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A
new deal announced between the Walt Disney Co. and Britain's
BSkyB paves the way for the rollout of two new channel brands.
This restructured programming deal adds one new channel, Disney
Cinemagic, featuring its library of animated films and another,
ESPN Classic, with historic sporting events.
The
deal also includes the availability of Disney features on
the Sky HD and broadband services, and the basic-tier carriage
of Disney Channel and Playhouse Disney.
It is the largest distribution deal that Disney has arranged
outside the US for HDTV and legal broadband movie downloads.
Available
from 16 March, Disney Cinemagic is a new premium channel offering
Disney's latest animated films such as Pixar's The Incredibles
as well as classics like Lady and the Tramp and Cinderella.
Disney Cinemagic will be available to Sky digital customers
as a stand-alone premium channel or as a bonus channel for
subscribers to Sky Movies 1 and 2.
ESPN Classic, launching on 13 March, as part of Sky's 'News
and Events Mix', will be the only sports channel in the U.K.
devoted entirely to the greatest moments and legends of sport.
Said Disney Media Networks co-chair and ESPN, Inc and ABC
Sports president George Bodenheimer, "ESPN has built
up a passionate bond with sports fans. We are confident that
ESPN Classic, designed specifically for the UK market, will
capture the attention of the UK sports fan as it has in over
40 countries across Europe."
 Disney
Channel and Playhouse Disney join the Kids Mix package of
basic channels on 16 March from their previous position as
premium channels. Disney Channel will be even more kid-focussed,
complementing Cinemagic, and offering live action favourites
like That's So Raven, popular animation series and Disney
Channel Original Movies. Playhouse Disney will premiere the
new CG animated, learning-focussed series, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,
in May.
There will also be more ways to enjoy great films from the
Walt Disney Studios as movies distributed by Buena Vista International
Television join Sky's legal broadband download service, Sky
by broadband, and its forthcoming high definition television
offering, Sky HD. These titles will also be available, for
a set period, via the Sky by broadband service, which since
last month has allowed dual Sky Movies subscribers to download
films to their personal computers to enjoy when they want
at no extra cost.
The co-chair of Disney Media Networks and Disney-ABC Television
Group president Anne Sweeney noted, "This agreement is
great news for viewers, who will now be able to access an
even broader array of Disney content, either through their
TVs or via broadband on personal computers. We look forward
to this deal enhancing an already rich association with Sky,
and our viewers in the UK and Ireland."
Also, under an amended distribution agreement, Sky digital
customers will continue to have access to Jetix and Jetix+1
for up to a further five years from the expiry date of the
current deal in 2007.
Sky's outgoing COO Richard Freudenstein said, "Working
with outstanding brands like Disney and ESPN allows us to
offer great entertainment for every family member and to break
new ground in multiplatform content distribution. With today's
announcement, we are creating another compelling reason for
families to join Sky digital and demonstrating again the strengths
in content and innovation that position Sky well for sustained
growth."
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