Press Release from The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company today announced that it will re-brand its Jetix channels in five Central and Eastern European countries to become Disney Channel, the world's leading kids TV brand. Kid-driven, family inclusive Disney Channel is set to launch later this year in Hungary, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Bulgaria, increasing the channel's distribution to 12 million households in the CEE region. Disney Channel will be localised for the market with programming dubbed in local languages.
Disney Channel series joined the Jetix CEE schedule last year and have helped strengthen the channel's position. In just two months following the series debut in Hungary, Disney's HANNAH MONTANA and PHINEAS AND FERB attracted an additional 391,000 viewers, and propelled Jetix from #3 to #1 kids' channel. The first Disney Channel launch in CEE also proved successful, the channel began broadcasting in Poland in December 2007 and has since doubled its reach to become the country's #1 kids' channel.
Giorgio Stock, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Disney Channels EMEA, comments: "CEE is a key market for The Walt Disney Company and launching Disney Channel is central to the company's strategic growth plan in the region. The performance of Disney Channel in Poland and the huge impact of the channel's content on Jetix have proven the demand for its kid-driven, family inclusive programming. We look forward to leveraging this demand, the power of the Disney brand and synergies with other Disney businesses to become the undisputed leader in the kids' TV market."
Targeted at two distinct age groups, kids aged 2 to 5 and kids aged 6 to 14 and their families, Disney Channel will offer CEE viewers a compelling mix of programming including live action favourites HANNAH MONTANA, the hit animated series PHINEAS AND FERB and Disney Channel Original Movies HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL and CAMP ROCK. The channel will also feature a daily Playhouse Disney programming block with a range of entertaining, learning-focused programming for preschoolers, including global hits MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE and HANDY MANNY.
Disney Channel Worldwide represents the most successful portfolio of kids' channels in the world with 98 channels and/or channel feeds available in 167 countries and in 32 languages. In 2008, Disney Channel ranked as the #1 kids' channel in 17 countries/territories including Poland in Central and Eastern Europe. Disney Channel properties continue to rapidly expand into new markets across the world, playing a key role in introducing the Disney brand to new consumers.
