.svg) | |
| Formerly | List
|
|---|---|
| Company type | Division |
| Industry | Entertainment Television |
| Genre | Children and family |
| Founded | July 15, 1982; 43 years ago (1982-07-15) |
| Founder | Alan Wagner |
| Headquarters | , U.S. |
Number of locations | 37 (formerly) |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Ayo Davis (president) |
| Brands | |
| Services | Television content |
| Parent | Walt Disney Telecommunications (1982–1996) Disney Entertainment Television (1996–present) |
| Subsidiaries | Disney Original Documentary[1] Disney Television Animation It's a Laugh Productions |
| Website | www |
Disney Branded Television is a unit ofDisney Entertainment Television which oversees development, production and acquisition of content geared towards children, teenagers and families forDisney+,Disney Channel,Disney Jr. andDisney XD.[2] It also oversees Disney-branded unscripted series, documentaries and specials for Disney+ and the Disney channels.
Its predecessor or former incarnation, Disney Channels Worldwide, oversaw all local and global Disney television networks and channels until a conglomerate restructuring on March 14, 2018 brought forth a new division;Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International, which then took over the supervision of the global variations of the Disney channels and other non-US channels likeDisney International HD,Dlife andHungama TV. The supervision of the local channels andRadio Disney remained with Disney Channels Worldwide until October 1, 2020, when the division took its current name to reflect the growth of Disney+ and the gradual shift away from focusing on linear television at the time.
Disney Channel was originally established in the United States on April 18, 1983 as apremiumchannel, but converted to a basic service in 1997 where it remained ever since. Since March, 1995, Disney Channel expanded globally with the launch of various country-specific and regional variants of the channel, as well as program licensing agreements reached with television networks and channels not bearing the Disney Channel brand or name.
Previous corporate names for this division were:Walt Disney Entertainment, Inc. (1982–83),The Disney Channel, Inc. (1983–97),Disney Channel, Inc. (1997–2001),ABC Cable Networks Group (2001–05) andDisney Channels Worldwide (2005–2020).
On November 10, 1981,Walt Disney Productions andWestinghouse Broadcasting announced that they had joined up to start a family-oriented cable television service.[3] In 1982, Disney hired Alan Wagner to develop a cable channel.[4]
Twenty months after the launch, the channel moved into the home satellite dish market thus scrambling its signal.
By July 15, 1982, Disney incorporated Walt Disney Entertainment, Inc., which was renamed by January 28, 1983, to The Disney Channel, Inc.[5]
TheDisney Channel was launched on April 18, 1983 as a premium channel with 16 hours of programming.[4][6]
The channel became profitable in January 1985.
The channel started moving to the basic cable level on September 1, 1990, with TCI Montgomery Cablevision.[6] In March 1995, the second Disney Channel began broadcasting in Taiwan[7] while the third is launched in October for the United Kingdom.[6]
By September 29, 1997, the corporate name was shortened to just Disney Channel, Inc.[5] Disney had hiredGeraldine Laybourne away from Nickelodeon in 1996. She founded a kids channel codename ABZ, which the media speculated to be aimed at preschoolers, but was dismissed by Laybourne.[8] In December 1997, theToon Disney channel was announced as a basic channel consisting of Disney animated programming.[6] As of April 1, 1998, most of the international versions are pay channels while the Taiwan and Malaysia versions are ad supported and the USA version is a basic channel.[9] Toon Disney Channel was launched on April 18, 1998, on Disney Channel's 15th anniversary.[10]
