A stalwart on the ABC schedule for 16 years and 30 cycles, Disney announced last week that reality competition series Dancing with the Stars will move to Disney Plus for its 31st iteration this fall.
Gauging what it means to the broader shift from broadcast to streaming, reactions to this particular move are somewhat more polarized than usual.
LightShed Partners analyst Rich Greenfield, for example, tweeted that the move marked a "watershed moment," proving Disney CEO Bob Chapek and his team are "all-in" in regards to streaming.
Meanwhile, veteran TV business writer Michael Schneider noted DWTS' steadily eroding linear ratings, which saw a record low 5.6 million viewers tune into the Season 30 finale back in November. Schneider postulates that the shift is just a logical move for an "aging show" at this point in its lifecycle.
Another veteran TV business reporter, Josef Adalian, wondered if the Dancing with the Stars migration fit Disney's longterm agendas as they relate to the launch of ad-supported streaming on Disney Plus later this year, as well as the ultimate fate of Hulu.
