Disney Junior (Latin America)

Disney Junior Latin America is a cable television channel and is a version of The Walt Disney Company-owned Disney Junior, broadcasting in all Latin America. It is broadcast in three feeds: North Zone, South Zone and Brazil. It is marketed to preschoolers. Disney Junior is operated by Disney & ESPN Media Networks Latin America and The Walt Disney Company Latin America, both of The Walt Disney Company. It was launched on June 1, 2008 as Playhouse Disney Channel. Formerly it only was a programming block in the mornings of Disney Channel Latin America, where it still is a programming block, as Disney Junior en/no Disney Channel. The programs are very similar to the Disney Junior channel and Disney Junior 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, and the relaunched eventually happened, on April 1, 2011.

History


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, and with the name "La Casa de Playhouse Disney" ("Playhouse Disney's House") aired on the block, with two hosts reading stories and playing games with the kids, as well as introducing the series.

On June 1, 2008 Disney & ESPN Media Networks Latin America launched Playhouse Disney Channel as a 24-hour independent channel, initially only in Argentina and Mexico, eventually reaching more countries in Latin America. The new channel was hosted by Ooh and Aah, two monkey hosts. The programming block on Disney Channel Latin America is still aired in the mornings but with a reduced schedule.

The "Playhouse Disney" show with the two hosts was dropped both from the programming block and from the channel, being totally replaced with Ooh and Aah since June 1, 2008 (in Latin America Ooh and Aah were hosts only). This segment is renumbered (La casa de Playhouse Disney in Brazil A Casa do Playhouse Disney) (Playhouse Disney's House).

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 to see entire episodes, musical videos and other content in websites. The new Disney Junior also received mobile services. When Playhouse Disney in Latin America transformed into Disney Junior, Ooh and Aah were taken off the air permanently.

Feeds
Disney Junior Latin America is divided in three feeds for its different transmissions, each one with different schedules and different hosts.


 * Disney Junior North: Aired in Mexico, Central America and Caribbean.
 * Disney Junior South: Aired in Argentina and the rest of South America except Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela.
 * Disney Junior Brazil: Aired in Brazil.

Launch date

 * June 1, 2008 - launched North feed and South feed.


 * September 5, 2008 - launched Brazilian feed.


 * April 1, 2011 - relaunch as Disney Junior.

Programming
Most of the series are Disney Channel Original Series focused on preschoolers, as Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Handy Manny and others. Until 2011, the series were hosted by two monkeys, known as Ooh and Aah. Some diverse series are also aired. Different movies are also aired. "Mini Cine" (in English: Little Cinema or Little Movie Theater) is where different movies are aired.

Notable programming
Current programming airing on Disney Junior.

Regular programming
Is where all the series are aired, both original and non-original. It is aired all the time when "Mini Cine" is not being aired.

Mini Cine
"Mini Cine" (in English: Little Cinema or Little Movie Theater) is aired two times each day both on weekdays and weekends and airs some Walt Disney Pictures movies as well as some third-parties movies. Some movies aired include Dumbo, The Fox and the Hound, and more.

Disneylatino.com/Junior
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 has its own website which is Disney.com.br

Inside the website, each series has its own mini-website with information and downloads about the show. Different games and activities are also available. The users can listen to music from the shows, read stories or see the programming schedules.

Disney Junior Video
Disney Junior Video is a video service where users can see the programming of the channel. Uses the same engine and similar design to Disney Channel Play in Disney Channel Latin America and Disney XD Play in Disney XD Latin America. It's similar to Disney Xtreme Digital in the United States.