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Disney Junior is a brand of children's television channels owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company, aimed at small children between 2 and 7 years old.[1] Since its American debut on February 14, 2011 (Valentine's Day 2011),[2] the brand was launched worldwide. In most countries the channel was formerly known as Playhouse Disney.

Disney Junior started closing internationally in 2019, mostly in Europe and Asia-Pacific, as it transitioned viewers to Disney+ and Disney Channel's morning blocks, while other versions remain.

Background

On September 28, 1999, the Playhouse Disney brand was extended internationally with the launch of a self-branded block on Disney Channel in the United Kingdom and Ireland. On September 29, 2000, Disney Television International expanded the block with the launch of a channel in the country alongside the launch of Toon Disney and Disney Channel +1 on the Sky Digital platform.[3] On April 4, 2009, Egmont Group launched a companion Playhouse Disney magazine in the United Kingdom & Republic of Ireland that focused on the channel's four most popular shows: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, My Friends Tigger & Pooh, Handy Manny and Little Einsteins. Each issue included "to do" pages and suggested activities for parents and children based on an educational theme. The Playhouse Disney block on Disney Channel UK & Republic of Ireland was eventually disposed of in July 2004 after reducing hours of programming.[4] The Playhouse Disney channel available there, however, continued to air until it was replaced by Disney Junior on May 7, 2011.[5]

On November 30, 2007, Astral Media launched a Canadian version of Playhouse Disney Channel under a brand licensing agreement with Disney-ABC Television Group; the channel operated as a multiplex channel of Family Channel, which had long maintained a programming distribution agreement with Disney Channel for the domestic rights to the U.S. channel's series until January 2016. A Canadian-French version of Playhouse Disney was launched on July 5, 2010, also by Astral Media. The English & Canadian-French channels were both replaced by Disney Junior on May 6, 2011.[6]

The first Disney Junior to launch outside the U.S. was in Latin America on April 1, 2011,[7] replacing the Playhouse Disney Channel, it later rebranded in most countries replacing their Playhouse Disney brands mostly in 2011, such as Canada on May 6,[8] the United Kingdom and Ireland on May 7,[9] Italy on May 14, France on May 28,[10] Australia and New Zealand on May 29,[11] the pan-CEMA feed (Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa)[12] on June 1, and Spain on June 11.[13]

Japan and India's programming blocks were rebranded on July 3 and 4 respectively, with channels in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and South Korea on July 11,[14] along with Germany, Austria and Switzerland on July 14, Israel on July 18, and Scandinavia and the Benelux (Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg) on September 10.[15]

The Romanian channel launched on March 1, 2012,[16] India and Japan's channels were also launched on October 1 and 15 respectively, It became available in Portugal since November 1, 2012,[17] and Russia's block rebranded on September 1, 2013, concluding the Playhouse Disney brand.

The Hungarian feed was launched on July 1, 2015, but shut down in late 2017 due to lack of distributing for most of the Hungarian pay TV providers.[18][19] It would plan to cease on October 12, but moved instead to December 5,[20] discontinuing the Hungarian language audio track.

Disney Junior in Canada (both English and French), originally owned by DHX Media, discontinued on September 18, 2015[21] as Corus Entertainment acquires Disney's rights. The English version relaunched on December 1, 2015, however, La Chaîne Disney's block, Disney Junior sur La Chaîne Disney, carries most preschool shows in French.

On April 1, 2019, Disney Junior discontinued in the Netherlands,[22] while it continues broadcasting in Belgium (particularly the Flanders), however after a year of absence, most programs returned to Mickey Mornings on Disney Channel since November 17, 2020. Some Disney Junior channels were discontinued in favor for Disney+, such as Australia and New Zealand on April 30, 2020, Italy on May 1, and the United Kingdom and Ireland on October 1.

The same closure occurred in Malaysia on January 1, 2021, the German channel on September 30,[23] Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and South Korea on October 1, Taiwan's programming block on Disney Channel on December 31, 2021, and the Brazilian feed on April 1, 2022,[24] with the Russian block halted in December that year and in Scandinavia on April 1, 2024, due to the channel merging with Disney Channel to launch a new version of the channel.[25]

