Disney Channel

The Disney Channel is a cable TV network run by The Walt Disney Company. Disney Channel features family-oriented programming, much of it aimed at pre-teens and young adolescents.

Overview

Launched on April 18, 1983 as a premium channel (with occasional free previews), Disney Channel began with basic family programming of shows and movies. (It was then co-owned by The Walt Disney Company and Westinghouse.)

Related Topics:
April 18 - 1983 - Westinghouse

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Most of Disney Channel's programming today, surprisingly, does not heavily feature the "classic" Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Pluto, and Goofy. The characters appear on occasion, especially during the holidays on movies such as Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas, and are also featured on the show House of Mouse, which airs every weekday at 2:00 PM E/P on the channel.

Related Topics:
Mickey Mouse - Donald Duck - Pluto - Goofy - House of Mouse

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In 1997, Disney Channel took on a revamped look, with splitting the network into three programming blocks—Playhouse Disney, a block of shows aimed at preschoolers; Vault Disney, an overnight block that featured classic Disney shows and movies such as Zorro, Mickey Mouse Club, and The Love Bug; and the most distinct block, running from afternoon to late evening, called Zoog Disney, which was a programming block aimed at tweens (children approaching their teenage years)—Smart Guy, Bug Juice, The Famous Jett Jackson, So Weird, etc. Zoog Disney also connected Disney Channel viewers and the computer, by allowing kids to interact with games and see their screen names on television. The programming block also featured anthropomorphic characters called Zoogs.

Related Topics:
1997 - Zorro - Mickey Mouse Club - Tween - Smart Guy - Bug Juice - The Famous Jett Jackson - So Weird - Anthropomorphic

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In January of 2000, Disney Channel moved from premium cable to basic cable, and some design elements also changed. The Zoogs got new redesigned looks, and the channel's logo (which featured a 1930s-era Mickey Mouse on a black Mickey ear-shaped TV), introduced in 1997, was changed the reflect the Zoog Disney image.

Related Topics:
January - 2000 - 1930s - Mickey Mouse - 1997

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From 2001 through 2002, ratings grew higher with such shows as Even Stevens, Kim Possible and others. Lizzie McGuire became the network's banner show, and remains undefeated to this day as the highest-rating program the network has produced. Reruns of Lizzie continue to outrate competing shows, including those from Disney Channel itself. This led to the termination of Vault Disney and all other classic Disney programming in September 2002.

Related Topics:
2001 - 2002 - Even Stevens - Kim Possible - Lizzie McGuire - September 2002

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The only actual spin-off of Disney Channel is Toon Disney, which features (mostly) cartoons either created or distributed by Disney. The ABC Family Channel (originally CBN and later The Family Channel and later Fox Family, founded in 1976 by Pat Robertson), is now owned by Disney and also features some programming similar to the Disney Channel.

Related Topics:
Toon Disney - ABC Family - 1976 - Pat Robertson

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Today's Disney Channel runs mostly former ABC sitcoms such as Boy Meets World along with original programming such as That's So Raven and Phil of the Future, both of which have been shown on ABC after debuting on the Disney Channel. Other shows aired by Disney Channel include The Proud Family, Brandy & Mr. Whiskers, ', ' and The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. Additionally, a movie is broadcast almost every night, but not necessarily a theatrically released feature film. The Disney Channel airs new made-for-TV movies several times a year, and those are frequently broadcast during that timeslot. Occasionally, Disney will secure the rights to air a picture released by a non-Disney studio, such as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

Related Topics:
ABC - Sitcoms - Boy Meets World - That's So Raven - Phil of the Future - The Proud Family - Brandy & Mr. Whiskers - The Suite Life of Zack and Cody - Made-for-TV movie - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

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Preschool programming is still a part of the Disney Channel's morning schedule and includes Rolie Polie Olie, PB&J Otter, and The Book of Pooh.

Related Topics:
Rolie Polie Olie - PB&J Otter - The Book of Pooh

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For reasons unknown to viewers today, the channel received a special citation from U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1984.

Related Topics:
Ronald Reagan - 1984

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Disney Channel has received criticism from some viewers for reducing or eliminating the classic Disney programming on its schedule in favor of new shows. However, other viewers have criticized the network for limiting production of those new series to only 65 episodes. For example, The Famous Jett Jackson, So Weird, Even Stevens, Lizzie McGuire, and Kim Possible all ceased production after exactly 65 episodes (not counting TV-movies or theatrical movies). Among recent Disney Channel series, That's So Raven is the only one for which the network has announced plans to produce more than 65 episodes.

Related Topics:
The Famous Jett Jackson - So Weird - Even Stevens - Lizzie McGuire - Kim Possible - That's So Raven

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In the summer of 2005, Disney Channel promised its audiences an all-new version of the channel. This led to several rumours as to what would thus be found on it:

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• An all-new logo and interface: Heading into the fall season, this has not appeared to be the case.
• Programming controlled by a "main show": The So Hot Summer's Click It to Pick It Saturday-night block followed on this premise (as does Zapping Zone on Mexico's version of the channel).
• New shows: The main attractions were The Buzz on Maggie and Naturally, Sadie. (In addition, some new movies, like ', Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Bob the Butler made it on the channel's schedule the entire season.)
• Old favourites shown in a special hour or all night long: So far, nothing has come of this hopeful solution to fight the ongoing criticism facing Disney's line-up of shows. (However, some of the older Disney cartoons, like Robin Hood and the cult classic The Great Mouse Detective, aired on Sunday mornings in early summer.)

On September 18 that same year, a new series, the Canadian-produced Life with Derek, started to take centre stage. Also planned for a fall premiere on Disney Channel was the animated series Katbot, but it was cancelled during production.

Related Topics:
September 18 - Canadian - Life with Derek

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