Disney Channel (originally called The Disney Channel from 1996 to 1997) was an Australian

pay television Pay television, also known as subscription television, premium television or, when referring to an individual service, a premium channel, refers to Subscription business model, subscription-based television services, usually provided by multichan ...

channel. It was the

flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of navy, naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically ...

television property owned and operated by

The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was founded on October 16 ...

. A localization version of the namesake American television channel launched in 1996, the network targeted towards children and their families, with original series and movies. The network's programming consisted of original animated and live action

television series A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming plat ...

sourced from the Disney Channel including their original made-for-cable movies, as well as screenings of Disney's theatrical releases and other acquired programming. The network closed in New Zealand on 30 November 2019 on

Sky The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the planetary surface, surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere of Earth, atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from ...

, and in Australia on 1 March 2020 on

Foxtel NXE Australia Pty Ltd, trading as the Foxtel Group, is an Australian pay television company that operates cable television, direct-broadcast satellite, direct broadcast satellite television, and IPTV streaming services. It was formed in April ...

. It was discontinued on 30 April 2020 on Fetch TV.

History

Disney Channel Disney Channel is an American pay television television channel, channel that serves as the flagship (broadcasting), flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney Entertainment business segment of the Walt Disney Company ...

was first broadcast by

Optus Singtel Optus Pty Limited is an Australian Telecommunications in Australia, telecommunications company headquartered in Macquarie Park, a suburb in the Northern Sydney region of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is a wholly owned subsidiar ...

on 8 June 1996; the first program scheduled was the television premiere of '' Aladdin''. It became available though Austar on 1 April 2001, through

on 1 December 2001, and through TransTV on 21 January 2002. It was formerly available on SelecTV from September 2008 until the closure of its English service in late 2010. The network launched on New Zealand's pay television network, SKY Network Television, on 24 December 2003. Disney launched the Playhouse Disney channel in Australia and New Zealand on 5 December 2005, which later rebranded as Disney Junior in 2011. An additional network named

Disney XD Disney XD is an American pay television television channel, channel owned by the Disney Branded Television and Disney Entertainment units of The Walt Disney Company. The channel is aimed primarily at older children ages six to eleven years old ...

launched on 10 April 2014, featuring programming targeted towards boys aged 6–14. Disney XD ceased broadcasting on 6 January 2019, with a selection of programming moving to Disney Channel thereafter, including '' Star Wars Resistance'' and various Marvel animations. With Disney XD being integrated into the main channel, the service would now contain fewer advertisement breaks. In August 2016, Disney Channel Australia hosted its third local "FanFest" event, at Martin Place in Sydney. The network organised a concert featuring US singer Sabrina Carpenter, which was hosted by the Australian network's personalities, and live streamed on the website. General manager of the network, Leisa Sadler, noted the importance of brand activation through having a physical event for fans to connect with, and appreciated the opportunity to promote the channel's local programming. More than 2,000 people attended the event and over 3,000 watched online. Previous "FanFest" events featured personalities

Bridgit Mendler Bridgit Claire Mendler (born December 18, 1992) is an American entrepreneur and former actress and singer-songwriter. She first became known as a Child actor, child actress and continued acting into adulthood, which overlapped with a musical car ...

and Ross Lynch. After indications that Disney Channel and Disney Junior would close in early 2020 due to the launch of

Disney+ The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...

and expiring contracts, Foxtel advised that negotiations with Disney were continuing to keep broadcasting the networks. However, Sky confirmed that both channels would close in New Zealand from 30 November 2019. Foxtel confirmed that the channels would be leaving their service at the end of February 2020, and on Fetch TV at the end of April 2020.

Programming

Disney Channel's programming schedule mainly consists of live action sitcoms and

animated series An animated series, or a cartoon series, is a set of Animation, animated films with a common title, usually related to one another. These episodes typically share the same main heroes, some different secondary characters and a basic theme. Series ...

for

children A child () is a human being between the stages of childbirth, birth and puberty, or between the Development of the human body, developmental period of infancy and puberty. The term may also refer to an unborn human being. In English-speaking ...

, sourced from

in the United States. Titles airing in the 2000s included ''

Hannah Montana ''Hannah Montana'' is an American teen sitcom created by Michael Poryes, Rich Correll, and Barry O'Brien that aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between March2006 and January2011. The series centers on Miley Stewart (played by Miley Cy ...