Current channels

Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
  •   Available as a channel, with programs also aired as a programming block on Disney Channel
  •   Available only as a channel
  •   Available only as a programming block on Disney Channel, which is mostly during mornings.
Market Type Formerly Launch date Availability Operator
United States Channel Soapneta March 23, 2012 (except for DirecTVa) Nationwide Disney Branded Television
Block (Mickey Mornings) Playhouse February 14, 2011[26] (as Disney Junior)
June 1, 2020[27][28] (as Mickey Mornings)
Latin America Channel (North) June 1, 2008 (Playhouse)
April 1, 2011 		Caribbean, Central America, Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela Disney Media Networks Latin America
Channel (South) Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay
Block[29] (Brazil) April 1, 2022 Nationwide
France[30] Channel November 2, 2002 (Playhouse)
May 28, 2011[10] 		France and overseas, Haiti, Belgium, Luxembourg, Francophone Africa, Switzerland The Walt Disney Company Limited[12][31][32]
Channel (HD) 2009 (Playhouse)
May 8, 2011
CEE, Middle East, and Africa[12] Channel Playhouse (except Bulgaria and Romania) June 1, 2011
March 1, 2012 (Bulgaria and Romania)[16] 		Africa, Balkans, Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East
Spain Playhouse November 16, 2001[33] (Playhouse)
June 11, 2011[13][30] 		Spain, Andorra
Japan Block July 3, 2011[34] Nationwide The Walt Disney Company (Japan) Ltd.
Channel — October 1, 2012[34]
India Block Playhouse 2006 (Playhouse)[35]
July 4, 2011 		India, Bhutan,[36] Maldives,[37] Nepal, Sri Lanka[38] Disney Star
Channel — October 15, 2012
Israel Channel Playhouse September 9, 2009 (Playhouse)
July 18, 2011[39] 		Nationwide The Walt Disney Company (Israel) Ltd.
Benelux[12] September 10, 2011[40][15] Belgium; formerly Netherlands The Walt Disney Company Limited[12][41]
Portugal Channel Disney Cinemagic November 1, 2012[17] Portugal, Angola, Mozambique
Canada Channel (English) — December 1, 2015[42] Nationwide Corus Entertainment
Block (French) on Disney —
Germany Block (Mickey Mornings) Junior February 18, 2019[43] Germany, Austria, Switzerland Disney Co. (Germany)
Netherlands — November 17, 2020 Nationwide The Walt Disney Company (Benelux) BV

^a Except for DirecTV, which replaced NASA TV, which moved to another channel and is still airing today. In DirecTV's case, Soapnet was replaced by an Informercial Channel.

Former channels

Market Type Formerly Launch date Discontinued date Operator
Romania Block Playhouse Disney Channel September 2009 (Playhouse);
June 1, 2011 		February 29, 2012 The Walt Disney Company Limited
Portugal June 1, 2011 June 2014 The Walt Disney Company Iberia
Canada (original) Channel November 30, 2007 (Playhouse);
May 6, 2011[8] 		September 18, 2015[21] Under a brand licensing agreement by DHX Media
Channel (French) Playhouse Disney Télé July 5, 2010 (Playhouse);
May 6, 2011
Hungary Block on Disney Channel Playhouse 2011 July 1, 2015[44] The Walt Disney Company Limited
Channel As a block on Disney Channel July 1, 2015[44][45] December 5, 2017[18]
Asia As a block on Disney Channel Playhouse 2000 (Playhouse);
July 11, 2011 		July 31, 2018 The Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia) Pte. Ltd.
Netherlands Channel September 10, 2011[40][15] April 1, 2019[46] The Walt Disney Company Limited
Latin America As a block on Disney Channel (4 feeds) April 11, 2011 March 21, 2020 Disney Media Networks Latin America
Australia & New Zealand Channel December 5, 2005 (Playhouse);
May 29, 2011[11] 		April 30, 2020 The Walt Disney Company (Australia) Pty Ltd.
Italy[30][47] Channel Playhouse May 1, 2005 (Playhouse);
May 14, 2011 		May 1, 2020 The Walt Disney Company Limited[48]
Channel (+1) Playhouse +1 July 31, 2009 (Playhouse +1);
May 14, 2011
Singapore Channel Playhouse March 15, 2004 (Playhouse);
July 11, 2011 		June 1, 2020 The Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia) Pte. Ltd.
United Kingdom & Ireland[30] Channel Playhouse September 29, 2000 (Playhouse);
May 7, 2011 		October 1, 2020 The Walt Disney Company (UK) Limited
Channel (+1) Playhouse +1 November 3, 2007[49] (Playhouse +1);
May 7, 2011 		October 1, 2020
Channel (HD) Playhouse 2011 October 1, 2020
Malaysia Channel Playhouse July 3, 2004 (Playhouse);
July 11, 2011 		December 31, 2020[50] The Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia) Pte. Ltd.
Latin America As a block on Nat Geo Kids (2 feeds) As a block on Disney Channel (3 feeds) March 21, 2020 February 22, 2021 Disney Media Networks Latin America
Germany Channel Playhouse July 14, 2011[51] September 30, 2021[23] The Walt Disney Company Limited[12]
Asia Hong Kong April 2, 2004 (Playhouse);
July 11, 2011 		October 1, 2021 The Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia) Pte. Ltd.
Indonesia
Palau January 2005 (Playhouse);
July 11, 2011
Thailand
Vietnam May 2005 (Playhouse);
July 11, 2011
Cambodia June 20, 2005 (Playhouse);
July 11, 2011
Philippines December 2005 (Playhouse);
July 11, 2011
South Korea June 12, 2004 (Playhouse);
July 11, 2011 		Disney Channel Korea Ltd.
Taiwan Block 2004 (Playhouse);
September 1, 2011 		December 31, 2021 The Walt Disney Company (Taiwan) Ltd.
Brazil Channel September 5, 2008 (Playhouse);
April 1, 2011 		April 1, 2022[24] Disney Media Networks Latin America
Russia Block (Mickey Mornings)
  • August 2010 (Playhouse);
  • September 1, 2013 (Disney Junior);
  • May 1, 2020 (Mickey Mornings)
 December 13, 2022 Media-1 (80%), The Walt Disney Company CIS (20%)
Scandinavia Channel 2006 (Playhouse);
September 11, 2011 		March 1, 2024 (Denmark)
April 1, 2024 		The Walt Disney Company Nordic