In 2000, thePlayhouse Disney preschool channel was launchedin the United Kingdom[11] while in the US, in 1997, the Playhouse Disney block was launched on Disney Channel. Towards late June 2001, Disney was looking into launch Playhouse Disney as a channel in the United States for 2002.[12]
Disney Channel, Inc. changed its name to ABC Cable Networks Group, Inc. by January 31, 2001.[5] In October 2003,ABC Family Worldwide was shifted from Disney COO Bob Iger's directly reporting unit to the ABC Cable Networks Group.[13] In early 2004, Disney Channel's original programming leaders took over ABC Family's original movies unit temporarily as two ABC Family executives left the channel.[14]
In January 2004,Fox Kids Europe, Fox Kids Latin America and ABC Cable Networks Group created theJetix programming alliance that would rebrand Fox Kids in Europe, Middle East and Latin America as Jetix.[15]ABC1 launched on UK'sdigital terrestrial television platform on September 27, 2004.[16]
Barry Blumberg resigned as president ofWalt Disney Television Animation on November 17, 2005 to allow the planned transfer of TV animation to Disney Channels Worldwide.[17]
In 2006,Disney India acquiredHungama TV from UTV Software Communications Limited[18]Disney Cinemagic began broadcasting in the UK onSky in March 2006[19] and expanded across Western Europe in timeshift and HD variants.[20] ABC1 ceased broadcasting on all UK TV platforms at noon on September 26, 2007.[21]
In Spain,The Walt Disney Company Portugal purchased 20% ofManagement Company Television Net TV SA (or NET TV) on February 12, 2008[22] and announced on May 28 that same year the move of Disney Channel to the digital over-the air space, replacing NET TV'sFly Music on July 1.[23]
The company's Japanese unit, Walt Disney Television International Japan, started procuring its own animated series in March 2008, with the first two series to debut at Tokyo International Anime Fair 2008. The company producedStitch! withMadhouse Company, whileFireball was produced with Jinni's Animation Studios.[24]
After two Disney Channel stars had various scandals, the company started a set of classes for their young stars in 2009 to adapt to the pressure of fame. Optional monthly life-skill classes were added in 2014.[25]
Disney XD was launched on February 13, 2009, taking over the channel space ofToon Disney in the US[26] andJetix overseas (with some rebranding instead to Disney Channel) starting with France on April 1.[27] That April, The Walt Disney Company Japan and Disney Channels Worldwide started Broadcast Satellite Disney Co., Ltd. to broadcast a women and family targeted channel called Dlife with licensed content, received in October 2010 and debuted on March 17, 2012.[28]
Jetix Play closed down on August 1, 2010, in most countries,[29] in Turkey on September 1, 2010 and in Romania on March 12, 2011, after which they were all replaced withPlayhouse Disney.[29]
On May 26, 2010, Disney–ABC Television Group announced the launch ofDisney Junior, which would replace thePlayhouse Disney block on sister networkDisney Channel in February 2011, and extend to a standalone preschooler-oriented channel that would replaceSoapnet in January 2012. All 22 Playhouse Disney channels and blocks outside the U.S. were also renamed to "Disney Junior" throughout 2011.[30][31][32]
