Disney Junior (UK & Ireland)

This article is about the Disney Junior channel that is broadcast in the United Kingdom and Ireland. For the equivalent network or programming block in other countries, see Disney Junior around the world.

Disney Junior
Launched	29 September 2000
Owned by	Disney-ABC Television Group
Picture format	576i (4:3/16:9, SDTV)
Audience share	0.3% 0.1% (Plus) (June 2011, BARB)
Country	United Kingdom Ireland
Headquarters	Chiswick, London
Formerly called	Playhouse Disney (until 7 May 2011)
Sister channel(s)	Disney Channel Disney XD Disney Cinemagic
Timeshift service	Disney Junior +
Website	Disney Junior
Availability
Satellite
Sky	Channel 611 Channel 612 (+)
Cable
Virgin Media	Channel 727
UPC Ireland	Channel 616
Smallworld Cable	Channel 611 Channel 612 (+)
IPTV
TalkTalk TV	Channel 303
Internet television
Virgin Media Player	Watch on demand (UK only)

Disney Junior is a British television channel owned by Disney-ABC Television Group.

History

The channel launched on 29 September 2000 as Playhouse Disney, on the same day as the now defunct sister channel, Toon Disney.

Presenters were added to the channel in September 2009. The presenters work on the channel between 6pm and 8pm.

The Playhouse Disney brand, which existed as 22 channels or blocks in 156 countries and territories, rebranded as Disney Junior in 2011.^[1] In the UK and Ireland, Disney Junior began on 7 May 2011,^[2] with its first show as Handy Manny. At the same time the channel started broadcasting in widescreen format.

Logos and Identity

Playhouse Disney logo.

When Playhouse Disney UK was launched, it also has the same logostyle as Disney Channel UK, with 2D idents featuring lines and circles. The idents are also carried to Disney Channel UK.

Here is the list of the Playhouse Disney idents used in 2000:

• Balloon
• Car
• Space
• Yarn
• Squeeze
• Band
• Flute
• Nest

In September 2007, the channel logo in the external promotionals (programme press releases, promos for terrestrial TV) were changed to include the inscription "Channel" as in all Playhouse Disney Europe channels, but in the channel itself the logo was not changed. This move probably is to differentiate the channel from the US block Playhouse Disney, all mornings on Disney Channel USA.

Disney Junior +

A one hour timeshift service of the channel named Disney Junior +, launched on 30 October 2007 as Playhouse Disney +, replacing the now defunct channel ABC1. It launched on the same day that the Disney Channels were reshuffled on Sky, involving Disney Cinemagic and Disney Cinemagic +1 moving down the EPG, to enable Playhouse Disney to move up the EPG to allow Playhouse Disney + to launch next to it on Sky 611 and 612 respectively. Playhouse Disney + was initially a 25 minute timeshift service until 11 April 2011 when it became a 1 hour timeshift service.

Disney Channel Hour

Disney Junior also airs as an hour-long block on Disney Channel, Monday to Friday at 9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. It shows three programmes, usually Handy Manny, Special Agent Oso, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, My Friends Tigger & Pooh or Imagination Movers.

Programmes

Main article: List of programmes broadcast by Playhouse Disney in the UK & Ireland

Films

Main article: List of films broadcast by Playhouse Disney in the UK & Ireland

Playhouse Disney Live Tour

A live tour was scheduled to take place during 2008. It was shown in several cities across the United States and Europe. In the UK, the tour included Bristol, London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Brighton.

References

1. ^ "Disney Junior to replace SoapNet, Playhouse". C21Media. 2010-05-26. http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?area=79&article=55780. 
2. ^ "Disney to launch new Disney Junior brand". Digital Spy. 28 January 2011. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/broadcasting/news/a300723/disney-to-launch-new-disney-junior-brand.html. 

External links

	United Kingdom portal
	Media portal

• Official site