Disney Channel (TV channel in Asia)

Last updated

Disney Channel
Disney channel 2019.png
Country Philippines
Thailand
Indonesia
Vietnam
Cambodia
Palau
Myanmar
Bangladesh (Started 2016)
Broadcast area Asia
(except Malaysia & Singapore)
HeadquartersCorporate office: 1 #06-01 Sandcrawler, Fusionopolis View, Singapore 138577
Studios and production facility: 4 Loyang Ln #01-01/02 and #02-01/02., Singapore 508914
Suria KLCC, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Programming
Language(s)English
Mandarin
Malay (select programs)
Tamil
Indonesian
Thai
Vietnamese (subtitles)
Picture format 1080i HDTV
(downscaled to 16:9 480i/576i for the SDTV feed)
Ownership
Owner Disney Branded Television
(Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International)
Sister channels
History
Launched1 September 1996;24 years ago (1996-09-01)
Closed1 June 2020;14 months ago (2020-06-01) (Singapore) [1]
January 1, 2021;7 months ago (2021-01-01) (Malaysia) [2]
October 1, 2021;39 days' time (2021-10-01) (Asia, except Taiwan) [3] [4]
Links
Website disney.asia

Disney Channel (originally called The Disney Channel from 1996 to 1997) is a pan-Asiatic pay television channel owned by The Walt Disney Company (Asia Pacific), a unit of the Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International division of The Walt Disney Company.

Contents

Disney Channel Asia's programming consists of original first-run television series, theatrically-released and original made-for-cable movies and select other third-party programming. The current programming of the channel is currently aimed at pre-teens and adolescents ages 10–16, while its Disney Junior programmes are targeted at younger children, although certain programmes are aimed at audiences of all ages.

History

Disney Channel Asia was launched in January 2000 with a single video feed and two audio tracks in English and Mandarin, as well as subtitles in Mandarin. The channel became available in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines. [5] On 1 June 2002, the channel was launched in the South Korean market with a Korean language feed. [6] Over the first six months of 2005, Disney Channel Asia, along with sister channel Playhouse Disney (now Disney Junior) was launched in Vietnam, Palau and Thailand. It finished off with a launch of both in Cambodia, its 11th market, with Cambodia Entertainment Production Co. Ltd. as distributor. [7]

After the ban of Disney Channel India and Disney XD India in Bangladesh due to broadcasting in Hindi language and heavy localisation of the Indian feeds Disney Channel Asia was made available on few digital cable platforms there in 2016. Due to the incoming shutdown Disney International HD India started to broadcast as a replacement.

Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior ceased transmission in Singapore on 1 June 2020, on both Singtel and StarHub. [1] It was replaced with Disney+ on 23 February 2021.

On 1 September 2020, Disney Channel in Indonesia was separated from the main feed, due to the launch of Disney+ Hotstar on 5 September 2020.

On 1 January 2021, Disney Channel and Disney Junior ceased transmission in Malaysia on Astro due to the TV provider's Refreshed Kids Pack and Disney+ Hotstar. The service launched in Malaysia on 1 June 2021. [8]

On 1 October 2021, Disney Channel and Disney Junior along with many other Fox Networks Asia channels (except National Geographic Asia and National Geographic Wild Asia) will end its broadcast in the rest of Asia to focus on Disney+ Hotstar (or Disney+ in Hong Kong and Singapore), however, Disney Channel in Taiwan will continue to operate after this date. [9] [10] [11]

HD channel

On 1 May 2015, The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia launched a high-definition simulcast feed of Disney Channel in the Philippines, available on SkyCable and Destiny Cable distributed by ACCION in that country. Just like its SD counterpart, the HD simulcast of the channel airs the same shows shown in the SD feed. The HD feed was also launched on TrueVisions in Thailand on 7 July 2016 as an exclusive for cable subscribers, and on Astro in Malaysia on 15 November 2019 for satellite subscribers.

Presentation and logos

With the launch of the channel in 1996, Disney Channel Asia adopted the UK network's presentation designed by Lambie-Nairn. It then used the splat logo in 1997 with the opening of Disney Channel France. Later in 1999, Disney Channel Asia began to use the "Circles" presentation package until July 2003, when the US logo (and design package by CA Square) as the "Bounce" graphics, it became the channel's on-air presentation format, then later rebranded using the "Ribbon" graphics from 2007 until 2011. Two more redesigns were made in 2012, then in 2014 with the current wordmark logo.

