Is Disney+ About To Turn Into Cable TV?

Disney+ has gone through quite a few changes since it was first rolled out in 2019.

©Disney

We’ve seen thousands of titles added and removed, price increases, and even full-on mergers with other streaming services. And now, in the midst of Disney+’s password-sharing crackdown, the service could soon be introducing channels — here’s everything we know.

According to The Verge (as first reported by The Information) Disney+ could soon introduce channels a la cable television. The channels would apparently be similar to those on ad-free streaming services like Pluto or Tubi and could potentially remove the choice of deciding what to stream next.

©Disney

We could see channels dedicated to Star Wars and Marvel content, but also those that would feature classic animated Disney movies or even a Pixar channel. Viewers would still need a Disney+ subscription to watch the channels, and they’d still likely contain ads.

Currently, there is no official word on when these potential new channels might launch and Disney has not made any announcements confirming or denying their existence. But, it would be consistent with Disney’s overall streaming goals and the commitment to make the service profitable by the end of 2024.

Not only that, but a report from Bloomberg indicated that viewers have been spending more time watching free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) like Fox-owned Tubi over Peacock, Max, and Paramount Plus. It seems folks like the appeal of not having to commit to a show in favor of just throwing something on like the old days.

Unlike Tubi or Amazon’s Freevee, though, the reported Disney+ channels would still require a paid subscription and wouldn’t be free to stream. We’ll let you know if we hear any updates or announcements from Disney directly!