Disney Branded Television facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Disney Branded Television

Formerly	List Walt Disney Entertainment, Inc. (1982–1983) The Disney Channel, Inc. (1983–1997) Disney Channel, Inc. (1997–2001) ABC Cable Networks Group (2001–2005) Disney Channels Worldwide (2005–2020)
Type	Division
Industry	Entertainment
Genre	Children and family
Founded	July 15, 1982; 43 years ago (1982-07-15)
Founder	Alan Wagner
Headquarters	Burbank, California , U.S.
Number of locations	37 (formerly)
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Ayo Davis (president)
Brands	Disney Channel Disney Jr. Disney XD
Services	Television content
Parent	Walt Disney Telecommunications (1982–1996) Disney Entertainment Television (1996–present)
Subsidiaries	Disney Original Documentary Disney Television Animation It's a Laugh Productions

Disney Branded Television is a part of Disney Entertainment Television. This group creates and buys TV shows and movies. They make content for kids, teens, and families. You can watch their shows on Disney+, Disney Channel, Disney Jr., and Disney XD. They also make non-scripted shows, documentaries, and special programs for these channels and Disney+.

Before Disney Branded Television started, a group called Disney Channels Worldwide managed all Disney TV networks. In 2018, Disney changed how its companies were organized. The U.S. part managed Disney Channel and Radio Disney. The international part managed many kids' and family TV channels worldwide. This included different versions of the U.S. channels.

The Disney Channel first started in the United States in 1983. It was a special channel you had to pay extra for. Later, it became a basic channel that most people could get. Disney Channel shows also became popular around the world. Many countries launched their own versions of the channel.

Over the years, this part of Disney had different names. It was called Walt Disney Entertainment, Inc. from 1982 to 1983. Then it became The Disney Channel, Inc. (1983–1997). After that, it was Disney Channel, Inc. (1997–2001). From 2001 to 2005, it was known as ABC Cable Networks Group. Finally, it was Disney Channels Worldwide from 2005 to 2020.

How Disney Channels Started

Early Days: Walt Disney Entertainment

On November 10, 1981, Walt Disney Productions and Westinghouse Broadcasting decided to create a family-friendly TV service. In 1982, Disney hired Alan Wagner to help develop this new cable channel.

About 20 months after it launched, the channel started sending its signal through home satellite dishes. This meant the signal was scrambled.

By July 15, 1982, Disney officially created Walt Disney Entertainment, Inc. This company was renamed The Disney Channel, Inc. by January 28, 1983.

The Disney Channel, Inc. Era

The Disney Channel officially launched in April 1983. It was a premium channel, meaning you paid extra to watch it. It broadcast 16 hours of shows each day.

The channel started making money in January 1985.

On September 1, 1990, the channel began moving to basic cable. This made it available to more homes. In March 1995, the second Disney Channel started broadcasting in Taiwan. A third one launched in October for the United Kingdom.

Disney Channel, Inc. Changes

By September 29, 1997, the company's name was shortened to Disney Channel, Inc. Disney hired Geraldine Laybourne in 1996. She had worked at Nickelodeon before. She started a kids' channel called ABZ. People thought it was for preschoolers, but Laybourne said it wasn't. In December 1997, the Toon Disney channel was announced. It would be a basic channel showing Disney animated programs. By April 1, 1998, most international versions were pay channels. The Taiwan and Malaysia versions had commercials. The USA version was a basic channel. Toon Disney Channel launched on April 18, 1998. This was Disney Channel's 15th anniversary.

In 2000, the Playhouse Disney preschool channel launched in the United Kingdom. In the U.S., the Playhouse Disney block started on Disney Channel in 1997. In June 2001, Disney thought about launching Playhouse Disney as a full channel in the United States by 2002.

ABC Cable Networks Group Takes Over

Disney Channel, Inc. changed its name to ABC Cable Networks Group, Inc. by January 31, 2001. In October 2003, ABC Family Worldwide became part of ABC Cable Networks Group. In early 2004, Disney Channel's original programming team temporarily managed ABC Family's original movies. This happened after two ABC Family executives left.

