Disney severs connection with Netflix

ENTERTAINMENT giant Disney is dumping streaming behemoth Netflix, taking Star Wars and Pixar movies and its own classic kids’ flicks such as Frozen, Pocahontas and Aladdin with it.

The company made the announcement yesterday, saying it would be starting its own streaming service from 2019.

Netflix shares tumbled more than 7 per cent at the news, which follows a series of knocks for the popular platform including international condemnation of its film about anorexia, To The Bone, which had specialists concerned that it was glamorising the deadly disorder.

And just a week ago, San Diego University researchers revealed that a study of Google data showed searches about how to commit suicide had skyrocketed by up to 1.5 million queries in the days following the release of the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why starring Perth- born actor Katherine Langford.

Schools were forced to send letters home to parents and hold counselling sessions after children as young as 12 were left “distressed and depressed” by the popular show which depicts events following the suicide of a high school student.

While Disney’s new streaming service will initially only be for US audiences, the company did say it would be expanded to other markets.