Disney Channel, Tiscali Ink IPTV Programming Deal

LONDON, June 7: Disney Channel has inked a deal to supply its three branded channels—Disney Channel, Playhouse Disney and Disney Cinemagic—to the IPTV platform Tiscali TV in the U.K.

Starting this month, Disney Channel and the preschool channel Playhouse Disney will be available as part of Tiscali TV’s Kids Pack. The family channel Disney Cinemagic will be a stand-alone premium subscription channel. Tiscali TV subscribers will have the opportunity to view Disney Channel programs such as the hit live-action series Hannah Montana and Disney Channel Original Movies, including the Emmy award-winning High School Musical. For younger viewers, Playhouse Disney offers a range of preschool series such as the newly launched CG animation series, My Friends Tigger and Pooh. Disney Cinemagic will offer Tiscali customers the chance to see Disney’s latest animated films, such as The Incredibles and Chicken Little, as well as classics such as Lady and the Tramp.

Rob Gilby, the managing director of Disney Channel U.K., Scandinavia and Emerging Markets, commented: “Our mission is to ensure that our audience can engage with Disney Channel programming via as many platforms as possible. For this reason we are excited to be announcing this IPTV deal with Tiscali, to provide Disney Channels to more children and families.”

Tiscali TV launched on March 1, 2007 when over 40,000 Homechoice subscribers became Tiscali TV customers. By the end of 2007 Tiscali TV will be available to more than 10 million U.K. homes. The roll out will continue through 2008 and the TV service will be available to Tiscali’s entire unbundled local loop network by the end of 2008.