Disney Junior (Australian TV channel)

Last updated

Disney Junior
CountryAustralia
Broadcast areaAustralia
New Zealand (2005–19)
Pacific Islands
Headquarters Richmond, Victoria
Programming
Language(s)English
Picture format 576i (SDTV)
Ownership
Owner The Walt Disney Company (Australia)
Disney Channels Worldwide
(Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International)
Sister channels Disney Channel (1996-2020)
Disney XD (2014–19)
History
Launched5 December 2005;18 years ago (2005-12-05) [1]
Closed30 April 2020;4 years ago (2020-04-30)
Former namesPlayhouse Disney (2005–12)

Disney Junior was an Australian pay television channel. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company in Australia and was the sister network of the flagship property Disney Channel. The channel was originally launched 2005 as Playhouse Disney, with programming targeted towards children aged 2 to 7, as well as their families, with original series and movies. The channel was relaunched as Disney Junior on 29 May, 2011 [2]

Contents

The channel's programming is composed of original animated series television series sourced from Disney Junior in the United States, as well as screenings of Disney's theatrical releases and other acquired programming.

After indications that Disney Channel and Disney Junior would close in early 2020 due to the launch of Disney+ and expiring contracts, Foxtel advised that negotiations with Disney were continuing to keep broadcasting the networks. [3] However, Sky confirmed that both channels would close in New Zealand from 30 November 2019. [4] [5] Foxtel confirmed that the channels would be leaving their service at the end of February 2020, and on Fetch TV on 30 April. [6]

Programming

Disney Junior's programming schedule mainly consisted of animated series for children, sourced from Disney Junior in the United States. Titles airing in the 2010s have included Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Jake and the Never Land Pirates . [2] [7]

Disney Junior's schedule also included internationally produced series acquired by Disney Channel Worldwide, including PJ Masks , Claude, Gigantosaurus , 101 Dalmatian Street and Go Away, Unicorn! . [8] [9] [10] [11]

The channel aired event screenings of Disney's theatrical releases, including Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas . [12]

Disney Junior Australia had also commissioned and produced original local series, including The Book of Once Upon a Time, which featured Australian voices reading classic and contemporary Disney stories. [13] The network also debuted Alphabet Street in 2019. [14]

Related Research Articles

NXE Australia Pty Ltd, trading as the Foxtel Group, is an Australian pay television company—operating in cable television, direct broadcast satellite television, and IPTV streaming services. It was formed in April 2018, superseding an earlier company from 1995. The service was established as a 50/50 joint venture between News Limited and Telstra, with News Corp and Telstra holding 65% and 35% ownership shares respectively.

Fox8 is an Australian pay television channel available on Foxtel, and Optus Television's subscription platforms. It is the most watched subscription television channel in Australia. A high definition version of the channel, Fox8HD, was launched on the Foxtel and Austar platforms on 15 November 2008.

Disney Branded Television is an American television production company and a unit of Disney General Entertainment Content which oversees development, production and acquisition of content geared towards children, teenagers and families for Disney+, Disney Channel, Disney Jr. and Disney XD. The unit also oversees Disney-branded unscripted series, documentaries and specials for Disney+ and the Disney channels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney Channel (British and Irish TV channel)</span> Childrens television channel in the UK and Ireland (1995–2020)

Disney Channel was a British-Irish children's pay television channel owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company (UK) Ltd., a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. Active from 1 October 1995 to 1 October 2020, the channel served young audiences in the region. This iteration is distinct from the original namesake American channel of the same name, which remains operational.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney Channel (Australian TV channel)</span> Defunct Australian TV channel

Disney Channel was an Australian pay television channel. It was the flagship television property owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company a localized version of the namesake American television channel launched in 1996, the network targeted towards children and their families, with original series and movies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney Junior (UK & Ireland)</span> Defunct television channel in the UK and Ireland

Disney Junior was a British and Irish pay television kids' TV channel that was owned by Disney–ABC Television Group that focused on preschool programming. It was launched on 29 September 2000 as Playhouse Disney. The channel was rebranded as Disney Junior on 7 May 2011, it later ceased broadcasting on 30 September 2020 due to Disney+.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nat Geo Wild</span> Global television channel

National Geographic Wild is a global pay television network owned by National Geographic Partners, a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company (73%) and the National Geographic Society (27%). The channel primarily focuses on wildlife and natural history non-fiction programming. It is a sister network to National Geographic TV.

National Geographic Oceania was a subscription television documentary network in Oceania that featured programmes on subjects such as nature, science, culture and history, plus some reality television and pseudo-scientific entertainment programming. It was the Oceanian version of the National Geographic Channel Asia Pacific. From 2020 to 2023, it was the only Disney-owned network in Oceania and to broadcast as a linear television channel, with the Disney Channel and Disney Junior having been shut down in favour of the streaming service Disney+.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">13th Street (Australian TV channel)</span> Australian television channel

13th Street was an Australian television channel which specialised in airing action and suspense programmes. The channel was owned by NBC Universal and was launched on 15 November 2009 as part of Foxtel's Next Generation launch. It launched on Fetch TV in 2017 as part of Fetch TV's channel pack revamp.

