Is the Disney Channel shutting down? Here's why folks are asking

Is the Disney Channel going away? No way. At least not in the U.S.

The online rumor mill has gone into hyperdrive over chatter about the channel – home to popular shows "Bluey" and "Marvel's Spidey and His Amazing Friends" and other programs – being shuttered and filed away in the Disney vault.

In reality, this whole kerfuffle grew out of a misunderstanding. The Disney Channel is leaving two European TV services – Canal+ and Net TV in France and Spain, respectively – in January, the Walt Disney Co. says.

But viewers in both countries will still be able to watch Disney Channel programs on demand through the Disney+ subscription streaming service, Disney says.

The Disney+ fan site What's on Disney Plus also posted a statement from Disney about the shutting down of the Disney Channel linear network in Brazil in February 2025.

Overall, the Disney Channel is currently in more than 160 countries and in 34 languages, the company said.

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What we know about the Disney Channel

When asked about online chatter that Disney Channel was shutting down, Disney told USA TODAY that the channel has a full slate of children's programming – for preschoolers and kids who are older – planned through the coming year and 2026.

And the channel remains popular, with the company saying it remains the #1 cable network among children aged 6-11 and girls 6-11. "We look forward to continuing to offer this best-in-class programming that kids love," the company said in a statement.

Since the Disney Channel's launch in 1983, the network has delivered programs such as "Hannah Montana," "High School Musical," "That's So Raven" and more. And additional channels have been launched including Disney XD and Disney Jr.

But the arrival and success of Disney+ has led the company to promote the streaming service over traditional linear channels for most content. Other countries where the Disney Channel has been shut down include Australia and the U.K., reported the Cord Cutters News website.

However, Disney's sports channels including ESPN are often kept on TV systems, which suggests "a strategic focus on retaining live sports programming, which continues to draw significant audiences to traditional television," the site said.

That's because although nearly all U.S. homes (about 88%) have some type of streaming service, there are many homes who subscribe to pay TV services delivered via cable, satellite and fiber (about 25 million), while another 16 million pay for broadband-delivered services such as YouTube TV, according to Leichtman Research Group.

Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Disney Channel: Is it shutting down? Not in the US