Disney Channel (Asian TV channel)

Disney Channel (formerly known as The Disney Channel from 1996 to 1997) is a pan-Asian pay television channel owned by The Walt Disney Company (Asia Pacific). Most of its original programming is aimed at pre-teens and adolescents ages 10–16 while its Disney Junior programs are targeted at younger children, although certain programs are aimed at audiences of all ages. The channel's programming consists of original first-run television series, theatrically-released and original made-for-cable movies and select other third-party programming. Some countries do not carry the channel, due to either a lack of capacity or government restrictions.

This article is about Disney Channel in Asia. For Disney Channel in the United States, see Disney Channel. For other international channels, see Disney Branded Television.

Disney Channel
CountryPhilippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia
Broadcast areaAsia
(except Singapore & Malaysia)
HeadquartersCorporate office: 1 #06-01 Sandcrawler, Fusionopolis View, Singapore 138577
Studios and production facility: 4 Loyang Ln #01-01/02 and #02-01/02., Singapore 508914
Suria KLCC, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Programming
Language(s)English
Mandarin
(live-action programming subtitled only)
Malay
(select programs)
Tamil
(live-action programming subtitled only)
Indonesian
(live-action programming subtitled only)
Thai
(live-action programming subtitled only)
Vietnamese (subtitles)
Picture format1080i HDTV
(downscaled to 16:9 480i/576i for the SDTV feed)
Ownership
OwnerDisney Branded Television
(Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International)
Sister channels
History
LaunchedSeptember 1, 1996 (1996-09-01)
ClosedMay 31, 2020 (2020-05-31) (Singapore)[1]
December 31, 2020 (2020-12-31) (Malaysia, Astro)[2]
Links
Websitedisney.asia

History

Disney Channel Asia was launched in January 2000 with a single video feed and two audio tracks in English and Mandarin, as well as subtitles in Mandarin. The channel became available in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines.[3] On 1 June 2002, the channel was launched in the South Korean market with a Korean language feed.[4] Over the first six months of 2005, Disney Channel Asia, along with sister channel Playhouse Disney (now Disney Junior) was launched in Vietnam, Palau and Thailand. It finished off with a launch of both in Cambodia, its 11th market, with Cambodia Entertainment Production Co. Ltd. as distributor.[5]

Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior ceased transmission in Singapore on 31 May 2020, on both Singtel and StarHub.[1] It was replaced with Disney+ in February 23, 2021.

On September 1, 2020, Disney Channel in Indonesia was separated from the main feed, due to the launch of Disney+ Hotstar on September 5, 2020.

On December 31, 2020, Disney Channel, Disney Junior & Disney XD ceased transmission in Malaysia on Astro.

HD channel

On 1 May 2015, The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia launched a high-definition simulcast feed of Disney Channel in the Philippines, available on SkyCable and Destiny Cable distributed by Asian Cable Communications, Inc. (ACCION) in that country. Just like its SD counterpart, the HD simulcast of the channel airs the same shows shown in the SD feed. The HD feed was also launched on TrueVisions in Thailand on 7 July 2016 as an exclusive for cable subscribers, and on Astro in Malaysia on 15 November 2019 for satellite subscribers.

Presentation and logos

With the launch of the channel in 1996, Disney Channel Asia adopted the UK network's presentation designed by Lambie-Nairn. It then used the splat logo in 1997 with the opening of Disney Channel France. Later in 1999, Disney Channel Asia began to use the "Circles" presentation package until July 2003, when the US logo (and design package by CA Square) as the "Bounce" graphics, it became the channel's on-air presentation format, then later rebranded using the "Ribbon" graphics from 2007 until 2011. Two more redesigns were made in 2012, then in 2014 with the current wordmark logo.

Disney Channel Asia started using parts of the US "Social Media" rebrand from 1 December 2017, and rebranded fully on 1 January 2018 at 6am. As of 2020 it has also used elements of the US "Item Age" graphics.

Feeds

Asia

The main feed was available in the Middle East, Thailand, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Myanmar and Cambodia.

This feed stopped airing movies and started sharing the same schedule with the Indonesian feed on 1 February 2021.

Indonesia

The schedule was very similar to the main feed, with the exclusions of movies at launch. It was separated from the main feed since 1 September 2020 due to the launch of Disney+ Hotstar on 5 September 2020.

This feed later started sharing the same schedule with the main feed on 1 February 2021. There are also Disney+ Hotstar idents on this feed.

Philippines

Same schedule as the Asia feed, plus local advertisements.

Vietnam

1-hour timeshifted version of the main Asia feed with local advertisements, Vietnamese translations in promos and subtitles.

Hong Kong

Own schedule with local advertisements; separated from the main feed on 2 April 2004. It is broadcast in English and Cantonese.

Taiwan

It was the first overseas feed launched by Disney Channel worldwide. It began operations in March 1995.[5] Currently, it has its own schedule with local advertisements and broadcasts solely in Taiwanese Mandarin.

Singapore

Schedule was similar to the main feed, plus local advertisements. Some programming was replaced by sitcoms. This feed ceased operations on 31 May 2020,[1] due to the launch of Disney+, set to take place on 23 February 2021.

Malaysia and Brunei

Same schedule as the Asia feed, plus local advertisements. It was available in four languages: English, Malay, Tamil and Chinese. This channel was only available on Astro in Malaysia and Kristal-Astro in Brunei. This feed ceased operations on 31 December 2020, along with its sister channels, on Astro.[2]

Programming
Main article: List of programs broadcast by Disney Channel (Asian TV channel)

References
  1. Baroness, The (1 June 2020). "Disney+ Singapore Incoming: Disney Channels Dropped From Starhub & Singtel". Geek Culture. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  2. "Astro's kids offering gets a makeover! Astro". Astro. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  3. "Disney Channel comes to Manila". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. 4 January 2000. p. 24. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  4. Godfrey, Leigh (30 May 2002). "Disney Channel Asia Launches In Korea". Animation World Network. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  5. "Disney launches two channels in Cambodia". Indiantelevision.com. Mumbai. 20 June 2005. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
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