'', '' Kim Possible'', '' Lizzie McGuire'', '' Lilo & Stitch: The Series'' and '' Sabrina''. Programs broadcast by the network in the 2010s have included '' Andi Mack'', ''

Austin & Ally ''Austin & Ally'' is an American comedy television series created by Kevin Kopelow and Heath Seifert that aired on Disney Channel from December 2, 2011 to January 10, 2016. The series stars Ross Lynch, Laura Marano, Raini Rodriguez, and Cal ...

'', '' Big Hero 6: The Series'', '' Girl Meets World'', '' K.C. Undercover'' and '' Raven's Home''. Disney Channel's schedule also includes internationally produced series acquired by Disney Channel Worldwide, including '' Hotel Transylvania: The Series'', '' Rolling with the Ronks!'' and '' The ZhuZhus''. In January 2017, Disney Channel acquired the license to air the local Australian series '' Grace Beside Me'', a co-production between NITV and ABC, which premiered in March 2019. The network airs event broadcasts of Disney's theatrical releases, with

Pixar Pixar (), doing business as Pixar Animation Studios, is an American animation studio based in Emeryville, California, known for its critically and commercially successful computer-animated feature films. Pixar is a subsidiary of Walt Disney ...

films including ''

A Bug's Life ''A Bug's Life'' (stylized in all lowercase) is a 1998 American animated comedy film directed by John Lasseter from a screenplay written by Andrew Stanton, Donald McEnery, and Bob Shaw, and a story conceived by Lasseter, Stanton, and Joe Ran ...

'', '' Monsters, Inc.'', and animated classics such as '' Aladdin'' and ''

The Emperor's New Groove ''The Emperor's New Groove'' is a 2000 American animated fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was directed by Mark Dindal and produced by Randy Fullmer, from a screenplay writte ...

''. Also featured are Disney Channel's original made-for-cable movies, including the '' High School Musical'' and '' Descendants'' franchises. Disney Channel Australia has also commissioned and produced several of its own scripted drama series, including a local version of '' As the Bell Rings'', and original miniseries '' Mind Over Maddie''. In 2013, the network debuted a local short-form series titled '' Hanging With'', which takes the form of an afternoon variety show, featuring hosts who act as the faces of the channel and present programming news and other entertainment segments. In 2019, the network produced a short-form miniseries entitled ''Spread the Word'', which explores words from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages. Other local programming has included ''Backstage Pass'' and ''Radio Disney Insider''. Programs that moved to the network after the closure of Disney XD in 2019 included '' Big City Greens'', '' DuckTales'', '' Gravity Falls'', '' Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon'', '' Star Wars Resistance'' and various Marvel animations including '' Marvel's Avengers Assemble'' and '' Marvel's Spider-Man''.

Sister channels (closed)

Disney Junior

Disney Junior was a 24-hour Australian

cable Cable may refer to: Mechanical * Nautical cable, an assembly of three or more ropes woven against the weave of the ropes, rendering it virtually waterproof * Wire rope, a type of rope that consists of several strands of metal wire laid into a hel ...

and

satellite A satellite or an artificial satellite is an object, typically a spacecraft, placed into orbit around a celestial body. They have a variety of uses, including communication relay, weather forecasting, navigation ( GPS), broadcasting, scient ...

channel available on local platforms. It launched on 5 December 2005 as Playhouse Disney and rebranded on 29 May 2011 as Disney Junior, with programming targeted towards children aged 2–7. It ceased transmission along with Disney Channel on 30 April 2020.

Disney XD

Disney XD was a 24-hour Australian

and

channel available on

. It launched on 10 April 2014. All of the programs targeted boys aged 6–14. The network closed broadcasting on 6 January 2019, after 5 years on the air.

Logos

file:1986 Disney Channel logo.svg, 1996-1997 file: 1997 Disney Channel logo.jpg, 1997–2003 file:2002 Disney Channel logo.svg, 2003–2011. file:2010 Disney Channel logo.svg, 2011–2014. file:2014 Disney Channel logo.svg, 2014–2018. file:2017 Disney Channel logo.svg, 2018–2020.

References

External links

Disney Australia
{{Subscription television channels in Australia

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

English-language television stations in Australia English-language television stations in New Zealand Defunct television channels in New Zealand Children's television channels in Australia Television channels and stations established in 1996 Television channels and stations established in 2003 Television channels and stations disestablished in 2019 Television channels and stations disestablished in 2020 Defunct television channels in Australia 1996 establishments in Australia 2020 disestablishments in Australia 2003 establishments in New Zealand 2019 disestablishments in New Zealand