Disney adding Marvel to its new kids' TV shows

LOS ANGELES – Seeking to remain strong in an ever crowded kids TV market, Walt Disney Co is launching a new preschool channel and ramping up content offerings with some new shows based on tried-and-true Disney characters and others based on recently bought Marvel assets.

Exploiting big brands across various media platforms has been Disney's aim in acquisitions like its $4 billion purchase of Marvel, which is now bearing fruit in its TV division.

"Disney XD Channel is one of the biggest beneficiaries of Disney's acquisition of Marvel," said Gary Marsh, president, entertainment, and chief creative officer for Disney Channels Worldwide, referring to the company's channel aimed at young boys.

"We've already scheduled between five and 20 hours of Marvel programing on our Disney XD channels around the world," he said in previewing Disney Channel's 30 percent spike in content delivery in the fiscal year 2011.

Disney Channels Worldwide consists of 95 channels in 169 countries or territories, including the popular Disney Channel, home to "Hannah Montana" and other tween shows; Disney XD; and Playhouse Disney, to be rebranded as Disney Junior, a new channel targeting kids aged 2 to 7.

Disney Junior will be rolled out for a few morning hours a day in 2011 during the Playhouse Disney slot on Disney Channel. And in 2012, Disney will convert its sleepy Soapnet channel over to Disney Junior full-time.

Disney Channel is competing in an increasingly crowded space occupied by Viacom's Nickelodeon and Time Warner's Cartoon Network. Last month, Hasbro and Discovery Communications, also launched a new children's TV channel called The Hub.

Disney will also rely on its own stable of big brands and characters as it pushes ahead. "We decided it was time to give Minnie her own plaftorm," said Marsh in previewing a show featuring Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck in a hotel setting he described as "Laverne & Shirley" meets "Fawlty Towers."

Disney Junior will also feature "Jake and the Neverland Pirates," which repurposes Captain Hook from "Peter Pan" and "Little Princesses," about a school for up-and-coming royals who learn lessons from Disney regulars like Cinderella.

Carolina Lightcap, president of Disney Channels Worldwide, who took over the Disney Channel last November, said the division was also pursuing several digital initiatives.

"We know that digital is another way for kids to connect with the content. We have new leadership and we're starting to talk about a lot of new ideas," she said, referring to Disney's recent hiring of Jimmy Pitaro, who just left Yahoo to assume the role of co-president of Disney Interactive Media Group.