After much anticipation, Disney has announced that its newest channel, Disney Junior, will debut in the United States on March 23.
The new channel, which will be available via Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cablevision, Bright House Networks, Verizon, and other carriers, will launch with programming that is both entertaining, as well as educational.
Disney’s wildly popular Jake and the Never Land Pirates will join other favorites, such as Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, on the new channel. New series will also be introduced, such as Doc McStuffins, which chronicles the story of a little girl who nurses stuffed animals back to health in her own backyard “clinic.”
Regarding the programming for Disney Junior, Nancy Kanter, senior vice president of original programming and general manager of Disney Junior Worldwide, released this statement:
Disney Junior series each have specific curriculum experts and now, to maximize overall learning value, we are deepening our conversation to include a channel advisory council that will share research and knowledge in the world of education and bring important perspectives on innovations in early childhood learning.
Other programs that will be featured on the 24-hour channel include:
- A Poem Is…, a series which introduces poetry to children, featuring well known stars like Laura Linney, Jessica Alba, and Owen Wilson, among others.
- Magical World of Disney Junior, a weekend movie night featuring telecasts of Disney’s classic and contemporary movies. This broadcast is sure to please parents of young children, who might remember The Wonderful World of Disney telecasts from their childhood.
- Gaspard and Lisa, based upon a series of books by Anne Gutman and Georg Hallensleben, which tell of two best friend puppies and their quest to discover adventure in their home city of Paris as well as other locales.
- Guess How Much I Love You, also based on a book (by UK artists Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram) will follow the sweet father-son relationship between Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare.
The current Disney Junior block will also continue on the Disney Channel as well, according to Disney officials.
Are you looking forward to the new Disney Junior channel? What new show sounds interesting to you and your family? Leave a comment below!
