Wikipedia

Disney XD (Italian TV channel)

Disney XD was an Italian television channel aimed primarily at children and teenagers, specifically boys. The channel was owned by Walt Disney Television Italia, a subsidiary of Disney. The channel was launched exclusively on the Sky Italia platform on 28 September 2009,[1] and closed on 1 October 2019.[2]

Disney XD
CountryItaly
Broadcast areaNationwide
HeadquartersMilan
Programming
Language(s)Italian
Picture formatHDTV 1080i
Timeshift service
  • Disney XD +1
  • Disney XD +2 (2011–2018)
Ownership
OwnerThe Walt Disney Company Italy
Sister channelsDisney Channel
Disney Junior
Disney in English
History
Launched1 April 2000; 24 years ago (2000-04-01)
ReplacedJetix
Closed1 October 2019; 4 years ago (2019-10-01)
Replaced byRai Gulp
Former names
  • Fox Kids (2000–2005)
  • Jetix (2005–2009)
Availability
Terrestrial
Sky ItaliaChannel 616 (HD)
Channel 617 (+1)
Channel 676 (SD)

The channel's official announcer was the voice actor Maurizio Merluzzo.[3]

History edit

Fox Kids/Jetix edit

The channel launched as Fox Kids on 1 April 2000 on the Stream DTH platform, airing from 6:00am–7:00pm every day.[4] By July 2001, the channel reached 650,000 subscribers.

On 19 July 2001, Fox Kids Italia announced the launch of a free-to-air programming strand under the name that would air on syndicated television stations such as Antenna 3, Lombardia and Super 3 every day 6pm-7pm, and launched on 1 September 2001.[5]

In September 2002, the Fox Kids syndicated block was extended to start at 5:30pm, with a 6:45am-8am morning slot added. A one-hour timeshift was launched on July 31, 2003.

With the Jetix rebranding, Fox Kids launched a Jetix-branded primetime block that ran from 7pm-10:30pm every day in mid-2004.[6] the syndicated Fox Kids block was separated and rebranded as K-2 in October 2004[7] In 2009, it was launched as its own digital terrestrial television channel.,[8] and the Fox Kids channel was rebranded as Jetix on 1 March 2005.[9]

In May 2005, a sister channel aimed at a male teenage audience - GXT, was launched, exclusively for Sky Italia.[10]

In October 2006, an Italian version of Jetix Magazine launched.[11]

On 1 July 2009, K-2 re-launched as a standalone free-to-air television channel, and was rebranded as K2.[12]

As Disney XD edit

On 15 July 2009, it was announced that the Italian subsidiary of Jetix Europe, Jetix Italy S.r.l., would undergo a management buyout under the name of Switchover Media, and would purchase the GXT and K2 networks and blocks from The Walt Disney Company. The company also agreed to operate Jetix Italy for Disney until its rebranding as Disney XD Italy would go to fruition.[13][14]

On 7 September 2009, it was officially announced that the rebranding to Disney XD would occur on 28 September 2009, and on that date, channel operations transferred from Switchover Media to The Walt Disney Company Italia.[15]

On 1 October 2011, Disney XD +2, a two-hour time shift of the channel, was launched. The channel also switched to the 16:9 widescreen ratio on 9 May 2012. On 15 September in the same year, a high definition simulcast was also launched.[16]

From 8 to 21 June 2015, the channel's +2 timeshift temporarily rebranded to a pop-up channel solely airing Hannah Montana.[17]

On 1 October 2019, due to Disney's failure to renew their contract with Sky, the channel, along with Disney in English, Fox Animation, Fox Comedy and Nat Geo People, was shut down.[18]

The Swiss version of the channel would be replaced by a local version of Disney Junior starting from 27 November of that year,[19] which would later close on 1 April 2020.[20]

Logos edit

  •  
    28 September 2009 - 1 February 2016
  •  
    1 February 2016 - 1 October 2019

References edit

  1. ^ Simone Rossi (28 September 2009). "Novità digitali: Disney XD (su Sky)". Retrieved 28 September 2009.
  2. ^ "Programmazione Sky: FAQ per il 2019 | Sky". assistenza.sky.it (in Italian). Retrieved 22 November 2019.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ Francesco Menichella (7 April 2015). "Youtubers. Cotto e frullato, la dimensione gastronomica della comicità". GQ. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  4. ^ "Fox Kids Europe". Archived from the original on 21 November 2001.
  5. ^ "Fox Kids Europe". Archived from the original on 21 November 2001.
  6. ^ "Jetix, prime time di Fox Kids" (in Italian). Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  7. ^ "Jetix Europe Srl: K-2, la nuova TV dei ragazzi" [Jetix Europe Ltd.: K-2, kids' new TV]. E-Duesse (in Italian). Italy. 24 January 2005.
  8. ^ "TV Channel: K2 (Italy)". MAVISE. European Audiovisual Observatory. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  9. ^ Editoriale Duesse S.p.A (28 February 2005). "Fox Kids: da domani è ufficiale il nuovo nome". E2S. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  10. ^ Lees, Nancy (1 October 2005). "Got it Need it: Jetix tests the waters beyond boys action with a pilot teen channel in Italy". kidscreen.com. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  11. ^ "Arriva in edicola Jetix Magazine". ADC Group. 12 October 2006. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  12. ^ "Parte ufficialmente oggi K2, il nuovo canale free per bambini su DTT e SAT - Digital-News". Digital News. 1 July 2009. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  13. ^ "Jetix Italy bosses buy GXT and K2 channels". digitaltveurope.net. 16 July 2009. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  14. ^ Moody, Annemarie (15 July 2009). "Jetix Italy Announces Management Buyout". AWN News. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  15. ^ "» TV SAT – In autunno Jetix Italia diventa Disney XD Antonio Genna Blog" (in Italian). Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  16. ^ "Eroi in Alta Definizone". 17 September 2012. Archived from the original on 17 September 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  17. ^ Canino, Francesco (8 June 2015). Arnoldo Mondadori Editore SpA (ed.). "Hannah Montana, un nuovo canale Sky trasmette tutte le serie – Panorama". Panorama.it. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  18. ^ "Programmazione Sky: FAQ per il 2019 | Sky". assistenza.sky.it (in Italian). Retrieved 22 November 2019.[permanent dead link]
  19. ^ "Change day il 26.11.2019 / 27.11.11.2019". UPC Community (in Italian). 26 November 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  20. ^ "Modifications des chaînes Disney au 31.03.2020". UPC Community (in French). 12 March 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
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