Disney Channel (Italy)

Disney Channel was an Italian pay television channel that was owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company Italy. It was launched on October 3, 1998, and its programming consists on original Disney Channel series (either American, European, or locally produced) and third party programming acquired by the network.
Disney Channel and its timeshift ceased broadcasting on May 1, 2020 due to Disney failing to renew a deal with Sky Italy, with content moving to Disney+.
==History==
On October 3, 1998, Disney Channel officially began broadcasting in Italy on Canal+'s Italian pay-TV platform TELE+ Digitale (originaly know as D+) at a price of 7,80€ per month, with the channel being initially an exclusive to Canal+'s pay TV platform in Italy similarly to how it was the case in France (Canal Satellite Numerique) and Spain (Canal Satélite Digital), and opening with the Italian television premiere of The Lion King. 
The channel used the slogan "Libera la tua Immaginazione" (English: "Free your imagination"). Among the first programs on the channel were Disney animated television series, such as Timon & Pumbaa and Aladdin: The Series. It also showed Disney films and some Disney Channel Original Movies on "Il Fantastico Mondo Disney" (The Wonderful World of Disney) each evening at 20.30 (8:30 pm). A new film was shown every Saturday at the same time slot. In January 1999, Disney Channel launched its original live presentation show: Disney Channel Live (later called Live Zone). In this program, hosted by Isabella Arrigoni and Massimiliano Ossini, viewers interact with the hosts and join games. Other popular programs were Live Zone – Musica, Live Zone – Sport, Live Zone – Da scoprire, Live Zone – Da ridere, and Una stella per te (A Star for You).
On November 7, 1999, Disney Channel adopted the new "Circles" logo and indents of Disney Channel UK (created by GÉDÉON). In 2002, Disney Channel launched two new programs: Quasi Gol and L'ora della magia.
In June 2003, Disney Channel adopted the American Disney Channel's new logo (designed by CA Square), along with new graphics and indents. By the end of July, the channel became an exclusive to Sky Italia, after the merger between TELE+ Digitale and Stream TV.
Live Zone ended in September 2003; it was replaced by Prime Time, led by the hosts of Live Zone, Isabella Arrigoni and Massimiliano Ossini. Even programs secondary to Live Zone were replaced by newer ones like Tok, Eta Beta, and Skatenati. Another program was added: Scooter.
On December 24, 2004, Disney introduced Disney Channel +1, where all regular programs from Disney Channel are postponed an hour, alongside the launch of Playhouse Disney and Toon Disney in Italy.
In 2006, almost all live shows were taken off air.
Prime Time got a refresh in September 2005, with a new logo, new computer-generated graphics, and Arrigoni being the voice-over host who presented the programs.
In 2005, Disney Channel launched a new series called Quelli dell'intervallo, which led to the similar versions in the UK, US, Australia and other countries under the title As the Bell Rings. In 2006, Disney Channel began airing many English language series from Disney Channel US. These versions were moved to a new channel called Disney in English in 2008.
In January 2007, Prime Time changed its logo once again, and Patrizio Prata became its new voice-over host, although the set design and cartoons remained the same. On May 14, 2007, Prime Time ended and Disney Channel adopted the "Ribbon" graphics of Disney Channel (US).
On December 8, 2008, Disney Channel and its +1 timeshift variant broke its exclusivity with Sky and began broadcasting on the paid DTT service Mediaset Premium.
On October 1, 2011, Disney Channel adopted new "Smartphone App" logo that was introduced in the US in 2010, and began broadcasting in the 16:9 aspect ratio area (reruns of some series still air in the 4:3 aspect ratio). On the same day, sister channel Toon Disney, which was the last one under this brand, ceased broadcasting along with its timeshift. Toon Disney and Toon Disney +1 were replaced by Disney Channel +2 and Disney XD +2, respectively.
Since February 1, 2012, Disney Channel began broadcasting in HD on Sky Italia.
On June 8, 2014, the channel renewed its logo and graphics like the Disney Channel US ones.
On September 30, 2016, Disney Channel and Disney Channel +1 ceased broadcasting on Mediaset Premium, becoming once again exclusives to Sky Italy.
On May 15, 2017, the channel renewed its logo, which became two-dimensional and changed the graphics.
On April 9, 2018, timeshift channels Disney Channel +2 and Disney XD +2 were discontinued on air.
On October 1, 2019, Disney XD and Disney in English, alongside FOX Comedy and FOX Animation ceased broadcasting after a deal with Sky Italia was not renewed, due to the upcoming launch of Disney+.
On May 1, 2020, at midnight, Disney Channel, along with Disney Junior, were closed, with content moving to Disney+.
During the following years, all of the Italian FOX and National Geographic Channels ceased broadcast as well, with Disney permanently ceasing any linear television services in Italy at the end of September 2022, with now only licencing its programing to various channels in the Italian free to air DTT space.
==Related channels==
===Disney Channel HD===
It was the high definition version of Disney Channel, launched on February 1, 2012. It was only available on the Sky Italia platform for owners of Sky Box HD. On this version, moreover, subtitles were available (where present) in Italian and English.
===Disney Channel +1===
It was the time-shift version, launched on December 24, 2004, which re-aired the Disney Channel programs an hour later.
===Disney Channel +2===
It was the time-shift version of the Disney Channel, launched on October 1, 2011, which re-aired the programs two hours later. This time-shift variant was completely exclusive to Italy. It was later ceased its broadcasts on 9 April 2018.
==External links==
*Official site
Category:Articles with Wikipedia content
Category:Disney Channel
Category:TV channels