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Disney Channel (Germany)

Disney Channel is a German free-to-air television channel owned by The Walt Disney Company Germany. The channel is based in Munich and is for children.

Aimed at all ages, its programming consists of original first-run television series, theatrically released and original made-for-cable movies and select other third-party programming. The original programming is mainly supplied by its American counterpart.

The channel was originally launched on 16 October 1999[1] as a subscription television channel on the Sky Deutschland platform. However, it was later closed down on 30 November 2013. It was transformed into a free-TV channel on 17 January 2014, replacing Das Vierte.

The network competes with other channels primarily aimed at children, such as Super RTL (50% owned by Disney Television until March 2021), KiKa and Nickelodeon Germany.[2]

History

Walt Disney Television International opened their German offices near Munich on 1 March 1999. Disney Channel Germany was launched on 16 October 1999 as a subscription channel.[1]

Disney purchased Das Vierte (lit. The Fourth), a free-to-air TV station, in December 2012 from Dmitry Lesnevsky, a Russian media mogul, and former owner of Russia's REN-TV. In April 2013, Disney announced that Das Vierte would become Disney Channel in January 2014 as a 24-hour family entertainment network under Disney Channel's German head Lars Wagner.[3]

Initial daytime programming included standard Disney Channel fare including Jessie, Austin & Ally, Phineas and Ferb and Gravity Falls while prime time saw Pixar films and older drawing shows including those from ABC Family as well as Hallmark Channel's Cedar Cove. Disney formed an in-house ad sales company, Disney Media+, for the channel given that two competitors control most ad sales companies.[4][5] The channel will also be offered on two online platforms: live-stream and a catch-up service.[4] The channel suspended transmission on 30 November 2013 and launched over the air on 17 January 2014[5] at 6 AM with the classic animated short film Steamboat Willie.[6] Disney reported that its launch weekend pushed them past Nick in to third place among kid broadcast channels.[2]

Programming

Availability

Via the airwaves, the station had an availability to 93% of German TV households plus on two online platforms: live-stream and a catch-up service, as well as Europe wide on Astra digital satellite service.[4]

Logos

See also

  • Super RTL

External links

References

  1. Dieter Brockmeyer. Disney Channel gets digital in Germany Kidscreen, March 1, 1999, retrieved 18 July 2013^
  2. Scott Roxborough. Disney Channel Germany Tops Nickelodeon in Ratings on Launch Weekend The Hollywood Reporter, January 20, 2014, retrieved February 18, 2014^
  3. Scott Roxborough. Walt Disney to Launch Free-TV Channel in Germany The Hollywood Reporter, April 17, 2013, retrieved February 18, 2014^
  4. Scott Roxborough. Disney Betting on Pixar Movies, ABC Series in German Network Launch The Hollywood Reporter, November 14, 2013, retrieved February 18, 2014^
  5. Thomas Lückerath. Disney: Ein Datum, ein Vermarkter und etwas Programm DWDL.de, September 26, 2013, retrieved April 19, 2017^
  6. Alexander Krei. Lars Wagner über den Disney Channel (German) 15 January 2014, retrieved 17 January 2014^