Disney Channel is a Germanfree-to-airtelevision channel owned by The Walt Disney Company Germany. The channel is based inMunich and is for children.
Aimed at all ages, its programming consists of original first-run television series, theatrically released and original made-for-cable movies and select other third-party programming. The original programming is mainly supplied by itsAmerican counterpart.
The channel was originally launched on 16 October 1999[1] as a subscription television channel on theSky Deutschland platform. However, it was later closed down on 30 November 2013. It was transformed into a free-TV channel on 17 January 2014, replacingDas Vierte.[citation needed]
Walt Disney Television International opened their German offices near Munich on 1 March 1999. Disney Channel Germany was launched on 16 October 1999 as a subscription channel.[1]
Disney purchasedDas Vierte (lit. The Fourth), a free-to-air TV station, in December 2012 fromDmitry Lesnevsky, a Russian media mogul, and former owner of Russia'sREN-TV. In April 2013, Disney announced that Das Vierte would become Disney Channel in January 2014 as a 24-hour family entertainment network under Disney Channel's German head Lars Wagner.[3]
Evening Logo, used from20:15 (Primetime) daily, it was used until 1 February 2024.
Initial daytime programming included standard Disney Channel fare includingJessie,Austin & Ally,Phineas and Ferb andGravity Falls while prime time sawPixar films and older drawing shows including those fromABC Family as well asHallmark Channel'sCedar Cove. Disney formed an in house ad sales company, Disney Media +, for the channel given that two competitors control most ad sales companies.[4][5] The channel will also be offered on two online platforms: live-stream and a catch-up service.[4] The channel suspended transmission on 30 November 2013 and launched over the air on 17 January 2014[5] at 6 AM with the classic animatedshort filmSteamboat Willie.[6] Disney reported that its launch weekend pushed them past Nick in to third place among kid broadcast channels.[2]
Via the airwaves, the station had an availability to 93% of German TV households plus on two online platforms: live-stream and a catch-up service, as well as Europe wide onAstra digital satellite service.[4]
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