On October 27, 2011, Disney reached a joint venture agreement (49%/51%) with UTH Russia, in which UTH will turn its broadcasting networkSeven TV intoDisney Channel starting in early 2012.[33] On March 28, 2013,Cinemagic was replaced withSky Movies Disney in the UK market under license toBSkyB.[34]
In April 2013, Disney announced thatDas Vierte, its recent purchased broadcast station in Germany, would becomethe German free-to-air variant of Disney Channel in January 2014.[35] Disney formed an in-house ad sales company called Disney Media + for the channel, given that two competitors control most ad sales companies.[36][37]
Disney India Media Networks shut downBindass Play, a Hindi music channel, and replaced it withDisney International HD on October 29, 2017. This general entertainment channel is in English and HD, targeted to ages 14 to 25 while only tapping Disney live action shows.[38][39]
With Disney's March 14, 2018 reorganization in the midst of acquiring21st Century Fox, all international channels and businesses were transferred to a new dedicated segment known asWalt Disney Direct-to-Consumer and International, while the US unit remainedDisney–ABC Television Group.[40] On January 20, 2019, Disney India Media Networks shut down the local Disney XD variant and replaced it with Marvel HQ, featuring shows and movies fromMarvel Entertainment as well as some acquired programming.[41]
Disney+ launched on November 12, 2019 in the US and New Zealand; the latter country its linear channels shut down a few days later. In June 2020, Disney Channels Worldwide announced that all 3 of its main channels in the UK and Ireland would shut down on October 1, with their content moving over to Disney+, as the extension of a carriage deal with Sky and Virgin Media could not be reached.[42]
Following a company restructuring in November 2020, Disney's local television channels became part of Disney Branded Television, a newly created unit of Disney General Entertainment Content (nowDisney Entertainment Television). Headed by the former Disney Channels Worldwide president, Gary Marsh, the new unit oversees development and production of content made for kids, tweens, teens and families for Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD andDisney+. Disney Branded TV also oversees all Disney+ unscripted series and specials.[2] In December 2020, Disney announced that Radio Disney and Radio Disney Country would cease operations in early 2021.[43] Following the reorganization, the management of Disney XD was moved toDisney Media and Entertainment Distribution.[44]
On December 9, 2021, Disney acquired the documentary shortSophie and the Baron and brought it under its newly created Disney Original Documentary banner.[45]
On March 1, 2022, Marvel HQ in India was rebranded toSuper Hungama.[46]
On March 10, 2022, Disney announced a suspension of its operations in Russia in response to theRussian invasion of Ukraine.[47][48]It's Russian channel however continued operating until the dissolution of Disney's joint venture with local broadcaster Media-1 on December 14, 2022.[49][50][51]
On March 15, 2023, Disney Channel HD was launched in India.[52]
| Title | Genre | Year(s) | Network | Co-production with | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Out of the Box | Preschool | 1998–2004 | Playhouse Disney | OOTB Inc. | |
| Even Stevens | Sitcom | 2000–2003 | Disney Channel ABC | Brookwell McNamara Entertainment | |
| Lizzie McGuire | 2001–2004 | Stan Rogow Productions Egmont Imagination[53][54] (seasons 1–2) Telescreen (season 2) | |||
| The Book of Pooh | Preschool | 2001–2003 | Playhouse Disney | Shadow Projects | Based on thebooks byA.A. Milne |
| Stanley | 2001–2004 | Cartoon Pizza | |||
| JoJo's Circus | 2003–2007 | Cartoon Pizza Cuppa Coffee Studios | |||
