Disney Flex Muscle Stan, Foxtel Dumped Netflix Restricted

Walt Disney Co who are set to roll out their new Disney+ service in Australia in November has stripped content from Foxtel after earlier stripping content from Stan, they have also moved to stop the airing of Netflix commercials across Disney owned channels, with the only service to be spared is the ESPN network.

Disney+ will launch in Australia on November 19 − a week after its US launch − at $8.99 per month.

As a result, the Disney Movie channel will no longer be available on Foxtel from November 7th, which includes movies from Disney Animation, Pixar, Marvel and most Lucasfilm productions, the Nine Network service Stan was told back in July that they would lose Disney content.

Disney channels such as the US ABC, FX and National Geographic will no longer air Netflix commercials however Disney might consider airing a Netflix ad during its Oscars telecast, provided it promotes a movie and not the streaming service itself claims sources.

Disney is gearing up for its global streaming launch which will include the Avengers Endgame movie which is the world’s biggest grossing movie.

The Disney Jnr and Disney channels have been extended on Foxtel until the end of February but are the subject of further discussions, sources indicated.

Aware of the ban Foxtel has moved to launch Movie Kids with titles such as Adventures of Elmo in Crouch Land and Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were Rabbit.

The US-based studio and entertainment behemoth has been gearing up for the launch of its own subscription video on-demand service across the globe. Disney+ will launch in Australia on November 19 − a week after its US launch − at $8.99 per month.

Foxtel will still have a relationship with Disney. Disney movies will be available for purchase on its Box Office pay-per-view service, and content from 21st Century Fox − which Disney bought for $US71.3 billion and which owns shows such as The Simpsons and Modern Family − will still be available on Foxtel. FX Networks content, such as The Walking Dead, will remain exclusive to Foxtel in Australia.

“We have a huge summer coming up and this is just the start of the exciting announcements we have in stall, including an amazing summer of cricket,” Foxtel chief executive Patrick Delany said in a statement.

“The new channels across movies and entertainment add to our existing flagship channels and will be home to thousands of hours of the best live and on-demand TV all in one place. There is no other collection of channel brands like those Foxtel offers on Australian television or streaming platforms.” he said.

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