See also

References

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  2. ^ Dickson, Jeremy (January 10, 2012). "Disney Junior launches in March, Marvel gets block on XD". Kids Screen. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  3. ^ "Disney launches new channels". Brand Republic. Haymarket Media Group Ltd. MediaWeek. September 13, 2000. Archived from the original on August 16, 2000. Retrieved July 21, 2014. Alt URL
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  5. ^ "Disney Junior sets U.K. launch". Variety. London. January 27, 2011. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  6. ^ "Astral Media dominates Canada". Variety. December 7, 2007. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  7. ^ Sola, Bertha (April 1, 2011). "Disney Junior donde la magia comienza". Cronica. Archived from the original on February 13, 2013. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
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  12. ^ a b c d e f "TV broadcast licensing monthly updates". Ofcom. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
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  16. ^ a b "Disney to expand in Romania". Broadband TV News. February 24, 2012. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  17. ^ a b Pedro Santos, Joaquim (October 6, 2012). "Disney Junior chega a Portugal em novembro". Espalha Factos. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  18. ^ a b "Kivonul hazánkból az egyik gyerekcsatorna!" [One of the children's channels is leaving Hungary!]. Gyerek-Világ (in Hungarian). August 30, 2017. Archived from the original on August 30, 2017. Retrieved August 30, 2018.((cite web)): CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  19. ^ "Búcsúzik Magyarországtól az egyik Disney-gyerekcsatorna". 24.hu (in Hungarian). September 1, 2017. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  20. ^ "Ma hivatalosan is megszűnt a Disney Junior magyar hangsávja". Facebook. Mentrum. December 5, 2017. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  21. ^ a b David Friend (April 16, 2015). "Corus gains Canadian rights to Disney Channel content". The Globe and Mail. Canadian Press. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
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  23. ^ a b "Disney to close Fox and Disney Junior in Germany". Broadband TV News. July 6, 2021. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  24. ^ a b Jungbluth, Marcos (January 11, 2022). "Disney planeja descontinuar Disney Junior e lançará Cinecanal no Brasil". TVLaint Brazil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  25. ^ "Disney combines Junior with Disney Channel in the Nordics". Broadband TV News. February 1, 2024. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
  26. ^ "Disney Junior to launch on Valentine's Day". Variety. January 11, 2011. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  27. ^ It's Coming! | Mickey Mornings | Disney Junior, May 22, 2020, retrieved December 17, 2022
  28. ^ Carly (June 1, 2020). "How Mickey Mouse is Making Mornings More Magical for Families". D23. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  29. ^ Disney Junior nas manhãs do Disney Channel (in Brazilian Portuguese), retrieved January 21, 2023
  30. ^ a b c d "TV Channel: Disney Junior". MAVISE Database. European Audiovisual Observatory. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  31. ^ "Sobre Nosotros". Disney TV España (in Spanish). Retrieved December 14, 2022.
  32. ^ "Television Broadcast Licensing Update September 2011". Ofcom. Archived from the original on February 20, 2015. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  33. ^ "Novedades 2001". mundoplus.tv (in European Spanish). Archived from the original on November 29, 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  34. ^ a b "ディズニージュニアが10月1日開局 小さな子どものための新チャンネル登場" [Disney Junior opens on October 1st! New channel for young children!]. AnimeAnime (in Japanese). October 1, 2012. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
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  36. ^ Newspaper, Bhutan's Daily. "BICMA approves 56 channels for uniformity". Kuensel Online. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
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  38. ^ "Sri Lanka to experience the magic of Disney Junior - ICT". Daily Mirror. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  39. ^ ערן בר-און (July 17, 2011). "ערוץ נולד: "דיסני" השיקה את "דיסני ג'וניור"". Ynet (in Hebrew). ynet.co.il.
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  42. ^ "It's #HereForReal Canada! Corus Entertainment Launches Disney Channel in 10 Million Households" (Press release). Toronto: Corus Entertainment. September 1, 2015. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  43. ^ "Mickys Mitmach-Morgen geht um die Welt!". Brandora. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
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  50. ^ "Astro's kids offering gets a makeover!". Astro. December 10, 2020. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
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