Live-Action Fare Gives Disney Channel U.K. a Boost

LONDON, April
2: To celebrate the one-year anniversary of its shift from pay-TV platforms to
basic packages on Sky and Virgin Media, Disney Channel U.K. has announced a
60-percent increase in its audience share, boosted by the success of
live-action movies and series such as High School Musical and Hannah Montana.

In the first quarter of
this year, Disney Channel defeated Five’s audience share for kids across all
homes, with the success of properties like Hannah Montana, That’s So Raven and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. Last year, High School Musical broke all records for a TV movie, achieving a
double-platinum selling album, a number-one DVD and reached an audience of more
than a million on its first weekend on Disney Channel. Hannah Montana is also doing well among tweens, ranking as the
most successful live-action launch of 2006 for the network and reaching a
position among the Top 20 kids shows in less than 6 months.

Disney Channel Original
Movies such as The Cheetah Girls 2
and Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior
have also built on the success of High School Musical, dominating the Friday evening schedules to rank
number-one in their timeslot with shares of 11.3 percent and 13.4 percent of
kids respectively.

In addition, Playhouse
Disney also enjoyed a 50 percent increase in audience share over the last year,
with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse one
of the most successful launches ever on the channel. Disney Cinemagic, launched
into the premium movie market to coincide with Disney Channel’s move to basic,
is now the leading premium film channel for kids.

“Disney Channel has
enjoyed incredible success over the past year with High School Musical achieving cult status in the U.K. and around the
world,” says Rob Gilby, the managing director of Disney Channel U.K. “We’re
continually working on new ways to engage our tween audience with the most
outstanding content and innovative technologies so 2007 is set to be a great
year.”