Disney Jr. (Latin American TV channel) explained

Disney Jr.
Launch Date:
  • (Hispanic America; as Playhouse Disney)
  • (Brazil)
  • (as Disney Junior)
Picture Format:
Owner:Disney Media Networks Latin America (The Walt Disney Company Latin America)
Language:
Area:
Headquarters:
Closed Date:
  • (Brazil)
Former Names:Playhouse Disney Channel (2008–2011)
Disney Junior (2011-2024)
Sister Channels:

Disney Jr. is a cable and satellite television channel in Hispanic America. It is the local variant of the American channel of the same name. It is broadcast in two feeds: North Zone and South Zone. It is marketed to preschoolers. Disney Jr. is operated by Disney Media Networks Latin America; part of The Walt Disney Company Latin America.

It was launched on June 1, 2008, as Playhouse Disney Channel.[1] Formerly it only was a programming block in the mornings of Disney Channel Latin America, where it still is a programming block, as Disney Jr. en/no Disney Channel. The programs are very similar to the Disney Jr. channel and Disney Jr. on Disney Channel block in the United States. However, the channel also airs non-original programming.

On December 23, 2010 The Walt Disney Company Latin America announced that the channel would be replaced by Disney Junior sometime in 2011,[2] and the relaunch happened on April 1, 2011, coinciding with the premiere of The Garden of Clarilu.

History

As Playhouse Disney (2008–2011)

The channel started as a programming block in the mornings of Disney Channel Latin America airing original programming focused on preschoolers. An original production, produced by RGB Entertainment, named "La Casa de Playhouse Disney" (Playhouse Disney's House) aired on the block, with two hosts reading stories and playing games with kids, as well as introducing the series.

On June 1, 2008, Disney Media Networks Latin America launched Playhouse Disney Channel as a 24-hour independent channel, initially only in Argentina and Mexico, eventually reaching more of Latin America.A few months later on September 5, 2008 Playhouse Disney was launched in Brazil.[3]

As Disney Junior (2011–present)

On December 23, 2010, The Walt Disney Company Latin America announced that Playhouse Disney Channel would be replaced by Disney Junior sometime in 2011. The channel keeps up with 24-hour of programming aimed to preschoolers and received new online services which will allow seeing entire episodes, musical videos and other content in websites. The new Disney Junior also received mobile services.

Closure

The Brazilian feed of Disney Junior was closed on March 31, 2022,[4] including the Latin America's Disney XD,[5] marked their first Disney channels that closed in the Americas; all due to the company's restructuring policy, along with the Latin American versions of Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Kids, Star Life and FXM, and Fox Life in the United States.[6] Disney Junior would still remain to broadcast in the Hispanic America countries.

However, Disney Junior programs will still be shown on Disney Channel Brazil's morning block "Disney Junior no Disney Channel" (Disney Junior on Disney Channel), and the streaming service Disney+.

Feeds

Disney Jr. Latin America is divided into two feeds for its different transmissions, each with different schedules and hosts.

List of Available Feeds!Feed Name!Country/Region!Headquarters!Time Zone(s)!Launch Date!Languages
Disney Jr. NorthCaribbeanBogotá, Colombia
Mexico City, Mexico
Mexico – CT (/ DST)
Colombia – COT
June 1, 2008Spanish
English (via SAP)
Central America
Colombia
Dominican Republic
Mexico
Venezuela
Disney Jr. SouthArgentinaBuenos Aires, Argentina
Santiago, Chile
Argentina – ART
Chile – CLT/CLST (/ DST)
Bolivia
Chile
Ecuador
Paraguay
Peru
Uruguay

Defunct

!Feed Name!Country/Region!Headquarters!Time Zone(s)!Active Date!Languages
Disney Junior BrazilBrazilSão Paulo, BrazilBrazil – BRT April 1, 2011 – April 1, 2022Portuguese
English (via SAP)

Programming

See main article: List of programs broadcast by Disney Jr. (Latin America).

Website

The website was launched on June 1, 2008, along with the channel and replacing the mini-website of the programming block on Disney Channel. There are two feeds, North Zone and South Zone.

Brazil had its own website, Disney.com.br. Inside the website, each series had its own mini-website with information and downloads about the show. Different games and activities were also available. The users could listen to music from the shows, read stories or view programming.

Disney Junior Video

Disney Junior Video was a video service where users can see the programming of the channel. It used the same engine and similar design to Disney Channel Play in Disney Channel Latin America.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: June 2, 2008. Disney lanzó Playhouse Disney Channel. Disney launched Playhouse Disney Channel. live. 2022-02-21. PRODU. Spanish. https://web.archive.org/web/20220221115112/https://www.produ.com/noticias/disney-lanzo-playhouse-disney-channel . 2022-02-21 .
  2. Web site: Disney Junior . 2012-04-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140216105316/http://www.disney.com.br/disneyjunior/ . 2014-02-16 . dead .
  3. Web site: 2008-09-06 . TVA traz para o Brasil o Playhouse Disney Channel, para crianças de 2 a 5 anos . 2022-07-31 . O Globo . pt-BR.
  4. Web site: Jungbluth . Marcos . January 11, 2022 . Disney planeja descontinuar Disney Junior e lançará Cinecanal no Brasil . Disney plans to discontinue Disney Junior and will launch Cinecanal in Brazil. . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220112024034/https://br.tvlaint.com/2022/01/disney-planeja-descontinuar-disney.html . 2022-01-12 . January 30, 2022 . TVLaint . Portuguese.
  5. Web site: January 10, 2022. Disney cesará transmisiones de los canales Disney XD, Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Kids, FX Movies y Star Life en Latinoamérica - TVLaint. Disney will cease transmissions of Disney XD, Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Kids, FX Movies and Star Life channels in Latin America.. live. February 18, 2022. TVLaint. Spanish. https://web.archive.org/web/20220110195717/https://www.tvlaint.com/2022/01/disney-cesara-transmisiones-de-los.html . 2022-01-10 .
  6. Web site: Fox Life - Ceasing distribution effective March 31, 2022 . limited . 2022-03-05 . National Cable Television Cooperative (US) . en-GB . January 9, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220109074522/https://www.nctconline.org/index.php/members/resources/technical-notices/item/1820-fox-life-ceasing-distribution-effective-march-31-2022 . dead .