Streaming services have changed the way we used to consumer TV and movies. People shifted more towards live streaming services during the coronavirus pandemic. This resulted in a boom in viewership which ultimately brought new players into the market. But not all services are going to stay forever. Despite all the positive signs, Disney has announced its decision to close its one streaming service in the United States. The company said that it will start shutting down Hotstar by the end of this year. This comes as shock for many as the platform is extremely popular for carrying lives cricket matches. There are various shows and movies on the platform too that will disappear by late 2022.
But the good news is that fans and subscribers of Hotstar would not be left in the lurch. The company has chalked out a plan to shift the content to its other platforms. While Disney would move its live cricket to ESPN+, other shows and movies will be shifted to Hulu. Hotstar subscribers who are not paying for the Disney+ streaming bundle would be provided access to other platforms at no extra cost. The package would include Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu. Disney said that the move would help good quality content to reach a broader audience. This will also make the package more attractive for customers.
“Hotstar has been providing a variety of content in South Asian region. The decision to move content to ESPN+ and Hulu would increase the reach of the content. The decision would help it reach broader audiences,” the company said in a statement. While the company has decided to shift the content once the platform is closed down, there would be no change in the cost of the beefed-up bundle service. According to reports, the company would continue to charge USD 13.99 a month for the Disney+ combo bundle. It is pertinent to mention that Hotstar subscribers contributed around 40 percent of Disney+’s total subscribers.
Jeffrey is acting editor in chief of AmazingNews24 with over seven years of experience in the field of online news under his belt. Jeffrey has worked with multiple media houses and is currently leading a team of journalists, sub-editors and writers through his entrepreneurial endeavours.