Disney Jr. (international)
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Disney Jr. is a brand of children's television channels owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company, aimed at young children between two and seven years old.{{Cite web |date= |title=Disney Channels |url=https://www.dgepress.com/disneygeneralentertainmentcontent/about-us/disney-channels/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220504182054/https://www.dgepress.com/disneygeneralentertainmentcontent/about-us/disney-channels/ |archive-date=2022-05-04 |access-date=2023-01-20 |website=Disney General Entertainment Content}} Since its American debut on February 14, 2011,{{cite news|last=Dickson|first=Jeremy|title=Disney Junior launches in March, Marvel gets block on XD|url=https://kidscreen.com/2012/01/10/disney-junior-launches-in-march-marvel-gets-block-on-xd/|access-date=February 17, 2014|newspaper=Kids Screen|date=January 10, 2012}} the brand was launched worldwide. In most countries, the channel was formerly known as Playhouse Disney.
Disney Junior started closing internationally in 2019, mostly in Europe and Asia-Pacific, as it transitioned viewers to Disney+ and Disney Channel's morning blocks, while other versions remain.
Background
On September 28, 1999, the Playhouse Disney brand was extended internationally with the launch of a self-branded block on Disney Channel in the United Kingdom and Ireland. On September 29, 2000, Disney Television International expanded the block with the launch of a channel in the country alongside the launch of Toon Disney and Disney Channel +1 on the Sky Digital platform.{{cite news |date=September 13, 2000 |title=Disney launches new channels |work=Brand Republic |publisher=Haymarket Media Group Ltd. |agency=MediaWeek |url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk//media |access-date=July 21, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000816012812/http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/ |archive-date=August 16, 2000}} [https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/disney-launches-new-channels/506643 Alt URL] On April 4, 2009, Egmont Group launched a companion Playhouse Disney magazine in the United Kingdom & Republic of Ireland that focused on the channel's four most popular shows: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, My Friends Tigger & Pooh, Handy Manny and Little Einsteins. Each issue included "to do" pages and suggested activities for parents and children based on an educational theme. The Playhouse Disney block on Disney Channel UK & Republic of Ireland was eventually disposed of in July 2004 after reducing hours of programming.{{cite news |date=April 8, 2009 |title=Egmont launches new Playhouse Disney magazine |work=MediaWeek |url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/egmont-launches-new-playhouse-disney-magazine/897493 |access-date=July 21, 2014 }} The Playhouse Disney channel available there, however, continued to air until it was replaced by Disney Junior on May 7, 2011.{{cite news |date=January 27, 2011 |title=Disney Junior sets U.K. launch |work=Variety |location=London |url=https://variety.com/2011/biz/news/disney-junior-sets-u-k-launch-2-1118031013/ |access-date=July 24, 2014}}
On November 30, 2007, Astral Media launched a Canadian version of Playhouse Disney Channel under a brand licensing agreement with Disney-ABC Television Group; the channel operated as a multiplex channel of Family Channel, which had long maintained a programming distribution agreement with Disney Channel for the domestic rights to the U.S. channel's series until January 2016. A Canadian-French version of Playhouse Disney was launched on July 5, 2010, also by Astral Media. The English & Canadian-French channels were both replaced by Disney Junior on May 6, 2011.{{cite news |date=December 7, 2007 |title=Astral Media dominates Canada |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2007/scene/markets-festivals/astral-media-dominates-canada-1117977342/ |access-date=July 21, 2014}}
The first Disney Junior to launch outside the U.S. was in Latin America on April 1, 2011,{{Cite web |last=Sola |first=Bertha |date=2011-04-01 |title=Disney Junior donde la magia comienza |url=https://www.cronica.com.mx/notas/2011/570073.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130213145247/http://www.cronica.com.mx/notas/2011/570073.html |archive-date=2013-02-13 |access-date=2023-01-20 |website=Cronica}} replacing the Playhouse Disney Channel, it later rebranded in most countries replacing their Playhouse Disney brands mostly in 2011, such as Canada on May 6, the United Kingdom and Ireland on May 7,{{Cite web |date=2011-01-27 |title=Disney Junior sets U.K. launch |url=https://variety.com/2011/biz/news/disney-junior-sets-u-k-launch-2-1118031013/ |access-date=2023-01-20 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} Italy on May 14, France on May 28, Australia and New Zealand on May 29, the pan-CEMA feed (Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa) on June 1, and Spain on June 11.{{Cite web |last=Pérez |first=Antonio |date=2011-04-26 |title=Disney Junior sustituirá a Playhouse Disney a partir del 11 de junio |url=https://www.mundoplus.tv/tv-digital/disney-junior-sustituira-a-playhouse-disney-a-partir-del-11-de-junio/ |access-date=2023-01-19 |website=mundoplus.tv |language=es}}
