Disney's Linear TV Channels Return To Sky Italia

Disney's linear TV channels are coming back to Sky. In a few days, as ItaliaOggi can exclusively reveal, the partnership agreement between the Burbank giant and Comcast’s broadcaster will be officially announced. The deal will bring some of Disney’s rich content catalogue — including Disney, FX, Hulu, etc. — back to good old traditional linear television channels, which, contrary to what many analysts have claimed for years, never actually go out of fashion.

Soon, therefore, Sky Italia subscribers will enjoy a new Disney-branded channel, with potential future developments in the areas of animation, TV series, movies, and documentaries.

Sky’s strategy

All of this fits into a broader strategic redesign in which Sky is reshaping its partnership perimeter based on the value perceived by its subscribers. This same logic explains the recent acquisitions of TV rights for basketball and rugby, the renewal of the UEFA agreement for Champions League rights from 2027–2031, and the ongoing negotiations with Liberty Media-Dorna for the renewal of MotoGP rights (whose current deal expires at the end of 2025). MotoGP currently finds itself with TV ratings halved, a championship of little interest, and no standout personalities apart from Marc Márquez — yet it is unlikely to give up its relationship with Sky (the platform that still guarantees the greatest visibility for the two-wheeled circus) and may simply accept a lower fee for the rights.

The end of the partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery

The agreement with Disney comes just as Sky Italia’s long relationship with Warner Bros. Discovery is officially coming to an end. As is already known, from 1 July 2025 all Eurosport, Discovery, and even the free-to-air channels of the WBD group disappeared from Sky. On 31 December 2025, Cartoon Network, Boomerang, all Warner films, and new HBO series will definitively leave the platform. HBO, controlled by WBD, was the home of flagship titles such as House of the Dragon, Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, Succession, The Last of Us, The White Lotus, and The Pitt.

The future of HBO and Warner content on Sky

From 2026 onwards, Sky will still be able to broadcast new seasons of most of those existing franchises (with the exception of The Pitt), but no longer on an exclusive basis. However, it will no longer have direct access to new Warner or HBO films and brand-new series.

At least not directly. Because, thanks to the many new partnerships Sky is signing, Warner content that has “left through the door” may very well come back in “through the window” — possibly via Peacock, Netflix, or other platforms.

BBC Studios Africa Reveals New Format For BBC Lifestyle, Hidden Gems: South Africa

BBC Lifestyle is set to unveil Hidden Gems: South Africa, a fresh and immersive travel series that takes viewers off the beaten path to discover South Africa’s most luxurious and lesser-known escapes. Launching in 2026, the six-part series blends influencer-led storytelling with audience participation to celebrate the country’s rich natural beauty.

Hidden Gems: South Africa follows five South African travel influencers as they explore and showcase two of South Africa’s greatest hidden gems per episode, each accompanied by a guest. In each episode, the influencer receives an envelope revealing the surprise gems which they must visit, review, and showcase. BBC Lifestyle viewers will vote for their favourite hidden gem from the series and be in with the chance of winning exciting prizes. The most compelling review and favourite gem, voted for by the audience, will be revealed in the final episode (Episode Six) with the winning influencer receiving a special prize.

The series sees the influencers traveling across South Africa, offering a curated look at destinations that combine luxury with authenticity. Each episode is shaped by a distinct theme, celebrating the diverse beauty and character of South Africa’s landscapes.

The new series is produced by PD Production, the producers behind BBC Lifestyle’s popular shows – Listing Jozi, Listing Cape Town, Listing Mauritius and Listing Coastal South Africa which is currently airing on BBC Lifestyle (DStv channel 174) every Wednesday at 8pm with repeats Thursdays at 5pm.

Pierre Cloete, Vice President for Africa at BBC Studios, commented: “We’re thrilled to bring Hidden Gems: South Africa to BBC Lifestyle in 2026. This new format celebrates the diversity and richness of South Africa’s hidden destinations and showcases authentic local stories and personalities that will resonate with audiences across the continent. For the first time, BBC Lifestyle viewers will be invited to vote for their favourite gem, adding an exciting interactive element to the series.” 

Nico Nel and Trevor Kaplan producers from PD Production said: “With Hidden Gems: South Africa, we wanted to go beyond the usual travel show format. By empowering local influencers to spotlight South Africa’s hidden gems, we’re creating a series for BBC Lifestyle that’s both visually stunning and unique. We have just started filming and can’t wait for viewers to see the magic that’s been captured”

Hidden Gems: South Africa is proudly sponsored by LekkeSlaap, South Africa’s leading accommodation app.