| Phil of the Future | Sitcom | 2004–2006 | Disney Channel ABC | 2121 Productions | |
| Higglytown Heroes | Preschool | 2004–2008 | Playhouse Disney | Wildbrain Entertainment Happy Nest | |
| Handy Manny | 2006–2013 | Playhouse Disney (2006–2011) Disney Jr. (2011–2013) | Nelvana Limited | ||
| Bunnytown[55] | 2007–2008 | Playhouse Disney | Spiffy Pictures Baker/Coogan Productions | ||
| Can You Teach My Alligator Manners? | Short series | 2008–2009 | Oddbot Animation | ||
| Imagination Movers | Preschool | 2008–2013 | Playhouse Disney (2008–2011) Disney Jr. (2011–2013) | Penn/Bright Entertainment Zydeco Productions | |
| Jungle Junction | 2009–2012 | Playhouse Disney (2009–2011) Disney Jr. (2011–2012) | Spider Eye Productions | ||
| PrankStars | Reality | 2011 | Disney Channel Disney XD | Zoo Productions | |
| Sheriff Callie's Wild West | Preschool | 2014–2017 | Disney Jr. | DHX Media Los Angeles (season 1) Wild Canary Animation (season 2) | Originally titledOki's Oasis[56] |
| Kirby Buckets[57] | Comedy | Disney XD | Horizon Productions | ||
| Stuck in the Middle[58] | Sitcom | 2016–2018 | Disney Channel | International Donut Fund Productions Horizon Productions | |
| Walk the Prank[59] | Comedy | Disney XD | Blackbird Films Sullen Child Horizon Productions | ||
| Puppy Dog Pals | Preschool | 2017–2023 | Disney Jr. | Wild Canary Animation | Originally titledPuppy Dog Tails[60] |
| Vampirina[61] | 2017–2021 | Brown Bag Films | |||
| 101 Dalmatian Street[62][63] | Animated sitcom | 2019–2020 | Disney Channel UK | Passion Animation Studios | under Walt Disney EMEA Productions |
| High School Musical: The Musical: The Series | Musical Mockmentary | 2019–2023 | Disney+ | Chorus Boy Salty Pictures | |
| Becoming[64] | Documentary series | 2020 | Disney+ | SpringHill Entertainment ITV America Spoke Studios | Originally produced for Disney XD[65] |
| Secrets of Sulphur Springs | Mystery | 2021–2023 | Disney Channel | Gwave Productions | |
| The Chicken Squad[66] | Preschool | 2021–2022 | Disney Jr. | Wild Canary Animation | |
| Behind the Attraction | Documentary series | 2021–present | Disney+ | Seven Bucks Productions The Nucelle Company | |
| Chip 'n' Dale: Park Life[67][68] | Animated comedy | 2021–2024 | Xilam Animation | under Walt Disney EMEA Productions | |
| Among the Stars | Documentary series | 2021 | Olive Bridge Entertainment Fulwell 73 Productions | ||
| Foodtastic[69] | Cooking series | Endemol Shine North America | |||
| Eureka![70] | Preschool | 2022–2023 | Disney Jr. | Brown Bag Films | |
| SuperKitties[71] | 2023–present | Sony Pictures Television Kids | |||
| Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire | Animated anthology | 2023 | Disney+ | Triggerfish Animation Studios | under Walt Disney EMEA Productions |
| Saturdays[72] | Sitcom | Disney Channel | Over the Hump Production Inc. Genius Entertainment GWave Productions | ||
| Pupstruction[73] | Preschool | 2023–present | Disney Jr. | Titmouse, Inc. | |
| The Muppets Mayhem[74] | Sitcom | 2023 | Disney+ | The Muppets Studio Adam F. Goldberg Productions ABC Signature | |
| Pretty Freekin Scary[75] | 2023 | Disney Channel | Cloudco Entertainment CakeStart Entertainment Kickstart Entertainment Apt. 11H Productions | ||
| Percy Jackson and the Olympians | Fantasy | 2023–present | Disney+ | Co-Lab 21 The Gotham Group Mythomagic Quaker Moving Pictures 20th Television | |
| Ariel[76] | Preschool | 2024–present | Disney Jr. | Wild Canary Animation | |
| Kindergarten: The Musical[71] | Oddbot Animation | ||||
| RoboGobo[71][77][78] | 2025–present | Brown Bag Films | |||
| Electric Bloom[79] | Musical sitcom | Disney Channel | Echo & Cici Productions Fox & Lewis Diane Warren + Bahareh Batmang Kenwood TV Productions | ||
