Disney Channel Australia

**Disney Channel (Australia)** is a television channel that is broadcast in Australia and New Zealand. It is mainly aimed at children and their families.

It does occasionally broadcast commercial advertisements and programming is broken up by a number of breaks, during which trailers for Disney's programming are usually shown. On September 1 2009, Disney channel started broadcasting in 16:9 widescreen.

## History and Availability

Disney Channel has been broadcast by Optus since June 1996. It became available on TransTV in 2001, Foxtel on 1 December 2001, and Austar since 2002, and by SelecTV in September 2008.

It has been aired on New Zealand's pay television network (SKY Network Television) since December 2003.

On 5 December 2005, Disney Channel launched Playhouse Disney Channel in Australia on the Foxtel, Austar and Optus Television digital services and in New Zealand on the SKY Network Television digital service.

Starting on 1st of September 2009 Disney Channel Australia started 16:9 widescreen broadcasting. This has been a long time coming with many newer Disney Channel shows like JONAS, Sonny With A Chance and many cartoons like American Dragon: Jake Long as well as Kim Possible and many other notable Disney channel programs available in widescreen. It was move Disney Channel needed to make due to many TV series and movies being available in the 16:9 widescreen format.

Disney Channel Australia is expected to launch a Timeshift Version of the Original Channel and Disney XD on Foxtel, Austar and Optus Digital Services sometime in 2010 after the Optus D3 Satellite launch. They are expected to launch at the same time on New Zealand's pay television network SKY Network Television.

## Ratings

Most of the programming on the channel is at a certain level. Almost all of Disney's shows are rated G and usually feature low level violence. When there is a DCOM, the ratings sometimes go up to PG, being the cause of violence, action and sci-fi themes throughout the showing of the movie.

Oflcg.pngThe G rating is used for most of the sitcoms on the channel.Oflcpg.pngThe PG rating is used for some DCOM's on the channel.
## Shows

Disney Channel (Australia) features many of the shows the U.S. version broadcasts. The channel also airs shows made in Australia, such as *H2O: Just Add Water*, *Wicked Science*, *Mortified* & *As The Bell Rings*.

Shows are often shown on Disney Channel a few months after their US counterpart, although there are some exceptions.

### Current shows

#### Drama/Sci Fi

 *Young Dracula* | 2006-2008
 *Aaron Stone* | 2009-Present

#### Animated Shows

* *American Dragon: Jake Long* (2004-2007) premiered in United States in 2005
* *Baby Backyardigans*
* *Baby Potter: The Series*
* *Dave the Barbarian* (2003-2004) premiered in United States in 2004
* *Famous Five: On the Case*
* *Fanta Babies: The Series*
* *Galaxy Squad*
* *George of the Jungle*
* *Kim Possible*
* *Lilo & Stitch: The Series*
* *Phineas and Ferb*
* *Proud Family*
* *The Buzz On Maggie*
* *The Emperor's New School*
* *The Replacements*
* *W.I.T.C.H.*

#### Other Shows

* Disney Channel Games (Annually during January- February)

### New programs to be aired

* *Tinkerbell*
* *Aly and AJ: Around The World*

### Former Programming

* *101 Dalmatians: The Series*
* *Adventures of the Gummi Bears*
* *The Adventures of Roco & Abyss*
* *Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog*
* *Aladdin*
* *Archie's Weird Mysteries*
* *Arle*
* *Art Attack*
* *Beverly Hills Teens*
* *Black Hole High*
* *Bonkers*
* *Boy Meets World*
* *Brandy and Mr. Whiskers*
* *Buzz Lightyear of Star Command*
* *Dark Oracle*
* *Dark Knights*
* *Darkwing Duck*
* *Disney's House of Mouse*
* *Donald's Quack Attack*
* *Donkey Kong Country*
* *Doug*
* *Ducktales*
* *Extreme Ghostbusters*
* *Fillmore!*
* *For All My Family*
* *Gadget Boy & Heather*
* *Garfield and Friends*
* *Gargoyles*
* *Girl Stuff, Boy Stuff*
* *Goof Troop*
* *Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics*
* *The Heart of the Jungle*
* *Hercules*
* *Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show*
* *Jessie.com*
* *Kidd Video*
* *The Landry Sisters*
* *Lloyd in Space*
* *Maxie's World*
* *Mickey's Mouse Tracks*
* *Mighty Morphin Power Rangers*
* *Moners Sixton 2590*
* *Pepper Ann*
* *Pirate Islands*
* *Power Rangers: Zeo*
* *Quack Pack*
* *Raffina and Rulue Adventures*
* *Recess*
* *Rupert*
* *Sabrina: The Animated Series*
* *Sabrina's Secret Life*
* *Schoolhouse Rock!*
* *Scooter: Secret Agent*
* *Sister, Sister*
* *So Weird*
* *Sonic Underground*
* *Studio D / Studio Disney*
* *Super Mario World*
* *Tales from the Neverending Story*
* *TaleSpin*
* *Teacher's Pet*
* *Teamo Supremo*
* *The Lion King's Timon and Pumbaa*
* *The Little Mermaid*
* *The Muppet Show*
* *The Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog*
* *The Sinbad Show*
* *The Weekenders*
* *The Zack Files*
* *The Zimmer Twins*
* *What's New, Angels?*
* *Wicked Science*
* *Woody Woodpecker: Escape from Buzz Buzzard Park*

## Movies

Disney Channel Australia traditionally broadcasts most of Disney's movies, including Walt Disney Studio movies and Disney Channel Original Movies. Until 2003, these broadcasted daily at 7pm under the title of *The Wonderful World of Disney*, which was aired since the mid 1990s. They now broadcast under the title of *Disney Channel Movie* or *Disney Channel Original Movie* (DCOM). Movies, like all Disney Channel Australia content as of September 1 2009, are broadcast in a 16:9 format, presented in letterbox (film) format for those viewing on regular 4:3 television sets.

Starting on 1 September (when Disney Channel went 16:9 Widescreen) all movies are now shown in their original 16:9 widescreen format.

Disney Channel also airs many movies produced by Disney Channel, and Fox Family and ABC Family Channel, many of which are no longer shown in the United States, among them include Searching for David's Heart, Casper: A Spirited Beginning, Escape to Witch Mountain, Stepsister From Planet Weird, and Au Pair.

Disney Channel also played the following successful DCOMs:

* *High School Musical*
* *High School Musical 2*
* *Camp Rock*
* *Dadnapped*
* *Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior*
* *Jump In*
* *Read it and Weep*
* *The Cheetah Girls*
* *The Cheetah Girls 2*
* *The Cheetah Girls: One World*
* *Cow Belles*
* *Tru Confessions*
* *You Wish!*

## See also

* Disney
* Disney Channel
* List of television networks by country
* Playhouse Disney
* Disney Channel around the world

## References

1. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `optusdate`
2. ↑ Package Updates. Foxtel (2001). Archived from the original on 2001-12-14. Retrieved on 2009-12-01. “You'll be able to enjoy a world of fun and adventure, with Disney Channel coming to FOXTEL for the first time! Disney Channel becomes part of our Entertainment Plus package, moving TCM from Entertainment Plus into the Movies package.”

## External links

* Official Site
* Disney Australia
* PlayHouse Disney Channel
* Disney Girl Magazine
* Disney Adventures Magazine
* Disney Music Australia