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Disney Junior was a Southeast Asian preschool pay television channel owned by the Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia that was active from 2 April 2004 to 31 December 2021. Aimed mainly at children between ages 2 to 7 years old, its programming consisted of original first-run television series and theatrically released and made-for-DVD movies, as well as other select third-party programming; some of which originally having aired on PBS Kids in the United States.

Launched in 2004 as Playhouse Disney, Disney Junior also lent its name to an early morning program block seen on sister channels Disney Channel, where it was branded as Disney Junior on Disney Channel until 31 July 2018. The channel itself ceased operations at the end of 2021 to due to the launch of Disney+ in the region.

History

Launch

The Asian version of Playhouse Disney started in 2000 as a block on Disney Channel, with plans for the standalone channel on the cards since October 2002. It later launched as a channel for Hong Kong and Indonesia on 2 April 2004, with the aim of reaching more territories (in South East Asia and Korea) in due course. From 2004 to 2005, it expanded in several Southeast Asian countries. Singapore became the third country to receive the channel, launching on StarHub TVon 15 May 2004. It was followed by Korea in June 2004, Malaysia in early July 2004, Brunei in late August, in tandem with Disney Channel, on Kristal-Astro, Cambodia in June 2005, in tandem with Disney Channel, Vietnam in December 2005, also in tandem with Disney Channel, on Hanoi Cable and Ho Chi Minh Cable, entirely in English without Vietnamese dubbing, in a market that at the time had an under-14 population of 24 million and the Philippines in the same month, with a separate feed. At the time, it was the first - and only - preschool-oriented television network in Southeast Asia.

On 11 July 2011, Playhouse Disney later rebranded as Disney Junior.

Due to increasing localization of the Indian feeds of Disney Channel and Disney XD, they were banned from broadcasting in Bangladesh in 2013. Later, in 2016, the Southeast Asian feeds of the Disney channels, including Disney Junior Asia, became available on certain cable operators in Bangladesh.

Closure

On 1 June 2020, Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior ceased transmission in Singapore on both Singtel and StarHub after failing the contract renewal with both service providers in the country. Select programs from these 3 channels were moved to, replaced by and made it available via Disney+ on 23 February 2021.

On 5 August 2020, Disney Junior upgraded to HD on Astro alongside Disney Channel. On 1 January 2021, the channels ceased operations across Astro and Astro-owned TV providers (including NJOI and Kristal-Astro) in Malaysia due to the launch of Astro's Refreshed Kids Pack that announced back on 14 December 2020. While its shows moved to Disney+ Hotstar in the said country on 1 June 2021.

After 17 years of broadcasting, Disney Junior, along with Disney Channel, and most of its Fox channels in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong ceased on 1 October 2021, at exactly 1:00 am (UTC+08:00)/12:00 am (UTC+07:00), concluding with Mira, Royal Detective, thus the channel space originally created by Playhouse Disney Channel in 2004 folded and ceased to exist.

Most Disney Junior shows will be shown instead on Disney+ Hotstar and Disney+ on selected territories. Nevertheless, the Disney Junior Taiwan block on Disney Channel will continue to operate after this date. But the block ended on New Year's Eve (31 December 2021).

Final Feeds

Throughout the expansion, it was owned and operated by the former Walt Disney Television International.

Disney Junior Magazine Philippines

Disney Junior Magazine Philippines (known as Disney Junior Magazine and formerly known as Playhouse Disney Magazine Philippines) was an educational magazine published in the Philippines by Summit Media in collaboration with The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia.

References

1. "Disney Channels – About Us". Archived from the original on 7 November 2019. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
2. Toh, Christopher (24 September 2014). "Don't dumb down children's shows". Today Online. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
3. Osborne, Magz (5 April 2004). "Mouse net gets Asia bows". Variety. Retrieved 8 December 2022. Playhouse Disney was initially launched in Asia back in 2000 as a program block on the flagship Disney Channel
4. "Disney, Playhouse hit Hong Kong". Multichannel. 3 March 2004. Retrieved 3 March 2004.
5. "Disney readies bow". Variety. 8 March 2004. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
6. Waller, Ed (5 May 2004). "Disney launches Playhouse in Singapore". C21Media. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
7. Davidson, Jenny (2 July 2004). "Disney adds Malaysia to Playhouse mix". C21Media. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
8. Baisley, Sarah (30 August 2004). "Playhouse Disney Channel Launches in Brunei". Animation World Network. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
9. Ball, Ryan (20 June 2005). "Disney Channels Swim to Cambodia". Animation Magazine. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
10. Whiteman, Bobbie (17 May 2005). "Vietnam tunes in Disney TV". Variety. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
11. "Playhouse gets dedicated Philippines feed". C21media. 12 December 2005. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
12. "Magical, musical stories on all new Disney Junior". Philstar.com. 30 June 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
13. "Disney+ Singapore Incoming: Disney Channels dropped from StarHub & Singtel". Asiaone.com. 2 June 2020. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
14. Multiple sources:
    • Frater, Patrick (27 April 2021). "Disney Slashes Linear TV in Asia With 18-Channel Closure, Shifts Focus to Disney Plus". Variety. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
    • Kanter, Jake (27 April 2021). "Disney Closes 18 Asia TV Channels As It Shifts Focus To Disney+". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
    • Lai, Adrian (29 April 2021). "Disney To Shut Down 18 Channels In Southeast Asia". IGN. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
15. "Disney to shut down most of its TV channels in Southeast Asia, eyes growth in streaming services". CNA. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
16. Bebas, Jenis (1 October 2021). "Disney Junior Southeast Asia Feed Closing/Shut Down". YouTube. Archived from the original on 1 October 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

• Disney Jr.
• Children's television channels in the Asia Pacific
• Defunct television channels
• Commercial-free television networks
• Television programming blocks in Asia
• Television channels and stations established in 2004
• Television channels and stations disestablished in 2021
• Mass media in Southeast Asia
• English-language television stations in Singapore