| Vampirina: Teenage Vampire[80] | Cross Hoge Productions Chorus Boy Kenwood TV Productions | ||||
| The Doomies[81] | Animated comedy | 2026 | Disney+ | Xilam Animation | under Walt Disney EMEA Productions |
| Magicampers[82] | Preschool | Disney Jr. | Mikros Animation | ||
| Dragon Striker[83] | Animated fantasy | Disney Channel | La Chouette Compagnie | ||
| The Sunnyridge 3[82] | Animated comedy | TBA | Disney+ | Blink Industries |
| Title | Genre | Release date | Network | Co-production with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muppets Haunted Mansion | Comedy | October 8, 2021 | Disney+ | The Muppets Studio and Soapbox Films |
| Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming | Music documentary | 2023 | Imagine Documentaries, Tremolo Productions andWorldwide Pants | |
| Mickey and Friends Trick or Treats | Preschool | October 1, 2023 | Disney Jr. | Stoopid Buddy Stoodios |
| Descendants: The Rise of Red | Fantasy musical | July 12, 2024 (Disney+) August 9, 2024 (Disney Channel) | Disney+ Disney Channel | Suzanne Todd Productions, Potato Monkey Productions and GWave Productions |
| Out of My Mind[84][85] | Coming-of-age | November 22, 2024 | Disney+ | Big Beach,Participant,Reunion Pacific Entertainment and EveryWhere Studios |
| Mickey and the Very Many Christmases[86] | Preschool | December 1, 2024 | Disney Jr. | Wild Canary Animation |
| The Muppet Show[87][88] | Variety show | 2026 | Disney+ | Point Grey Pictures, The Muppet Studio and20th Television |
| Market/Country | Disney Channel | Disney Jr. | Disney XD | Cinemagic Disney Movies | Other | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | April 18, 1983[6] West, East HD, West HD[89] | February 14, 2011 (block) March 23, 2012[90] | February 13, 2009[26] | None | Radio Disney (1996–2021) Radio Disney Country (2015–2021)[91] | |
| March 29, 1995[9] –January 1, 2022 | 2012 –December 31, 2021 (block)[92] | None | None | |||
| United Kingdom | October 1, 1995[9] –September 30, 2020[42] +1, HD | May 7, 2011[9] –September 30, 2020 (original) November 13, 2025 (relaunch)[93][42] +1, HD | August 31, 2009[9] –September 30, 2020[42] +1, HD | March 16, 2006[9] –March 28, 2013 (as Disney Cinemagic) March 28, 2013[9] –December 31, 2020 (asSky Movies Disney) HD | ABC1 (2004–2007)[16][21] | |
| June 8, 1996[9][94] –April 30, 2020 | May 29, 2011[95] –April 30, 2020 | April 10, 2014[96] –January 6, 2019[97] | April 10, 2014 –November 7, 2019 (asFoxtel Movies Disney)[96] | None | ||
| France | March 22, 1997[9] +1, HD | May 28, 2011 –January 1, 2025 (France) 2011 (Wallonia and overseas territories)HD | April 1, 2009 –April 7, 2020 HD | November 4, 2007 –May 8, 2015 (as Disney Cinemagic) May 8, 2015[98] –April 7, 2020 (as Disney Cinema) | Disneynature TV (2012–2018) | |
| Middle East & North Africa | April 2, 1997[9] HD | June 1, 2011 (English) May 31, 2016 (Arabic) HD | 2009 –December 31, 2020 HD | 2018–2021 (asOSN Movies Disney HD) | None | |
| Spain | April 17, 1998a[9] –January 7, 2025[99] | June 11, 2011 | September 18, 2009 –April 1, 2020 HD | July 1, 2008 –January 1, 2015 | Intereconomía TV (2005)[100] | |
| October 3, 1998 –May 1, 2020 +1, +2, HD, Mobile, Disney in English | May 14, 2011 –May 1, 2020 +1 | September 28, 2009 –October 1, 2019 +1, +2, HD | None | None | ||
| Germany | October 16, 1999b HD | July 14, 2011 –September 30, 2021 | October 18, 2009 –April 1, 2020 +1 | July 4, 2009 –October 1, 2019 HD | ||
| January 15, 2000 –December 31, 2020[101] HD | July 11, 2011 –December 31, 2020 HD | September 15, 2012 –December 31, 2020 HD | None | |||
| January 15, 2000 –September 30, 2021 HD | July 11, 2011[102] –September 30, 2021 | May 31, 2014 –December 31, 2020 | ||||
