Disney Channel expands to South Africa
Disney Channel has signed a multi-year carriage deal with pay-TV platform MultiChoice to bring the kids channel to subscribers across South and sub-Saharan Africa from September 2006.
For the first time Disney Channel will be available to over 1.3 million MultiChoice DStv subscribers across the continent. Programming available to viewers in South Africa for the first time on Disney Channel include live actioners That’s So Raven, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and Hannah Montana while contemporary animation such as Kim Possible and American Dragon will also feature.
On the preschool front Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Disney’s Little Einsteins and the forthcoming My Friends Tigger & Pooh will feature, while movies such as High School Musical and classics like Lady & the Tramp will also air.
The Disney Channel already reaches more than 600m viewers in over 100 countries in the US, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, Latin America.
John Hardie, exec VP and MD of Walt Disney Television, said: “The launch in Africa represents a huge milestone in expanding Disney to this enormously important developing area. With their expertise in African markets, our partners DStv offer us the opportunity to make Disney Channel the leading kids brand across the continent.”
Disney Channel will be broadcast on DStv for 16 hours a day, seven days a week. All existing and new subscribers to the English-speaking package will receive the channel from September.
