Disney Channel (Latin American TV channel)
Disney Channel is a Latin American pay television network broadcasting throughout Latin America and the Caribbean region. It was officially launched in 2000 as a premium-label channel and it became a basic pay-TV network in 2004.
 | |
| Country | Argentina Brazil Caribbean Central America Chile Colombia Dominican Republic Ecuador Mexico Paraguay Peru United States (Depends on network) Uruguay Venezuela |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Latin America and the Caribbean |
| Headquarters | California, United States With studios in:[1] Mexico City, Mexico Caracas, Venezuela São Paulo, Brazil Bogotá, Colombia Vicente López, Argentina |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | Spanish Portuguese (only in the Brazilian feed of the channel) English (via SAP audio track) |
| Picture format | 1080i HDTV (downscaled to 16:9 480i/576i for the SDTV feed) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | The Walt Disney Company Latin America Disney Branded Television (Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer and International) |
| Sister channels | |
| History | |
| Launched | July 27, 2000 |
| Links | |
| Website | disneylatino |
| Availability | |
| Cable | |
| NET | channel 102 (Brazilian feed) |
| TVA | channel 27 (Brazilian feed) |
| Flow Trinidad | channel 39 / 202 (Central feed, English audio track only) |
| Satellite | |
| Dish Network Mexico | 302 (north feed) |
| DirecTV Latin America | Channel 312 (SD; Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Ecuador) Channel 314 (Colombia, Venezuela) 1312 (HD) |
| Sky México | Channel 320 (SD) Channel 1320 (HD) |
| VTR | Channel 21 |
| DirecTV Caribbean | Channel 314 (North Atlantic feed, English) |
It is available using five different feeds, each with different programming schedules and timings. It is mostly marketed to children; however, in recent years the diversity of viewers has expanded to include an older audience. Disney Channel is operated by Disney Media Networks Latin America and The Walt Disney Company Latin America, both of which are owned by The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS).
History
In 2000, while Disney Channel in the United States changed its "premium television" label to "basic" subscription TV network, the channel was launched in Latin America using the same graphical branding as Disney Channel in Europe but with the same programming as the US version. In the beginning, the network's broadcast was divided in two feeds": North feed, aimed towards Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, and South feed, aimed towards South America (excluding Brazil), each with different programming schedules. Disney Channel also launched its first original production, Zapping Zone, with hosts bringing news and introducing the Disney Channel Original Series to the audience.
On 5 April 2001, a Brazilian feed was launched. During that time, Disney Channel Latin America adopted a new logo and idents created by GÉDÉON, also employed in Europe. In 2004, Anne Sweeney, a veteran cable executive, took control of Disney–ABC Television Group and changed the design from the channels worldwide. On that same year, Disney Channel became a "basic" cable channel and used the 2002 look of Disney Channel US. Along with the new look, the channel started to air new series, mainly focused on teenagers and placing the original animated cartoons in earlier schedules. In the morning schedule, Playhouse Disney was aired with programming for children aged 2–7.
In 2005, the network became one of the most viewed channels in the region, premiering Disney Channel Original Series such as That's So Raven and Phil of the Future.
A fourth feed, known as the Central feed, was created and was broadcast on Colombia, Venezuela, Central America and the Caribbean, broadcasting from Colombia and using the Colombian time zone.
In 2006, very successful series and films such as Hannah Montana, The Cheetah Girls, High School Musical and Jump In! premiered.
In July 2007, the channel rebranded its graphical package to a more "hip" look, using the "Ribbon" branding of the US Disney Channel.
On 1 June 2008, The Walt Disney Company Latin America launched Playhouse Disney, a preschool-oriented channel focused solely on programming for young children aged 2 to 7. The Playhouse Disney-branded block in the morning was still broadcast in the same schedule until 2012. In 2008, Disney Mobile was re-branded as Disney Mobile Studios, which created content for cellphones. On 1 October 2008, Disney Channel launched its fifth feed, the Pacific feed, aimed at Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia and employed the Chilean time zone. In that same date, the network renewed schedules, idents and promos in all of its feeds. On 20 August 2010, a new logo was introduced. On 2 December 2012, Disney Channel Latin America launched its own HD channel, simulcasting the Central feed.
On 28 July 2014, Disney Channel rebranded its graphical package with the new look unveiled in Germany on 17 January 2014 and in the US on 23 May 2014.
In 2016, Disney Channel HD turns into an independent channel with its own schedules, with promos now using three time zones (Mexico, Colombia and Argentina times). However, in 2019, all feeds launch their HD simulcasts, with the original HD channel turning into a high-definition simulcast of the Central feed again.
Feeds
- Mexico feed: localized feed broadcasting exclusively for Mexico.
- Central feed: broadcasting in Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, the Caribbean, and the Dominican Republic. Uses the Colombian time zone as main time (UTC−5)
- South feed: airing in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Uses the Argentine time zone as main time (UTC−3)
- South feed +1: airing in Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia. Uses the Chilean time zone as main time (UTC−4/-3 DST). It broadcasts the South feed programming with a 1-hour delay and with local ads from the countries that receive the feed. During summer time, it directly simulcasts the feed's broadcast.
