Disney Channel
Founded: April, 1983
Parent Company: Disney Branded TV
Tagline: "The Best Place to Be"
Website: disneynow.com
One of the more popular networks on TV, the Disney channel is available in all of DIRECTV and DISH's plans. A property of ABC, Disney used to be a premium channel that required a larger or add-on package. In the early 1990s, with the channel gathering more steam and popularity, providers slowly started adding it to their basic TV lineup, giving the network a ton more exposure. By 1999, Disney demanded all providers shift it to basic or risk losing the channel altogether (they all complied). Programming-wise, it originally consisted of three different hour-specific segments: Playhouse Disney (for kids under 6, shown anytime), Vault Disney (older movies and programs for a wide variety of ages, broadcast at nights/weekends) and Zoog Disney (weekend block of robots/aliens doing kooky stuff aimed at teens). By 2002, it formally ditched Vault Disney and Zoog to shift to more live action family comedies and reality shows (Cheetah Girls, High School Musical, Hannah Montana, etc).
During the 2000s, the Disney channel ramped up efforts to give its stars a bigger platform via music deals. Hilary Duff was its first cross-over star to make it big, followed closely by Miley Cyrus and a string of solo and group acts. The trend worked and Disney was soon the most popular channel in cable TV. Fast forward to today, some of their biggest shows include: Bunk'd, Raven's Home, DuckTales, Pup Academy, Shook, The Owl House, etc. Re-runs or retired shows usually end up over on their sister channels such as Disney Jr. Speaking of which, other sister channels include ABC, Freeform, FX and now, Disney+. They're all quite popular in their own right and the newly launched Disney+ streaming service (with access to the Marvel and Star Wars lineups) has grown by leaps and bounds. Bottom line, Disney is home to some of the more memorable and well-loved franchises in the world and the networks (along with the amusement parks) do an unrivaled job of giving their audience a rich experience meeting Snow White or admiring the latest budding star on TV.
Disney Programming & Shows
Original Series: Bunk'd (from 2015), Hotel Transylvania, Raven's Home, Big City Greens, DuckTales, Sydney to the Max, Just Roll with it, Amphibia, Disney Fam Jam, The Ghost and Molly McGee, Hamster & Gretel, etc.
Reruns: Lizzy McGuire, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, Hannah Montana, Cory in the House, Phineas and Ferb, Wizards of Waverly Place, Jonas, That's so Raven, Girl Meets World, Kim Possible, etc
