The arrival of the Big Mouse in India may be delayed but it is setting up shop in other parts of the region. AsiaNet-ABC Cable Networks Group today announced plans to launch the Disney Channel in Indonesia beginning this month. The channel will launch on cable via PT Broadband Multimedia's Kabelvision and on DTH through PT Matahari Lintas Cakrawala's Indovision Digital. The announcement was made by David Hulbert, president of Walt Disney Television International.
"Asia is an important region for the growth of Disney Channels throughout the world," an official release quoted Hulbert as saying. "Launching the channel into Indonesia is another major step in expanding our presence throughout the region," he added.
The agreements were signed in Jakarta in June and the channel will be made available this month on the basic tier of both platforms.
"With this launch, our Disney Channel Asia feed has expanded into six countries in just over two years," says Jon Niermann, managing director for branded television - Asia Pacific for Walt Disney Television International. "After launching in South Korea in April, we're very pleased to bring the magic of Disney into more homes in the region with the addition of Indonesia."
Disney Channel Asia is headed by managing director Raymund Miranda and is now available in Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines. Launched in January 2000, it is a multi-language feed with both dubbing and subtitling in Mandarin, a Korean feed with subtitling, and a main feed in English. The Indonesian feed will launch in English with plans to dub into Bahasa Indonesia in the future. From launch, Disney Channel will reach 70 per cent of Pay TV households throughout Indonesia, the release says.
The Asia feed is one of three feeds dedicated to the Asia market, the two others being Taiwan and Australia. There are 15 Disney Channels worldwide now covering 54 countries.
ABC Cable Networks Group is based in Burbank, California and manages The Walt Disney Company's interest in global television businesses, including the wholly-owned international Disney Channels and the company's majority interest in the international Fox Kids channels. ABC Cable Networks Group also manages the Disney-branded and Fox Kids-branded kids programming on television platforms around the world.
Walt Disney Television International - Asia Pacific is responsible for the consolidated international free and pay television activities of the Walt Disney Company and ABC Inc. in the region. These activities include program sales (Buena Vista International Television), production and the development and management of Disney Channels and other international broadcasting investments in Asia Pacific.
The Disney Channel is currently available on pay TV in eight Asia-Pacific markets: Australia, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. Disney branded programs are broadcast on local free-to-air networks in 12 countries around the region, reaching a total audience of 300 million in Asia-Pacific, the release says.