Disney Cinemagic was a European television brand that consisted of a group of television channels owned by The Walt Disney Company Limited (UK) (50%) Sky plc (50%) plus two programming blocks by Disney Channels Worldwide. It used to be broadcast on most countries in Western Europe; currently, formerly-branded Disney Cinemagic channels in France and the United Kingdom and Ireland are run by third parties which primarily airs films by the Walt Disney Studios.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney XD (international)</span>

Disney XD is a brand of children's TV channels owned by The Walt Disney Company. Since its American debut on February 13, 2009, the brand was launched in other markets. The channel was formerly known as Toon Disney or Jetix in most areas.

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. Since its American debut on February 14, 2011, the brand was launched worldwide. In most countries the channel was formerly known as Playhouse Disney.

Showcase is an Australian premium drama cable and satellite television channel. It was initially part of the Showtime Australia channels and was managed by PMP chief executive officer Peter Rose. In 2007 Rose said Showcase "provides a real home at last for quality drama in Australia, and this list of outstanding event television is just the start". Showcase launched with the Australian TV premieres of Dexter and Australian-made series Satisfaction.

Foxtel Movies is a suite of 11 pay television film channels in Australia which began broadcasting on 1 January 2013. Owned by Foxtel, the channels replaced the now-defunct Movie Network and Showtime suites.

This is a synoptic list of events and premieres which occurred, in 2014 in Australian television, the 59th year of continuous operation of television in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney XD (Australian and New Zealand TV channel)</span> Defunct Australian television channel

Disney XD was an Australian subscription television channel, which was launched 10 April 2014 on Foxtel as a local feed of its American counterpart. It aired live-action, sports and animation shows which were aimed at boys aged six to fourteen. The channel was shut down on 6 January 2019.

DreamWorks Channel, commonly known as DreamWorks, is a pay television network owned and operated by the NBCUniversal International Networks division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. First launched in Southeast Asia on 1 August 2015, it expanded to the rest of Asia as well as Europe, Africa and Oceania. Its programming is mainly sourced from DreamWorks Animation.

<i>Bluey</i> (2018 TV series) Australian animated preschool television series

Bluey is an Australian animated preschool television series which premiered on ABC Kids on 1 October 2018. The program was created by Joe Brumm and is produced by Queensland-based company Ludo Studio. It was commissioned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the British Broadcasting Corporation, with BBC Studios holding global distribution and merchandising rights. The series made its international premiere on Disney Junior in the United States and is released widely on Disney+.

Cartoonito is a brand name used by Warner Bros. Discovery for a collection of television networks and programming blocks aimed at preschool children. The name combines the "cartoon" with the Spanish suffix "ito", meaning "small".

References

  1. ↑ Alarcon, Camille (29 May 2011). "Disney makes new friends". News. B & T Weekly. 54 (2546): 23. ISSN   1325-9210. Archived from the original on 15 August 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  2. 1 2 Knox, David (25 May 2011). "Playhouse Disney rebrands as Disney Junior from Sunday". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 17 February 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  3. ↑ Perry, Kevin (5 October 2019). "Foxtel prepared for life without Disney Channels". TV Blackbox. Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  4. ↑ Keall, Chris (5 October 2019). "Sky renews Sevens deal to 2023, loses Disney channels". The New Zealand Herald . Archived from the original on 7 July 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  5. ↑ Ramsey, Teresa (22 November 2019). "Sky's Disney channels to close". Stuff.co.nz . Stuff Limited. Archived from the original on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  6. ↑ Blackiston, Hannah (5 February 2020). "Disney pulls channels from Foxtel". Mumbrella. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  7. ↑ Knox, David (28 November 2010). "Week 48: the winner announced". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 10 July 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  8. ↑ Knox, David (27 March 2016). "Airdate: PJ Masks". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 26 August 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  9. ↑ Milligan, Mercedes (5 February 2018). "Sixteen South's Claude Heads to Disney Junior with Pedigree Cast". Animation Magazine . Archived from the original on 22 June 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  10. ↑ Whyte, Alexandra (14 June 2017). "Disney Channels EMEA makes trio of commissions". Kidscreen. Archived from the original on 10 June 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  11. ↑ Whyte, Alexandra (6 October 2017). "Sonar dives into Go Away, Unicorn! production". Kidscreen. Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  12. ↑ Knox, David (1 December 2009). "Summer treats for kids". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 25 April 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  13. ↑ Kate (24 August 2015). "Disney Junior The Book of Once Upon A Time". Laughing Kids Learn. Archived from the original on 16 August 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  14. ↑ "Paper Moose animated kids series Alphabet Street launches on Disney Junior". Film Ink. 30 September 2019. Archived from the original on 1 October 2019. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.