In January 2004, Fox Kids Europe, Fox Kids Latin America, and ABC Cable Networks Group teamed up. They created the Jetix programming group. This group rebranded Fox Kids as Jetix for all its shows, channels, and companies. ABC1 started broadcasting in the United Kingdom on September 27, 2004.

Disney Channels Worldwide Era

Disney Channels Worldwide's headquarters in Burbank during the 2000s.

In November 2005, Barry Blumberg left his job as president of Walt Disney Television Animation. This allowed TV animation to move under Disney Channels Worldwide.

In 2006, Disney Television India bought Hungama TV. This channel was from UTV Software Communications Limited. Disney Cinemagic started broadcasting in the UK in March 2006. It was one of several Cinemagic channels across Western Europe. ABC1 stopped broadcasting in the UK on September 26, 2007.

In Spain, Walt Disney Company Iberia bought part of Management Company Television Net TV SA in February 2008. In late May 2008, the company announced that Disney Channel would move to free digital TV. It replaced NET TV's Fly Music on July 1, 2008.

The company's Japanese team, Walt Disney Television International Japan, started making its own animated series in March 2008. The first two shows debuted at Tokyo International Anime Fair 2008. The company made Stitch! with Madhouse Company. Fireball was made with Jinni's Animation Studios.

After some Disney Channel stars had problems, the company started classes for its young stars in 2009. These classes helped them deal with the pressures of fame. Optional monthly life-skill classes were added in 2014.

Disney XD (DXD) launched on February 13, 2009. It took over the channel space of Toon Disney in the US. Jetix channels around the world also changed to DXD. This started with France on April 1. In April, The Walt Disney Company Japan and Disney Channels Worldwide started Broadcast Satellite Disney Co., Ltd. This company launched a channel for women and families called Dlife. It debuted on March 17, 2012.

Jetix Play closed down on August 1, 2010, in most countries. It closed on September 1, 2010, in Turkey, and on March 12, 2011, in Romania. In these countries, Playhouse Disney replaced the channel.

On May 26, 2010, Disney–ABC Television Group announced Disney Junior. This channel would replace the Playhouse Disney Morning block on Disney Channel in February 2011. It would also become a separate channel for preschoolers. This new channel replaced Soapnet in January 2012. All 22 Playhouse Disney channels and blocks outside the U.S. were also renamed "Disney Junior" in 2011.

In October 2011, Disney made a deal with UTH Russia. UTH turned its TV network Seven TV into a Disney Channel in early 2012. On March 28, 2013, Cinemagic was replaced with Sky Movies Disney in the UK.

In April 2013, Disney announced that Das Vierte, a German broadcast station it had bought, would become a Disney Channel in January 2014. It would be a 24-hour family entertainment network. Disney created its own ad sales company, Disney Media +, for the channel.

Disney India Media Networks closed Bindass Play, a Hindi music channel. It replaced it with Disney International HD on October 29, 2017. This channel shows general entertainment in English and HD. It is for ages 14 to 25 and features Disney live-action shows.

Company Changes

With Disney's reorganization on March 14, 2018, all international channels, including Disney Channel, moved to Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer and International. This was a new part of the company. The U.S. unit remained under Disney–ABC Television Group. On January 20, 2019, Disney India Media Networks closed Disney XD India. It replaced it with Marvel HQ. This channel features shows and movies from Marvel Entertainment and other programs.

Soon after Disney+ launched in New Zealand in November 2019, Disney closed its regular TV channels there. In June 2020, Disney Channels Worldwide announced that all three of its networks in the United Kingdom would close on October 1. After that, their content would be available on the Disney+ streaming service. This happened because a deal with Sky and Virgin Media could not be reached.

Disney Branded Television Today

After a company change in November 2020, the Disney channels became part of Disney Branded Television. This new group is part of Disney General Entertainment Content. Gary Marsh, who used to be president of Disney Channels Worldwide, leads this new group. It manages the creation and production of content for kids, tweens, teens, and families. This content is for Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, and Disney+. Disney Branded TV also oversees all Disney+ non-scripted series and specials. In December 2020, Disney announced that Radio Disney and Radio Disney Country would stop operating in early 2021. After the changes, Disney XD's management moved to Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution.