Japan and India's programming blocks were rebranded on July 3 and 4 respectively, with channels in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and South Korea on July 11,{{Cite web |date=2011-06-30 |title=Magical, musical stories on all-new Disney Junior |url=https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2011/06/30/700862/magical-musical-stories-all-new-disney-junior |access-date=2023-01-20 |website=Philstar.com}} along with Germany, Austria and Switzerland on July 14, Israel on July 18, and Scandinavia and the Benelux (Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg) on September 10.{{Cite web |date=2011-05-01 |title=Disney Junior to launch in Holland, Belgium |url=https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2011/05/01/disney-junior-to-launch-in-holland-belgium/ |access-date=2022-12-16 |website=Broadband TV News |language=en-GB}}
The Romanian channel launched on March 1, 2012,{{Cite web |date=2012-02-24 |title=Disney to expand in Romania |url=https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2012/02/24/disney-to-expand-in-romania/ |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=Broadband TV News |language=en-GB}} India and Japan's channels were also launched on October 1 and 15 respectively, It became available in Portugal since November 1, 2012, and Russia's block rebranded on September 1, 2013, concluding the Playhouse Disney brand.
The Hungarian feed was launched on July 1, 2015, but shut down in late 2017 due to lack of distributing for most of the Hungarian pay TV providers.{{Cite web |date=2017-09-01 |title=Búcsúzik Magyarországtól az egyik Disney-gyerekcsatorna |url=https://24.hu/media/2017/09/01/megszunik-az-egyik-gyerekcsatorna/ |access-date=2023-01-20 |website=24.hu |language=hu}} It would plan to cease on October 12, but moved instead to December 5,{{Cite web |date=2017-12-05 |title=Ma hivatalosan is megszűnt a Disney Junior magyar hangsávja. |url=https://www.facebook.com/mentrum.hu/posts/pfbid02hgngoHFBcJKPhMqxVq16rgLWNF4C62iQ3W8CD4YSyk4RCiDQHzvtMW7amAoba6Bwl |access-date=2023-01-20 |website=Facebook |publisher=Mentrum |language=en}} discontinuing the Hungarian language audio track.
Disney Junior in Canada (both English and French), originally owned by DHX Media, discontinued on September 18, 2015 as Corus Entertainment acquired Disney's rights in Canada. The English version relaunched on December 1, 2015, however, La Chaîne Disney's block, Disney Junior sur La Chaîne Disney, carries most preschool shows in French.
On April 1, 2019, Disney Junior discontinued in the Netherlands,{{Cite web |date=2019-03-04 |title=Disney Junior Netherlands Will Shut Down On April 1st |url=https://disneytvanimation.com/post/183219375033/disney-junior-netherlands-will-shut-down-on-april |access-date=2023-01-20 |website=}} while it continues broadcasting in Belgium (particularly the Flanders), however after a year of absence, most programs returned to Mickey Mornings on Disney Channel since November 17, 2020. Some Disney Junior channels were discontinued in favor for Disney+, such as Australia and New Zealand on April 30, 2020, Italy on May 1, and the United Kingdom and Ireland on October 1.
The same closure occurred in Malaysia on January 1, 2021, the German channel on September 30, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and South Korea on October 1, Taiwan's programming block on Disney Channel on December 31, 2021, and the Brazilian feed on April 1, 2022, with the Russian block halted in December that year and in Scandinavia on April 1, 2024, due to the channel merging with Disney Channel to launch a new version of the channel.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-01 |title=Disney combines Junior with Disney Channel in the Nordics |url=https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2024/02/01/disney-combines-junior-with-disney-channel-in-the-nordics/ |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=Broadband TV News |language=en-GB}}
Current channels
{{note|soapnet-replacement|a}}Except for DirecTV, which replaced NASA TV, which moved to another channel and is still airing today. In DirecTV's case, Soapnet was replaced by an Informercial Channel.
Former channels
See also
{{portal|Disney|Television|Lists}}
- List of programs broadcast by Disney Jr.
- Disney Xtreme Digital, a video streaming service on Disney.com
References
{{reflist}}
{{Disney Channel}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Disney Junior TV channels}}