Gerriline Fouché, LekkeSlaap's Chief Marketing Officer said “Hidden Gems: South Africa beautifully captures what we love most about local travel: discovering special places and the passionate people behind them. It’s a privilege for LekkeSlaap to help shine a light on these unique stays across the country.”

Paramount Looking To Increase Its Bid For Warner Bros. Discovery To $71 Billion

David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance is said to be turning to new partners in the Middle East to help back his offer to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in its entirety.

Paramount Skydance has formed an investment consortium with the sovereign wealth funds of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi to submit a bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, sources told Variety. The bid is being largely backed by the Ellison family (which owns 100% voting control in Paramount Skydance) with involvement from three Arab countries: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), the sources said. In addition, Gerry Cardinale’s RedBird Capital is backing the bid.

Each of the funds would put up $7 billion (for a total of $21 billion); Paramount Skydance would front $50 billion for a proposed WBD acquisition for a total of $71 billion. (It’s not clear if that price tag would be inclusive of debt.) The board of Warner Bros. Discovery had previously rejected a $23.50/share offer from David Ellison.

The board of Warner Bros. Discovery has set a Nov. 20 deadline for initial bids from interested acquirers, which also include Comcast and Netflix.

Separately Tuesday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was meeting at the White House with President Trump.

Meanwhile, Comcast co-CEO Brian Roberts traveled to Saudi Arabia in late October to attend a conference in Riyadh hosted by the PIF, Variety has confirmed. He also visited Qiddiya, where the country is building a theme park destination, to scope out the area for a possible Universal park in the area. But it’s not known whether Roberts solicited investment backing from the Saudis for a Warner Bros. bid by Comcast.

Reps for Paramount Skydance, Warner Bros. Discovery and Comcast declined to comment.

Under the scenario in the WBD bid led by Paramount Skydance, the Saudi, Qatar and Abu Dhabi funds would hold small minority stakes in Warner Bros. Discovery. Each of the three would get “an IP, a movie premiere, a movie shoot,” a knowledgeable source told Variety. “All they care about is reputation and soft power,” the source added.

The Saudis do not have “any incentive” to join a prospective Comcast bid for Warner Bros. (excluding WBD’s linear TV networks) because their understanding is that “the Trump administration doesn’t like Comcast CEO Brian Roberts at all,” the source said.

Trump, who has regularly been upset about the coverage of Comcast-owned MSNBC (which is now called MS NOW), earlier this year called Roberts the “chairman of ‘Concast’” and a “lowlife.” Trump has equated the cable news outlet to “an illegal arm of the Democrat Party,” and claimed that Comcast “should be forced to pay vast sums of money for the damage they’ve done to our Country.”

Saudis Reportedly Eyeing Warner Bros. Discovery With Comcast

The Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia – reportedly worth upwards of a trillion dollars – may be entering the fray for a potential takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), and it may be teaming up with Comcast Corporation.

Comcast CEO Brian Roberts recently traveled to Saudi Arabia, where he held meetings with PIF officials while exploring a WBD bid.

According to The New York Post and Puck News, Roberts also visited Qiddiya, the site of Saudi Arabia’s upcoming “megacity of play” where a Universal‑branded theme park is expected in partnership with Comcast’s theme‑park business.

Why the Saudis Are Interested: Studios, Streaming & Theme Parks

The Saudi connection makes strategic sense. The PIF may want the Warner Bros./DC brand as the anchor for a Universal Studios park in Qiddiya, pairing with Comcast’s existing theme‑park infrastructure.

A Saudi–Comcast alliance would thus bring global content, streaming/IP rights, and a real‑world destination into one package.

Meanwhile, WBD is already positioned for sale: the company plans to split into two public entities — one focused exclusively on studios and streaming (Warner Bros.), and the other on linear networks (Discovery Global) — by mid‑2026.

Fewer Regulatory Hurdles Thanks to Spinoffs

Regulatory concerns that typically plague big media mergers may be reduced in this case.

Comcast is spinning off its U.S. cable networks and related news assets into a new publicly traded company called Versant Media Group Inc., which will leave Comcast primarily with its theme‑park, streaming, and studio assets.

At the same time, WBD’s planned split isolates the studio/streaming business from its legacy cable networks, making the part that potential buyers want cleaner and more streamlined.

What It Means for the WBD Sale Race

If a Saudi–Comcast bid materializes, it could throw a new wrinkle into the running, which already includes Paramount Global/Skydance (led by David Ellison) and streaming players like Netflix.

