 Jetix Play's final logo, used from 2007 until its closure in 2010. | |
| Type | Preschool television network |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom[1][2] |
| Broadcast area | Central and Eastern Europe,Middle East |
| Network | Jetix |
| Headquarters | 338 Euston Road,London,United Kingdom[1][2] |
| Programming | |
| Languages | English,Polish,Turkish,Russian |
| Picture format | 576i (SDTV) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Jetix Europe |
| Parent | Jetix Europe (The Walt Disney Company) |
| Sister channels | Jetix |
| History | |
| Founded | January 2003 (as Fox Kids Play) 1 January 2005 (as Jetix Play) |
| Launched | January 2003 (Poland) October 2003 (Eastern Europe andTurkey, later inMENA) |
| Closed | 31 July 2010 (CEE) 1 September 2010 (Middle East) |
| Replaced by | Playhouse Disney (most countries) |
| Former names | Fox Kids Play (2003–2004) |
| Links | |
| Website | web |
Jetix Play (formerlyFox Kids Play) was a preschool entertainment brand, owned byJetix Europe. TheJetix Play name was primarily used as a sister channel toJetix in a small number of regions, such asCentral and Eastern Europe, and theMiddle East.
The channel originally launched as Fox Kids Play in January 2003[3] in Poland, and later launched in October 2003 in CEE (Including Russia) and MENA regions (including Turkey). Fox Kids Play was aimed at a younger audience than the main Jetix channel and primarily showed archived programming from BVS Entertainment and Fox Kids Europe's catalogues. The channel was available for 12 hours per day, from 6 A.M. to 6 P.M.
On 1 January 2005, Fox Kids Play was rebranded as Jetix Play.[4]
On November 1, 2008, Jetix Play increased its broadcast period from 12 to almost 17 hours per day, from 6 A.M. to 10:45 P.M.[5]
AfterThe Walt Disney Company increased their ownership inJetix Europe, they planned to rebrand the channels after Jetix's rebranding intoDisney XD orDisney Channel. Near its closure, the channel progressively ceased its carriage on operators in Poland, while stopping to air commercials in late May 2010.[6] The channel closed on 1 August 2010[7] in Poland and in Middle East on 1 September 2010.[8] The channel was replaced withPlayhouse Disney in most regions.
Programming on Jetix Play consisted of archive programming of animated cartoons and television series fromBVS Entertainment's catalogue, which included shows fromSaban Entertainment and the pre-1990 catalogue ofDIC Entertainment, which BVS/Fox Kids Europe owned international rights to at the time.[9][10]
Fox Kids Play was used by Fox Kids Europe as an interactiveVOD in France and Israel,[11] and expanded in the United Kingdom when it was added toTelewest in July 2003.[12] The service consisted of various television games based on Fox Kids programmes and third-party properties. The service extended toSky Digital in March 2004.[13]
In the Netherlands, a Jetix Play branded block was featured onJetix. Unlike the channel, this block was strictly pre-school-focused and aired acquired shows aimed towards younger children, includingThe Koala Brothers,Bob the Builder,Hamtaro, andStrawberry Shortcake.[14] In September 2009, the block began airingIn the Night Garden...,[15]
Between 2006 and 2007, inRomania and other CEE countries, a Jetix Play programming block was broadcast on Jetix, which similarity to the named channel aired archived programming from BVS's catalogue.[16][17][18]
