Disney Channel Italy

infobox TV channel
name=Disney Channel Italy
logofile=Disney Channel 2002.svg
logoalt=Disney Channel logo
logosize=190px
launch=3 October 1998
share=
share as of=
share source=
owner=The Walt Disney Company
country=Italy
headquarters=Milan, Italy
sister names=Playhouse Disney
Toon Disney
timeshift names=Disney Channel +1
web= [http://www.disneychannel.it/ disneychannel.it]
terr serv 1=Mediaset Premium
terr chan 1=LCN 109
LCN 110 (+1)
sat serv 1=SKY Italia
sat chan 1=Channel 612
Channel 613 (+1)

Disney Channel Italia ("Disney Channel Italy") is the Italian version of Disney Channel. Disney Channel Italy also includes a +1 hour timeshift service ("Disney Channel +1"), a channel for pre-school children ("Playhouse Disney") and a cartoon channel ("Toon Disney").

History

On October 3, 1998 Disney Channel officially began broadcasting in Italian on Telepiù. The channel used the slogan "La TV che accende la TV" ("The TV that turns on TV") but was quickly changed to "Libera la tua Immaginazione" ("Free your imagination"). But with the entry of the new logo and the channel's new graphics in the spring 2003, the new slogan was abandoned. The channel has been available since the beginning on Stream and SKY Italia and even after their mergers. On December 24 2004 Disney introduced Disney Channel +1, where all regular programs from Disney Channel are postponed an hour.

Among the first programs on the channel were classic Disney cartoons, such as " Timon & Pumbaa" and "". It also showed classic Disney films and some Disney Channel Original Movies in "Il Fantastico Mondo Disney", each evening at 20.30 (8:30pm). Also, every Saturday, a new film was shown.

The most popular original series, "Live Zone" (with hosts Isabella Arrigoni and Massimiliano Ossini), was a live action show where both contestants and the host interacted in various games. Other popular programs were "Live Zone Musica", "Live Zone da Scoprire", "Live Zone da Ridere" and "A Star For You".

The Re-brand and the End of Live Programs

The block was ultimately ended in 2004, where it was replaced by "Prime Time", led by the hosts of "Live Zone", Isabella Arrigoni and Massimiliano Ossini. Even programs secondary to Live Zone were replaced by newer ones like "Tok", "Eta Beta", "Skatenati" and "Quasi Gol" and other programs were added, like Scooter and "L'ora della Magia". In June 2005, all live shows were taken off air.

"Prime Time" was broadcasted from September 2005 to January 2007, but with computer-generated graphics and a voice-over host that presented the programs. From February 2007, the host changed to being voiced by Patrizio Prata as well as a change to the logo; although the set design and cartoons remained the same. In May 2007, "Prime Time" ended and Disney Channel Italia changed it's graphics to look like those of Disney Channel (US).

Today

In 2005, Disney Channel Italia began broadcasting the first of a new series called "Quelli dell'intervallo", which lead to the similar versions in the UK, U.S., Australia and other countries under the title "As the Bell Rings". In 2006, Disney Channel Italia began airing many original language series from Disney Channel US.

Again in May 19 2007, Disney Channel Italy changed its graphics to match the United States, with new styles for the promos and new bumpers, but kept the same logo as before.

External links

* [http://www.disneychannel.it/ Official site]