Disney Junior, the brand behind three of cable TV’s top five co-viewed series among parents and kids age 2-8, including the #1 series “Doc McStuffins,” will launch a nightly block of parent-targeted, kid-friendly short-form programming to air interstitially on the 24-hour channel Disney Junior, beginning TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4 (9:00 p.m.-4:00 a.m., ET/PT).
Presented under the banner “Disney Junior Night Light,” the content is produced by Disney Interactive Family and the block is sponsored by Babble, Disney’s leading parenting blog platform. The programs will also be featured on the Babble YouTube channel and DisneyJunior.com/Nightlight. The announcement was made today by Nancy Kanter, Senior Vice President, Original Programming and General Manager, Disney Junior Worldwide.
Kanter said, “We know that Disney Junior reaches moms as well as our core audience. Our new ‘Disney Junior Night Light’ programming is a nod to those moms, and dads too, who find themselves watching with their child during the later nighttime hours.” Kanter continued, “We partnered with Disney Interactive Family to provide content that parents will appreciate, yet will also feel organic to our young Disney Junior viewers.”
In keeping with Disney’s heritage of storytelling, the emotional connection kids and parents have to Disney characters and stories and Disney’s commitment to healthy lifestyles, the Disney Junior short-form series include: “DJ Tales,” featuring cleverly costumed finger puppets acting out kids’ versions of classic fairytales and storybook favorites; “Picture This!,” a fast-paced series featuring artists and animators creating images of classic and contemporary Disney characters; and “That’s Fresh,” a cooking show hosted by chef Helen Cavallo who shares inspirational stories of cooking and eating with her own family and simple, healthy recipe ideas for kids and families. “Disney Junior Night Light” shorts in development include a series starring child and family photographer Me Ra Koh sharing her tips and tricks for taking professional-quality photographs, charming vignettes featuring parents sharing the story of the first day they brought their child home and a series that puts stay-at-home dads front and center.
“Babble leverages the power of storytelling to inform, entertain and empower parents everywhere,” said Brooke Chaffin, Senior Vice President, Disney Interactive Family. “Based on the insights we’ve gleaned from Babble’s vibrant community of bloggers, we’ve created short form video content for parents and kids to view together, offering them quick bursts of entertainment and inspiration in between some of their favorite Disney Junior shows.”
For the second quarter 2012, the Disney Junior preschool block on Disney Channel delivered the top three preschool cable TV series among Women 18-49 with “Doc McStuffins,” “Jake and the Never Land Pirates” and “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.“ Additionally, the March 23, 2012 premiere of “Doc McStuffins” is the #1 preschool series launch in cable TV history with adults 18-49.
Acquired by Disney in 2011, Babble is part of the Disney Interactive Family portfolio of online content and tools for today’s connected parents. Babble offers a vibrant online community of real moms and dads who support, encourage and celebrate the highs and lows of raising a family. Babble’s network of more than 300 influential bloggers contributes to the site daily, writing about a variety of parenting topics including pregnancy, child care, health, food and family activities, as well as lifestyle topics such as home, fashion and family products.
Disney Junior reflects the emotional connection generations of consumers have to Disney storytelling and Disney characters, both classic and contemporary. It invites mom and dad to join their child in the Disney experience of magical, musical and heartfelt stories and characters, while incorporating specific learning and development themes designed for kids age 2-7. Disney Junior’s series blend Disney’s unparalleled storytelling and characters kids love deeply with learning, including early math, language skills, healthy eating and lifestyles, and social skills. Disney Junior launched in February 2011 with a daily programming block on Disney Channel. In its first year, Disney Junior posted the network’s biggest yearly audience in the daypart in Total Viewers, Kids 2-5, Boys 2-5 and Women 18-49, increasing by double-digit margins among preschooler demographics over year-ago levels. On March 23, 2012 Disney Junior added a cable and satellite channel in the U.S. bringing the total number of channels to 30 worldwide.