On May 25, 2021, Disney announced it would close 100 TV channels internationally by the end of 2021. This followed 30 closures in 2020. This included Disney-branded channels and Fox Networks Group channels. Disney got these channels when it bought 21st Century Fox in 2019. Most of these closures happened in Asian countries.

In December 2021, Disney bought the documentary short Sophie and the Baron. It put this film under its new Disney Original Documentary banner.

On March 1, 2022, Marvel HQ in India was renamed Super Hungama.

In March 2022, Disney said it would stop its operations in Russia. This was because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Its Russian channel kept operating until Disney's partnership with Media-1 ended on December 14, 2022.

The closure of global channels continued in 2022. Latin American and Turkish channels closed in the early months of that year.

On March 15, 2023, Disney Channel HD launched in India.

Popular Shows and Movies

Television Series

Television Movies and Specials

Disney Channels Around the World

Disney channels around the world try to look similar to the main Disney brand. Local channel managers can create schedules and marketing plans. These plans consider what kids in that area like. They also buy local shows that meet Disney's standards. If a show is popular in one country, its idea might be used for other Disney Channels. However, since 2020, most of Disney's channels in other countries have closed. This is because Disney+ has become the main way to watch content.

A map showing Disney Channel versions worldwide. Gray means the channels have closed.

Channels in Asia

Disney Channel Asia officially started on January 15, 2000. It had one video feed with English audio as the main language. Mandarin audio and subtitles were also available. The channel was available in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and the Philippines. On June 1, 2002, the channel launched in South Korea with Korean language. In the first half of 2005, Disney Channel Asia and Playhouse Disney launched in Vietnam, Palau, and Thailand. They also launched in Cambodia, their 11th market. Disney Channel Asia was also available in Bangladesh. It stopped broadcasting by the end of 2021.

Japan's Disney Channels

In April 2009, The Walt Disney Company Ltd. Japan and Disney Channels Worldwide started Broadcast Satellite Disney Co., Ltd. This company launched a channel for women and families called Dlife [ja]. It debuted on March 17, 2012. In December 2013, Dlife started a kids' programming block called Disney Time. The channel closed on March 31, 2020. But it came back on March 1, 2024. It replaced the Japanese version of Fox.

China's Disney Shows

Disney Channel does not have its own channel in China. However, many of its live-action and animated shows are shown on local channels. This has been happening through ABC's Dragon Club since 1994. Disney also has a Chinese website.

India's Disney Channels

Before, Disney shows were available through special blocks of programming. This started as early as 1994 with Doordarshan. Then it moved to Zee TV until the early 2000s. Disney moved its block to Sony Entertainment Television for three years. Star TV then showed Disney TV blocks on Star Plus and Star Utsav.

In December 2004, Walt Disney Television International India launched a Toon Disney channel. It had three language options: English, Tamil, and Telugu. The Disney Channel also launched at the same time. Star TV network helped distribute these channels. Disney made a deal with Doordarshan (DD) in November 2005. DD would show a half-hour block called Disney Jadoo. This meant Disney had four branded blocks in India.

Channels in Canada

On April 16, 2015, Corus Entertainment announced a deal with Disney-ABC Television Group. Corus would get the rights to Disney Channel's shows in Canada. Disney Channel in Canada launched on September 1, 2015. This was the first time a Disney Channel-branded network operated in Canada.

Before this, Family Channel had the rights to Disney Channel shows. Family Channel is owned by WildBrain. It was a premium service but many TV providers offered it as a basic service. Family Channel was often seen as Canada's version of Disney Channel. Some Canadian shows made by Family, like Life with Derek, aired on Disney Channel in the United States. Family also had English and French versions of Disney Junior. Disney XD was also owned by DHX Media.

DHX's agreement with Disney ended on January 1, 2016. Because of this, its Disney-branded networks were relaunched as spin-offs of the Family brand. This happened on September 18, 2015 (Family Jr. and Télémagino) and October 9, 2015 (Family Chrgd, now WildBrainTV).

List of Disney Channels Around the World

Channels Still Active

Channels That Have Closed

Types of Disney Channels by Region

See also

In Spanish: Disney Branded Television para niños

• List of Disney Jr. TV channels
• List of Disney XD TV channels