Disney Channel Set for DTT Rollout in Italy

MILAN, May 29: On July 1,
Disney Channel Italy will expand its reach in the country, debuting on pay
digital terrestrial television (DTT) as part of the new Mediaset Premium
Gallery offer.

This new deal reflects the
company’s global strategy to make its programming accessible to a wide audience
and to continually explore opportunities to take its programming to viewers via
new platforms. This announcement follows yesterday’s news that Disney Channel
Spain would launch on free DTT in July.

Disney Channel’s
programming will continue to include live-action series such as Hannah
Montana and The Suite Life of
Zack & Cody; contemporary
animated series like Phineas and Ferb; the upcoming Famous Five: On The Case; Disney Channel original movies such as High
School Musical and High School
Musical 2; and learning-focused series for preschoolers like Mickey
Mouse Clubhouse, Disney’s
Little Einsteins and My Friends
Tigger & Pooh.

The channel also features
local productions such as Quelli dell’intervallo, its spin-off of Fiore e Tinelli and Life Bites, which are among its most popular tween-targeted
programs. This fall will feature the launch of Camp Rock, the new Disney Channel original movie staring the
Jonas brothers and Demi Lovato. In Italy, Disney Channel is currently part of
MondoSKY on satellite (SKY) and IPTV (Alice and Fastweb) and Vodafone-SKY’s
DVBH and UMTS offering.

Giorgio Stock, the senior
VP and managing director of Disney Channels Italia commented: “This deal is consistent with Disney's strategy of
embracing emerging digital technology to become increasingly accessible to our
audience, and play a key role in introducing the Disney brand to new
consumers.”

—By Irene Lew