Disney Channel Asia started using parts of the US "Social Media" rebrand from 1 December 2017, and rebranded fully on 1 January 2018 at 6am. As of 2020 it has also used elements of the US "Item Age" graphics.

Current Feeds

Asia

The main feed is available in Thailand, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Myanmar and Cambodia. It was available in the Middle East until the region got its own feed in 1997.

This feed stopped airing movies and started sharing the same schedule with the Indonesian feed on 1 February 2021. This feed will officially cease all operations on 1 October 2021.

Indonesia

The schedule was very similar to the main feed, with the exclusions of movies at launch. It was separated from the main feed since 1 September 2020 due to the launch of Disney+ Hotstar on 5 September 2020.

This feed later started sharing the same schedule with the main feed on 1 February 2021. There are also Disney+ Hotstar idents on this feed. The channel will cease operations on 1 October 2021.

Philippines

Same schedule as the Asia feed, plus local advertisements. The channel will cease operations on October 1, 2021.

Vietnam

One-hour timeshifted version of the main Asia feed with local advertisements, Vietnamese translations in promos and subtitles. The channel will cease operations on 1 October 2021.

Hong Kong

The schedule of this feed is shared with the Taiwan feed and was separated from the main feed on 2 April 2004. It is broadcasting in English and Cantonese languages. The channel will cease operations on 1 October 2021.

Taiwan

It was the first overseas feed launched by Disney Channel worldwide. It began operations in March 1995. [7] Currently, it has its own schedule with local advertisements and broadcasts in English and Taiwanese Mandarin.

Defunct feeds

Singapore

Schedule was similar to the main feed, plus local advertisements. Some programming was replaced by sitcoms. This feed ceased operations on 1 June 2020, [1] due to the launch of Disney+ on 23 February 2021.

Malaysia and Brunei

Same schedule as the Asia feed, plus local advertisements. It was available in four languages: English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil. This channel was only available on Astro in Malaysia and Kristal-Astro in Brunei. Because of Astro's Refreshed Kids Pack on December 14, 2020 and the arrival of Disney+ Hotstar, this channel, along with Disney Junior, we're not be appeared on Astro. Therefore, there's the only impact that The Walt Disney Company will be shutting down Disney XD in Southeast Asia on the same date and time by following the review of Disney's business in this region, just before Astro would agree with these statements to The Walt Disney Company before Astro really shutting down both Disney Channel and Disney Junior on the same date and time. This feed ceased operations on 1 January 2021 [2] along with Disney Junior, on Astro due to the TV provider's Refreshed Kids Pack and the launch of Disney+ Hotstar on 1 June 2021. [12]

Programming

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Baroness, The (1 June 2020). "Disney+ Singapore Incoming: Disney Channels Dropped From Starhub & Singtel". Geek Culture. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Astro's kids offering gets a makeover! Astro". Astro. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  3. ↑ "Disney Closes 18 Asia TV Channels As It Shifts Focus To Disney+". Deadline. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  4. ↑ "Disney Group set to close five cable channels in Taiwan". Taipei Times. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  5. ↑ "Disney Channel comes to Manila". Manila Standard . Kamahalan Publishing Corp. 4 January 2000. p. 24. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  6. ↑ Godfrey, Leigh (30 May 2002). "Disney Channel Asia Launches In Korea". Animation World Network. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  7. 1 2 "Disney launches two channels in Cambodia". Indiantelevision.com. Mumbai. 20 June 2005. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  8. ↑ Frater, Patrick (3 May 2021). "Disney Plus Hotstar to Launch in Malaysia With Local Content Component". Variety . Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  9. ↑ "Disney+Hotstar expected to end 2021 with over 50 million subscribers". Indian Television Dot Com. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  10. ↑ "Disney to shut down most of its TV channels in Southeast Asia, eyes growth in streaming services". CNA. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  11. ↑ "Disney Group set to close five cable channels in Taiwan - Taipei Times". taipeitimes.com. 29 April 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  12. ↑ "Disney+ Hotstar comes to Malaysia on June 1, RM54.90 for three months". The Malay Mail. 4 May 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
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