The Walt Disney Company will rebrand its free-to-air Disney Channel as Disney TV across Germany, Austria and Switzerland (DACH), expanding its programming with a stronger focus on adult target groups beyond its existing family and children’s offering.
The future line-up will include animation, live-action series, family entertainment, drama, documentaries and content from FX, Marvel Studios and Star Wars. Dedicated children’s programming blocks and family films will remain part of the schedule, ensuring a continued multi-demographic approach.
The move – for which no date has been announced yet – follows the integration of the linear channel into Disney+ earlier this year, enabling viewers to access the free-to-air channel via the streaming platform in addition to distribution via satellite, cable, IPTV and OTT.
“We want to offer our audiences diversity, choice and exceptional storytelling across all our platforms. The Disney TV schedule will expand our free-to-air offering in Germany with more content for adult target groups, complemented by carefully curated exclusive Disney+ content. At the same time, dedicated children’s programming blocks and popular family films will remain an integral part of the offering,” said Eun-Kyung Park, Senior Vice President Direct-to-Consumer & Networks and Country Manager Germany, Switzerland and Austria at The Walt Disney Company.
According to the company, the expanded programming strategy will also increase advertising inventory, particularly among viewers aged 16 and above, creating additional cross-media and monetisation opportunities for advertisers.
Alongside the channel rebrand, Disney+ unveiled the new German-language Hulu Original Under the Ice, a six-part thriller set against the backdrop of the Matterhorn. Produced in Switzerland by C-Films, the series follows mountain rescuer Eve Lehner as she investigates the disappearance of wealthy businessman Paul Welsch. Filming is set to begin shortly.
2026 is also set to be a significant year for Disney Advertising in the EMEA region. The rollout of its proprietary ad-tech infrastructure will begin later this summer, including the integration of the Disney Audience Graph into Disney+ in EMEA. This will create a more closely connected advertising ecosystem designed to deliver data-driven precision, relevance and measurable impact, extending capabilities already established in the US and other markets to Disney+ in EMEA, according to the company.
Solutions such as Dynamic Ad Insertion, which allow advertising messages to be integrated more precisely into digital live environments, are set to further expand opportunities for brands on Disney+, including around events such as the UEFA Women’s Champions League in the 2026/27 season.
