We shared this news today on Chip and Company and thought you guys would be as excited as we are!
Disney Junior, a 24-hour basic cable/satellite channel expressly for kids age 2-7 and their parents/caregivers, will launch FRIDAY, MARCH 23 (12:00 midnight, ET/PT) in the U.S., joining 28 other Disney Junior channels around the world.
The popular Disney Junior daily programming block will continue on Disney Channel while the new 24 hour channel will fulfill parents’ demands for quintessentially Disney programming throughout the day. The Disney Junior channel will be available via major cable and satellite providers Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cablevision, Bright House Networks and Verizon, among others. Additional information regarding Disney Junior is available at DisneyJuniorTheChannel.com.
“This marks the beginning of a sea change in the ‘preschool plus’ television landscape. The response to our Disney Junior programming block has been extremely positive from both our affiliate partners and our viewers’ parents. On March 23, when it launches as a stand-alone channel, our audience will have the opportunity to experience an engaging, learning-focused and uniquely Disney destination on a 24-hour basis.”
Disney Junior invites mom and dad to join their child in the Disney experience of magical, musical and heartfelt stories and characters, while incorporating specific learning and development themes designed for kids age 2-7. A council of academic advisors comprising experts in the fields of child development, transmedia, storytelling, early education and creativity will guide Disney Junior’s learning and development curriculum.
Nancy Kanter, Senior Vice President, Original Programming and General Manager, Disney Junior Worldwide, said:
“Disney Junior series each have specific curriculum experts and now, to maximize overall learning value, we are deepening our conversation to include a channel advisory council that will share research and knowledge in the world of education and bring important perspectives on innovations in early childhood learning.”
The 24 hour Disney Junior schedule will include daily telecasts of “Jake and the Never Land Pirates” (the #1 series among Boys 2-5 for 2011) and the hit series “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.” It will also introduce the animated series “Doc McStuffins” at launch, and will feature new editions of the acclaimed short-form series “A Poem Is…” and a weekend movie block, “Magical World of Disney Junior.” New interstitials featuring Disney heritage characters, including Sebastian and Flounder from “The Little Mermaid,” Mrs. Potts and Chip from “Beauty and the Beast,” and pups Lucky and Pepper “101 Dalmatians,” will also debut.
For more details check out the Press Release at Chip and Company!
Chip of Chip and Company
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- Production has begun on new animated series The Happy Hugglemonsters for Disney Junior (chipandco.com)
- Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior Ratings for 2011 (chipandco.com)
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
I wish they would bring back Winnie the Pooh! My son loved that.
I agree with Noelle. We really miss My Friends Tigger and Pooh!!!!
Handy Manny has not been on recently either.
I hate to be a nay-sayer, but why do we need children’s programming (for 2-7 year olds) on a 24-hour basis? Shouldn’t we be encouraging good sleeping habits and having some “off” time where they aren’t plugged in to some sort of artificial and external entertainment. I can see where, occasionally, it would come in handy if a kid wakes up sick or something in the middle of the night and wants to watch something to put him back to sleep, but that’s what DVDs are good for. For parents that say that they want it for when kids just wake up randomly in the middle of the night, I would argue that the kid needs to learn the skills to be able to put himself back to sleep, rather than defaulting to watching TV until they can’t keep their eyes open anymore. Six- and seven-year-olds, and possibly 4- and 5-year-olds, too, should be in bed sleeping or resting so that they will be able to get up for school the next day. I simply don’t see the sense in this, and I think it encourages unhealthy behaviors. Children’s programming has a place and a time, and the middle of the night is not the time, in my opinion.
I’m so excited for this! Now I can stop DVRing certain episodes. Disney Juinior stops airing by the time my son has his tv time.
I just want them to air Bear and the Big Blue House. My 8 year old still loves the music from that show.
:where will disney channel go? ):
Hallie: The original Disney channel will remain where it’s always been; they are simply adding a new channel that features preschool programming the entire day. The original Disney channel runs preschool shows until 2:00 p.m. and then its programming for the older audience begins. That channel will still work that way, much like Nickelodeon has a main channel with preschool shows in the morning and then older audience shows later in the day; with the addition of the channel Nick Jr. that runs preschool shows 24/7.
I can understand where Janice is coming from, however I am in favor of the new Disney Junior channel. It’s one of those things that’s easiest handled by saying, “If you don’t like it you don’t have to watch it.” I personally only let my kids watch 2 hour of cartoons per day, but they watch 2 shows in the morning while I am doing some morning laundry and making breakfast, and as a family we watch 2 cartoons after dinner, yes I could a DVD, but my oldest is 7 and he would get tired of watching the same DVD over and over. And I think I start losing it if I had to hear the same episodes over and over and I’m not going to buy numerous DVDs for 2 evening cartoons. I don’t think kids need 24/7 cartoons but I doubt that parents in favor of it plan on letting their kids watch it all day long; it’s just nice knowing it’s there at 2:00 a.m. when all else fails getting upset kids to calm down.
I MISS ROLIE POLIE OLIE PB&J OTTER MY FRIENDS TIGGER AND POOH AND BEAR IN THE BIG BLUE HOUSE AND STANLEY AND ALOT OF OTHER ONES TOO!!!!
I loved Rolie Rolie Olie :)
I LOvE BEAR IN THE BIG HOUSE AND STANLEY AND MY FRIENDS TIGGER AND POOH I ALWAYS WATCH IT ALOT AND NEvER MISSED ONE SHOW