Toon Disney

Toon Disney
Launched April 18, 1998
Closed February 13, 2009
Network Disney Channels Worldwide
Picture format 720p (HDTV)
480i (SDTV)
Headquarters Burbank, California, U.S.
Replaced by Disney XD (most)
Disney Cinemagic (UK and Ireland)
Sister channel(s) Disney Channel
Playhouse Disney

Toon Disney was a worldwide digital cable and satellite television channel that was owned by the Disney Channels Worldwide a subsidiary of Disney-ABC Television Group. A spin-off of the Disney Channel, the channel mostly aired children's animated series and some live action programming. Its format had similarities to those of Discovery Kids, Cartoon Network, and Nicktoons. The channel's target audience was children ages 2–11,[1] and children ages 7–14 during its nighttime block called Jetix. Toon Disney shut down on February 13, 2009, after nearly 11 years, and was replaced by Disney XD, which has carried some programs previously seen on Toon Disney.

History

Toon Disney was launched on April 18, 1998, the Disney Channel's 15-year anniversary, by Disney/ABC Networks on digital tiers of DirecTV, Marcus Cable and EchoStar. The first show was The Sorcerer's Apprentice (1940) and other Mickey Mouse shorts. At 7 PM that night, its night time block, "The Magical World of Toons" was launched. With five more cable operators and Americast following in the next few months. At its launch, the channel shared half of its assigned series with the Disney Channel.[2] The channel had no advertising until viewership reach a set number.[1] In January 1999, the first annual Pumbaa Bowl was broadcast.[3]

By September 2000, the channel was expected to reach 20 million subscribers thus would start showing advertising.[4] In the Fall of 2000, Disney launched its first overseas Toon Disney channel in the United Kingdom.[5]

In June 2001, Toon Disney US launched its Most Animated Kid Search. The Santa Claus Brothers has its world premiere on the channel in December.[3] In September 2002, eight new shows joined the Toon Disney's line up.[3] With its fifth anniversary in April 2003, the channel held a Toon Disney's Magical Adventure Sweepstakes in which three winners along with 3 family members each won a trip to Disneyland Resort to see Disney's Aladdin - A Musical Spectacular.[3]

On February 14, 2004, Jetix programming blocks began on Toon Disney and as a part of the Jetix programming alliance of ABC Networks Group, Fox Kids Europe and Fox Kids Latin America.[6][7] The UK channel switched over to Disney Cinemagic in March 2006.[8]

In 2004, 4 new markets added a Toon Disney channel with three in Europe with Germany also adding a time shift channel.[9] In December, Walt Disney Television International India launched a Toon Disney channel with three language feeds (English, Tamil and Telugu)[10] at the same time as the Disney Channel with Star TV network distributing the channels.[11] In 2005, Scandinavia saw Toon Channels launched[9] there plus two additional in Asia.[12][13] A Hindi language Toon Disney channel launched on September 1, 2005.[13]

The Toon Disney/Big Movie Show premiere of The Polar Express on December 22, 2006 was the channel's highest prime time rating with 1.35 million viewers. On January 27, 2007, Toon Disney launched its weekend afternoon programming block called “The Great Toon Weekend.”[14]

In February 2009, Toon Disney US switched over to the Disney XD format and name.[15] Except for Toon Disney Arab, Toon Disney and Jetix were replaced by September 2009 with Disney XD or the Disney Channel.[16]

Blocks

International versions

Market type launch date replaced by replaced by date
United States channel April 18, 1998[2] Disney XD February 13, 2009[15]
Japan channel December 2005[12] Disney XDAugust 1, 2010
United Kingdom and Ireland channel Fall 2000[5] Disney Cinemagic March 2006[8]
India (English, Tamil and Telugu) channel December 17, 2004[20][21] Disney XD November 14, 2009[21]
India (Hindi) channel September 1, 2005[13] Disney XD November 14, 2009[21]
Vietnam block on HTV7 February 2007[22]
France channel 2004 none 2007[9]
Germany channel November 2004[23] none October 14, 2011[9]
+1 channel 2004 Disney XD +1 2010[24]
Italy channel 2004 none 2011[9]
Italy +1 time-shifted channel 2009 none 2011[9]
Scandinavia (Danish) channel 2005 Disney XD 2009[9]
Scandinavia (Finnish) channel 2005 Disney XD 2009[9]
Scandinavia (Norwegian) channel 2005 Disney XD 2009[9]
Scandinavia (Swedish) channel 2005 Disney XD 2009[9]
Spanish channel none 2009[9]
Arab World channel[16]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Kirchdoerffer, Ed (April 1, 1998). "A Salute to Disney Channel: Drawing up Toon Disney". Kid Screen.com. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Toon Disney Launch.". Animation World Magazine. May 1998. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "Toon Disney Timeline 1998-2003". Toon Disney. Archived from the original on December 10, 2003.
  4. ↑ Hettrick, Scott (February 25, 2000). "Stay Toon-ed For Ads On Disney Spinoff Channel". All Business. The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 21, 2009. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Chapman, Iain (April 29, 2000). "Toon Disney". Digital Spy. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Welsh, James (January 9, 2004). "Fox Kids to be rebranded as Jetix". Digital Spy. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Ball, Ryan (February 13, 2004). "Toon Disney Launches Jetix, Live Card Game". Animation Magazine. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "ITV enters full U.K. kids mkt.". Video Age International. March 1, 2006. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.8 9.9 9.10 "Channel listing: Toon Disney". MAVISE. European Audiovisual Observatory.
  10. ↑ "After Tamil & Telegu, Toon Disney goes Hindi from 1 September". Indian Television. August 22, 2005. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  11. ↑ Bajoria, Jayshree (December 17, 2004). "Disney launches India TV channels". BBC. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Toon Disney and Jetix head for Japan". C21Media. August 31, 2005. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 "Toon Disney to be launched in Hindi from September 1". Televisionpoint.com. August 23, 2005. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Ball, Ryan (January 12, 2007). "Toon Disney has ‘Great Toon Weekend’". Animation Magazine. Retrieved April 4, 2014.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Chmielewski, Dawn C. (August 7, 2008). "Enough with the girls, tween boys get their own brand of Disney love". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 31, 2014. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Benjamin's buttons. Disneys global boss hit the right keys". Video Age International. October 1, 2009. Retrieved April 9, 2014.
  17. ↑ Lewis, Christian (November 12, 2006). "Toon Disney Spruces Up Big Movie Show". Muti-Channel. Retrieved April 9, 2014.
  18. ↑ Umstead, R. Thomas (March 19, 2004). "Disney Nets Bolster ‘Jetix’ Block". Multichannel News. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 ABC Cable Network Group (July 10, 2001). +Takes+Her+Quest+for+Coolness+to+Toon+Disney...-a076432584 "Disney's Pepper Ann Takes Her Quest for Coolness to Toon Disney Beginning September 2001; All-Toon Channel Debuts New Schedule Sept. 3.". Business Wire. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Walt Disney channels to be distributed by STAR". Economic Times. November 25, 2004. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 "Jetix rebrands to Disney XD in India". Indiantelevision.com. November 12, 2009. Retrieved April 9, 2014.
  22. ↑ "Disney's BVITV-AP brings 'Toon Disney' block to Vietnam". Indiantelevision.com. February 1, 2007. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  23. ↑ "Ready, willing ‘n’ cable". Variety. October 24, 2004. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  24. ↑ "TV Channel: Disney XD +1 (Germany)". MAVISE. European Audiovisual Observatory. Retrieved May 1, 2014.

See also

External links