The presence of Saudi backing adds serious firepower and global ambition. With WBD stock already rising past $20 and Zaslav aiming for far more, a new bidder like this could accelerate or reshape the bidding war.

The article was originally published by Cosmic Book News

Paramount Cancels DORA And 2D-Animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles On Nickelodeon

The upcoming seasons of Nickelodeon's CG-animated DORA and 2D-animated Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will be their last.

Season two of Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles premieres on Paramount+ in December and will run on Nicktoons next year. Produced by Nickelodeon Animation and Point Grey Pictures, the series bridges the gap between Nickelodeon Movies and Paramount Pictures' blockbuster TMNT movie, Mutant Mayhem, and it's upcoming sequel, currently slated for release in 2027. The franchise is expected to continue with IDW's TMNT comics.

The debut of Dora‘s fourth season on the streamer was originally slated for the fourth quarter of this year, but is now TBD. It too will be followed by a linear window on Nick Jr. A fifth and final season of Dora also has been produced; its fate is unclear. A reimagining of Nickelodeon's iconic Latina heroine, the series is produced by Nickelodeon Animation, with the show's cancellation coming as the franchise is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

Paramount is actively exploring third-party licensing opportunities for both series, something the company has been doing consistently for a number of years, with a number of Nickelodeon titles available on Netflix, for example.

The cancellation decisions come on the heels of the post Paramount-Skydance merger restructuring. In it, all Paramount linear networks, including Nickelodeon, as well as the Nickelodeon Animation Studios, which produces the majority of the Nick animated shows, including Dora and Ninja Turtles, were consolidated into a TV Media division overseen by Chair George Cheeks.

In a memo last week announcing TV Media’s executive structure, Cheeks hinted at a slimming down the current roster of cable series.

“Our cable brands will focus on a more curated slate, optimizing programming and marketing resources to amplify what resonates most,” he said. “That means leaning into franchises like SpongeBob, PAW Patrol, RuPaul’s Drag Race, South Park, Ms. Pat and The Daily Show, while continuing to develop new IP across our studios and seeking new ways to amplify and connect with audiences.”

Not surprisingly, Nick’s flagship franchises, SpongeBob SquarePants and PAW Patrol, made the list of priority linear brands. Neither Dora nor Ninja Turtles did but both have a long history at the network and may be revisited in the future with new iterations.

The Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cancellation was first reported by The InSneider.

Sky New Zealand Launches Two New Channels To Replace Paramount's Offering And Cartoon Network

Sky New Zealand is launching two new self-branded channels to replace Paramount’s Nickelodeon, Nick Jr, Comedy Central and Cartoon Network, which are ceasing transmission from early December.

The new offerings, Sky Comedy and Sky Kids, will carry programming from the expiring channels in addition to new shows from a range of studios and locally commissioned content.

“Kids and comedy programming are at the heart of Sky’s entertainment offering. By bringing these important channels ‘in-house’ we can choose and curate the content that we know our customers enjoy and engage with, combining Paramount fan favourites with content from other studios,” said Fiona Murray, Sky NZ’s head of entertainment.

Sky Comedy will feature Comedy Central content including the final season of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, South Park, The Daily Show and Beavis & Butt-Head, in addition to retro classics including Cheers, Reno 911!, Nathan For You and Key & Peele.

Sky Kids is being pitched as offering educational programming for preschoolers through to primary school-age children. Former Nickelodeon and Nick Jr content will be included alongside “a strong slate of local programming.”

The new outlet will complement the existing CBeebies channel, providing local content including Katie’s Kuri and The Last Moa, as well as multiple seasons of home-grown hits such as Kiri & Lou, The Drawing Show, Extreme Cake Sports and Secrets at Red Rocks.

Sky NZ said some content from the axed channels will continue to be available via on-demand on the new Sky Experience service across the Sky Box and Sky Pod platforms. Cartoon Network content will continue to be available on-demand through the HBO Max hub via the Sky Entertainment package.

The broadcaster has also partnered with Mood TV to bring two new local music channels to its channel line-up, Juice TV and J2, which effectively replace MTV Hits and MTV 80s. In line with the global shutdown of the MTV brand, the music channels will no longer be available via linear in New Zealand.

In October, it was announced that MTV linear channels would progressively shut down in the UK, Poland, France and Brazil. In Australia, the MTV brand has suffered a similar fate, with its channels having been shut down weeks ago by OTT provider Fetch TV. Paramount owned Australian channels MTV 80s, MTV 90s, MTV 00s, MTV Club and MTV Hits which were previously carried by Foxtel in a deal that was not renewed.

All changes to Sky NZ programming take effect from December 2.