| March 1, 2000 –May 31, 2020 HD | July 11, 2011 –May 31, 2020 | March 16, 2013 –May 31, 2020 | ||||
| Latin America (Spanish) | July 27, 2000[9] | April 1, 2011[103] | July 3, 2009[104] –April 1, 2022 | Radio Disney[105] | ||
| April 5, 2001[106] –March 1, 2025 HD | April 1, 2011[103] –April 1, 2022[107] | |||||
| Portugal | November 28, 2001 | November 1, 2012 | None | October 1, 2008 –November 1, 2012 | None | |
| July 2002 –October 1, 2021 | July 11, 2011 –October 1, 2021 | October 19, 2013 –December 31, 2020 | None | |||
| Scandinavia | February 28, 2003 –June 5, 2023 (original) April 1, 2024 (relaunch) HD | September 10, 2011 –March 1, 2024 (Denmark) –April 1, 2024 | September 12, 2009 –December 31, 2020 | |||
| Belgium | March 31, 2003 | 2011 | None | |||
| Japan | November 2003 | Fall 2012[108] | August 2009[109] –January 31, 2021 | Dlife (2012–2020; revived in 2024[110]) | ||
| April 2, 2004 –October 1, 2021 | April 2, 2004 –October 1, 2021 | None | None | |||
| India | December 17, 2004[111] | October 15, 2012[112] | November 14, 2009[113] –January 9, 2019[114] |
| ||
| January 2005 –October 1, 2021 | July 11, 2011 –October 1, 2021 | October 19, 2013 –December 31, 2020 | None | |||
| May 2005 –October 1, 2021 | None | |||||
| South Africa | September 25, 2006[115] | June 1, 2011[116] | May 11, 2011[115] –October 1, 2020 | |||
| Poland | December 2, 2006 HD | June 1, 2011 | September 2009 | |||
| Turkey | April 29, 2007d –March 31, 2022[117] | June 1, 2011 HD | October 3, 2009 –January 31, 2021 | |||
| Israel | September 9, 2009 | July 18, 2011[118] | January 1, 2018 –February 1, 2018 (pop-up channel onHOT)[119] | |||
| Bulgaria | September 19, 2009 | June 1, 2011 –February 29, 2012 (block) March 1, 2012 (channel) | None | |||
| Czechia | June 1, 2011 –July 1, 2015 (block) June 1, 2011 (channel) | |||||
| Hungary | June 1, 2011 –July 1, 2015 (block) July 1, 2015 –December 5, 2017 (channel) | |||||
| Romania | June 1, 2011 –February 29, 2012 (block) March 1, 2012 (channel) | |||||
| Slovakia | None | |||||
| Netherlands | October 3, 2009 | September 10, 2011 –April 1, 2019 (original) May 1, 2025 (relaunch) | January 1, 2010 –May 1, 2025 | |||
| Greece | November 7, 2009 | June 1, 2011 | October 3, 2009 –January 31, 2021 | |||
| August 10, 2010c –December 14, 2022 +2, +4, +7 | September 1, 2013 –December 13, 2022 (block) | None | Radio Disney (2013–2022)[105] | |||
| July 1, 2011 –October 1, 2021 HD | July 1, 2011[120] –October 1, 2021 HD | None | ||||
| Serbia | 2012 | 2012/2013 | 2009 –December 31, 2020 | |||
| Slovenia | 2009[121] –December 31, 2020 | |||||
| Canada | DHX Media[122] | None | May 6, 2011[123] –September 18, 2015 (both English and French) | June 1, 2011 –October 9, 2015[124] | Radio Disney[105] | |
| Corus | September 1, 2015 (English) September 1, 2015 –September 1, 2025 (La Chaîne Disney) | December 1, 2015 –September 1, 2025 (English channel) November 30, 2015 –September 1, 2025 (French block)[125] | December 1, 2015 –September 1, 2025 (English channel) June 27, 2016 –2019 (French block)[126] | ABC Spark (2012–2025)[124][127] | ||
Notes:
| ||||||
Disney Channels Worldwide includes over 100 channels available in 34 languages and 166 countries/territories. Branded channels include Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Disney Cinemagic, Hungama and DLife.
The Disney Channel, which kicks off with the TV premiere of Aladdin at 6.30 pm on Saturday, June 8
According to published reports, the sale won't affect Radio Disney's Latin American partnerships, nor its partners in both Canada and Russia.
Nickelodeon, Disney XD, Disney Jr., La Chaine Disney and ABC Spark are set to close on Sept. 1.