- Brazil feed: localized feed broadcasting exclusively for Brazil in Brazilian Portuguese. It possesses different programming, in contrast with the other feeds. Uses the Brasilia time zone as main time (UTC−3)
Programming
Series produced by Disney Television Animation and Disney Channel Original Series takes most of the schedule. Some non-original series are also aired, such as Patito Feo, Casi Ángeles, Mortified, The Fairly OddParents, Chiquititas, A Kind of Magic, The Secret Show, The Next Step, Floricienta , George of the Jungle, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir and Find Me in Paris. There are also locally produced original series, such as As the Bell Rings, Soy Luna, Violetta ,Once and Bia
Programming blocks
Disney Junior
This programming block is focused on children from 2 to 7 years old. It is aired every morning. Playhouse Disney Original Series are aired. Formerly, two hosts (different, depending on the feed) introduced the different series and told stories to the kids. On June 1, 2008, along with the launch of the independent channel Playhouse Disney Channel, those hosts were replaced by Ooh and Aah, two monkey hosts. The block was taken off of the Disney Channel's programming schedule in December 2012. It was reintroduced back in 2016 at first on the HD simulcast of the channel, being aired twice in 180 and 120 minutes programming slots in the early morning and in noon. Then, the "Disney Junior on Disney Channel" block got back to air exclusively on the Mexican feed.
Cartoon block
The space between the ending of Disney Junior is mainly used as a cartoon block with animated Disney Channel Original Series and series from Walt Disney Television Animation. Some series aired in this block are Phineas and Ferb, Fish Hooks and Gravity Falls. The series that are aired and their schedules are different depending on the zone.
Movies
Wonderful World of Disney was the block after the Zapping Zone where different Walt Disney Pictures were aired. The block aired on weekdays. The early-afternoon weekday film block is named Cool After School. On weekends it is replaced with a Disney Cinemagic block. Movies were occasionally aired on Disney Junior.
It was followed by another film block, but this one airs Disney Channel Original Movies. It aired on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays after Zapping Zone and sometimes any other weekday after Wonderful World of Disney. Some of the movies premiered on Rede Telecine or HBO Family before they premiered here. The highest rated film in this block was High School Musical 2, with 3.3 million viewers.[2]
As of October 1, 2020, all movies from Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures library were removed permanently from the Disney Channels programming due the launch of Disney+ in Latin America on November 17, 2020.
Holidays
Due to the season differences in Latin America, the timing of the summer special varies by region. It starts in late June and ends in early September in the North and Central feeds. In the South and Pacific feeds it begins in December and ends in late February. It includes premieres of new films and television series episodes. For Halloween and Christmas the channel airs themed films and episodes.
The channel does not air the New Year events of Disney Channel of the United States. Its New year Event is an original production of the channel, named Celebratón. Viewers vote on the website for their favorite movies, episodes, and specials. The most voted ones are aired December 31. It is hosted by the cast of Zapping Zone. There is a countdown and previews of new programs coming in the next year. It replaced the previous block "Popcorn".
Sister channels
Disney XD
It is a pay television channel broadcasting throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. It was launched on 8 November 1996 as Fox Kids, rebranded on 1 August 2004 as Jetix, and took on its current branding on 3 July 2009. It is broadcast using four feeds. It features male-focused series along with action, comedy and animated series.[3] It is marketed to boys from 6 to 14. It is operated by Disney & ESPN Media Networks and The Walt Disney Company Latin America, which are owned by The Walt Disney Company.
Disney Junior
It is a pay television channel broadcasting in all Latin America using four feeds. It is directly marketed to preschoolers. It was launched on 1 June 2008 as Playhouse Disney Channel. Formerly it was only a programming block that aired on Disney Channel during mornings. Its programming is very similar to the US channel; however, it also airs non-original programming. On 23 December 2010 The Walt Disney Company Latin America announced that the channel would be rebranded as Disney Junior sometime in 2011,[4] and the relaunched eventually happened on 1 April 2011.
Website
The Walt Disney Company Latin America has its own website for the Hispanic American audience, Disneylatino.com. There is also a site for Brazil, disney.com.br. It was created with Adobe Flash. It is divided into "Movies", with the pages and trailers of current and upcoming Walt Disney Pictures films. It had categories for the different channels, Disney Channel, Disney XD Latin America, and Playhouse Disney Channel. There are also sections for DVD releases, Radio Disney, Disney parks, live shows, and mobile content.
In September 2009 and August 2010 the websites were changed to be like the US one and because of new logos, respectively.[5][6] On the Disney Channel, Disney XD, and Disney Junior sections, users can see videos, play games, look at characters, and see the "homepages" of the shows and films. Disney has services available on mobile phones. Disney and its channels have pages on, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Defunct
Zapping Zone
Disney Channel Latin America produced an original show called Zapping Zone, on which different hosts interact with the viewers with games and trivia. It was aired only on weekdays from July 27, 2000 to October 26, 2012. They also give news about Disney Channel, the channel's series, upcoming Walt Disney Pictures films and new Disney Channel Original Movies. It is transmission is not live, and viewers can call to participate in different games, all of them containing questions and trivia about Disney films and series. Just for participating, they can win T-shirts and caps, and if they win, the awards include DVDs, soundtracks and video games of different Disney films and characters.
The hosts of the Zapping Zone presented the series, Disney Channel Original Series that are aired in the block as a primetime. New episodes of animated and live-action series were often aired every weekday. New music videos or trailers also premiered in this block, introduced by the hosts. There were also blocks such as Stop, Bloopers, and Xtreme Friday.
References
- "Nuestras Oficinas - Disneylatino.com". Archived from the original on 2011-02-05.
- Farandoo.com Archived 2008-02-02 at the Wayback Machine, HSM 2 alcanzó cifras récord en Latinoamérica! (in Spanish)
- Exclusivo ANMTV: Llega Disney XD y te presentamos toda su programación – Anime, Manga y TV. Anmtvla.com. Retrieved on 2011-04-09.
- "Disney Junior - Página Inicial". Disney Junior BR. Archived from the original on 2014-02-16. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
- "Disneylatino.com - El sitio oficial de Disney". Disneylatino.
- "Disney.com - The official home for all things Disney". Disney Home.
External links
- Disneylatino.com Official Disney website for Latin America.
- Disney Channel Latin America Official website