be affected.

In October, TV Blackbox exclusively revealed Foxtel had negotiated a short-term extension to its Disney contract allowing it to continue broadcasting Disney and Disney Jr over the summer school holiday period. 

At the time, Foxtel remained hopeful of negotiating a long-term deal with Disney. However, recent negotiations between the two parties stalled with Foxtel making the decision it was no longer economically viable to continue broadcasting the two channels.

TV Blackbox understands the decision by Foxtel to drop the channels caused Disney to determine it was no longer economically viable to produce this content for the Australian market. Meaning they will also be removed from Fetch TV.

Disney and Disney Jnr will depart Foxtel on February 28th but will remain available on Fetch TV until April 30.

A spokesperson for Fetch TV confirmed the decision, telling TV Blackbox;

“We are disappointed with this outcome, but unfortunately the money we pay to Disney for the channels isn’t enough to keep them going without the money they are currently receiving from Foxtel.”

Disney has been an important part of the Fetch platform since 2013. Due to a lack of availability, it’s unlikely Fetch will be able to add replacement channels to its Kids Pack in the near future.

The decision comes at the same time as Disney confirmed it had added 26.5 million global subscribers to its Disney+ platform in the three months since launch. The faster than anticipated growth of the new streaming product providing Disney the confidence to move away from its traditional Pay-Television base quicker than initially intended.