MUMBAI: After launching recently in Vietnam, Palau and Thailand, the Disney Channel and its preschool sister channel Playhouse Disney have entered their fourth Asian market in the last six months: Cambodia.
This was announced by Walt Disney Television International (South East Asia/Korea) managing director Raymund Miranda. He also said that Cambodia Entertainment Production Co. Ltd. had been appointed as the distributor of both channels into Cambodia.
Cambodia becomes the 11th market in the Asia Pacific region that shares its Asian Disney Channel regional feed and the ninth market in Asia to carry its Playhouse Disney Channel feed.
Walt Disney Television International Branded TV (Asia Pacific) senior vice president and managing director Nicky Parkinson said, "Disney’s expansion in Asia continues with the entry of Disney Channels into Cambodia this month. The rapid growth of our pay-TV presence into four markets within six months signifies our unwavering commitment to deliver quality Disney family entertainment to the region."
Miranda said, "The Walt Disney Company has identified international growth as one of its key strategic initiatives in the years to come. With the dramatic potential of Asia, it was important for us to build an entry vehicle for our brand in as many countries as possible. Cambodia adds to that process for this phase of our business."
Disney launched its first channel outside of the US in 1995 with the launch of Disney Channel Taiwan in March of that year. Since then, its Asian footprint has grown into four Disney Channel feeds into Taiwan, Australia/New Zealand, South East Asia/Korea and India.
Disney also launched Playhouse Disney Channel, its second channel brand, in April 2004. Toon Disney, its third channel brand, debuted into India last December.
To date, Disney Channels are now in 15 markets in the Asia Pacific region. Playhouse Disney Channel is in nine markets while Toon Disney is in one. Disney broadcasts its feeds in six languages and five subtitle tracks.
Disney Channel is the most watched pay-TV kids channel in the region where it ranked first among kids viewers in markets such as Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Australia, and New Zealand where cable/satellite TV ratings are available. Playhouse Disney programming blocks on Disney Channel regularly win their timeslots versus other cable/satellite channels in the region among young children. Disney branded shows consistently win their timeslots among children viewers.
On terrestrial television, Disney has continued its long standing tradition of Disney Clubs and Disney branded programming blocks in multiple markets. To date, Disney branded blocks are available in 11 markets in the Asia Pacific broadcasting over 60 hours of Disney programming every week to over 380 million households.
