Disney Junior?

[Gelfling Girl]

You mean the one our parents probably saw as kids or the Britney Spears revival?

Preferably the older one, but either one would be fine.

 

[dwmckim]

Just coming to this thread now, but since it's been wondered, here's what i'm thinking about it.

It sounded just bizarre when i thought about it. Disney does own both ABC and SoapNet. While news about the soap genre dieing and declining ratings is rampant, SoapNet's actually done well with its ratings increasing each quarter. Part of the reason daytime soaps' ratings have been going down is because a lot of people these days watch the shows at night on SoapNet. So the first part of this that's weird is that the station will be turned into something else. Some speculate it's because ABC plans to do away with its daytime soaps by aroung that time (which they deny) or that it's a way to get all the viewing of their shows focused back in one place and bringing the ABC airings' ratings back up.

The second part of this that's weird is what's replacing it - a 24 hours pre-school age station. Now what pre-schooler would be watching during nighttime/overnight hours? It seems to be it would make much more sense to make it a split channel with the Disney Jr stuff during the day and the SoapNet stuff at night - both compliment the others well since it gets rid of the deadtime for both components when its unlikely there's much of an audience. Like how Nick had been the basic station and then Nick At Nite.

Since this news has come out, ABC since announced that they would be trying something new with its daytime soaps where they were reducing the amount of new shows a year by 30 (which created a stir with the writers guild) and have more reairings of classic episodes. This news has received mixed reactions. I think it could be a great idea if done right. About a decade and a half ago there had been a miniseries during daytime called a Daytime to Remember where they showed each of the ABC soaps most fondly remembered episodes. If they did something like this, i think it would be marvelous, but it's more likely they won't delve back that far but rather only go back no further than six months as they usually do during holidays when they air a repeat. Plus the first example of this that's been announced was repeats of General Hosital focusing on a returning character - and it's going to be aired as a marathon block PRE-EMPTING the other two soaps. Just no! It's those kind of marathons that should be done on SoapNet while it still exists.

But back to Disney Jr. Hopefully it will be a way to see some old faves that have been swallowed by Disney Channel's current format. But i still think the 24 hour idea is a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[Phillip]

Yes, the entire Bear in the Big Blue House series needs to see the light of day either as season DVD sets or a return to television. The show is fantastic and 99% of kids don't have any idea of who Bear is.

 

[Drtooth]

I think Season sets would be out of the question... among other reasons, preschool shows rarely get season set treatments. We would be more likely to have best ofs or at least rereleases of the Sony DVD's under Disney's label. The only thing that really disappoints me with Disney's current Muppet plans is that they're really doing nothing with Bear at this point.

It sounded just bizarre when i thought about it. Disney does own both ABC and SoapNet. While news about the soap genre dieing and declining ratings is rampant, SoapNet's actually done well with its ratings increasing each quarter. Part of the reason daytime soaps' ratings have been going down is because a lot of people these days watch the shows at night on SoapNet. So the first part of this that's weird is that the station will be turned into something else. Some speculate it's because ABC plans to do away with its daytime soaps by aroung that time (which they deny) or that it's a way to get all the viewing of their shows focused back in one place and bringing the ABC airings' ratings back up.

The second part of this that's weird is what's replacing it - a 24 hours pre-school age station. Now what pre-schooler would be watching during nighttime/overnight hours? It seems to be it would make much more sense to make it a split channel with the Disney Jr stuff during the day and the SoapNet stuff at night - both compliment the others well since it gets rid of the deadtime for both components when its unlikely there's much of an audience. Like how Nick had been the basic station and then Nick At Nite.

Well, as we all know, the niche market is dead. Long dead. And, while I'm not a fan of the genre of television, the fact that NO ONE is basically standing up and saying "We need to save the Soaps" (other than the fan base, and they're oft ignored) is beyond depressing. And frankly, I'm sick of the "We don't know where television stands in the age of computers" excuse. If TV producers had their way, it would be like the world where Kermit was never born... nothing but reality shows. And it's not even due to popularity in most cases, because it's sweatshop entertainment they can make cheap and quick.

And as I've said hundreds of times, Cartoon Network doesn't want to air cartoons, TV Land doesn't want to air classic reruns, MTV doesn't want to air music television, none of the movie channels want to run movies, and all of the channels that should never run movies want to run movies. It's insane. No one's standing up for the niche saying, "We're never going to get the percentage of people happy with watching what they're watching, so let's just cater to our loyal viewers."

I agree... a 24hr preschool channel does sound pretty iffy, especially since Disney has the smallest collection of preschool television out there. PBS can get away with it, since they have years of the stuff they can run. Nick Jr. too... but all I can see is the off chance House at Pooh Corner and Dumbo's Circus will be run at 3 Am for a month, and then we'll just see all day marathons of Handy Manny (that lackluster Bob the Builder knockoff).

But as I said earlier, what happened with this digital cable revolution? I thought they were supposed to be able to broadcast multiple channels on a single wavelength or something, and no one's using it. Couldn't ABC just keep Soapnet and creatw Disney Jr. out of an entirely new channel? I wanna see the logistics behind not buying a new station and tearing down an old one. You'd think they could put that stuff on the Family Channel or something.

 

[McFraggle]

I hope as well that they put Bear on Disney Junior.

 

[beakerboy12]

Thread Resurrection

So, as the Disney Junior block is coming in 11 days. They've already planned new programs including Jake and the Neverland Pirates and a new computer animated Babar program. What're you're thoughts on the additions and what're your new ideas and opinions?

For me, I like the cute idea for a Peter Pan-esque kiddie show. The other additions look new and creative. Before I go on, I'm not the person who usually gives critisism. But in my opinion, I sort of think it'll be a good kid-geared block/channel. They are bringing some of their Playhouse Disney songs along. Though, along with many other forums members, I definetely want them to bring back some old shows. This seems like a great venue for Bear! Just trying to find out what you think.

-Beakerboy12

 

[Drtooth]

I'm still confused. So Disney Junior is going to be a programming block AND a new channel coming next year? Or are they planning to move the Disney Junior line up TO the other channel?

Either way, a 24 hour preschool channel? I had this discussion about Sprout in another thread, but why do we need so many 24/7 preschool networks? I'm sure there are early morning feedings, but why would you need to keep the TV on for a baby who's likely not to know or care what's on the screen? Again, Disney has a LOT of classic movies and programming... I'm not even talking Disney Afternoon line ups. Before that. There NEEDS to be a block of classic Disney shorts, be they all different characters, or segregated by them. Especially if they plan on having the same few shows 24 hrs a day, each rerunning one that was on earlier.

Now, any new idea would be cute, but I'm sure they'd follow the same Dora "Where's the red triangle?" model. It doesn't matter if we get a cool Peter Pan related series if all Jake does is sit around waiting for him to answer his own question. Same with Babar. I have to admit, I'm not a fan of his, but I can enjoy the 80's Nelvana series.

If this has to be a 24/7 network, it needs Bear at the very least to fill up the network. I'd doubt they'd have late night reruns of Dumbo's Circus, or House at Pooh Corner, or even New Adventures of Winne the Pooh, even though those would be welcome.

 

[beakerboy12]

With Disney Junior it is going to be a proggramming block. But starting in early 2012 it is going to be a block and channel.

24/7 preschool channels have been a fad, well since... Nick Jr. But in it's defense, the preschoolers only get 6 hours, usually, for Playhouse Disney and 6 hours of Nick Jr. Kids don't get that much TV time afterwards.

And, again, Bear should be on Disney Junior!