Disney Junior’s animated and live action programming will blend Disney’s unparalleled storytelling and characters kids love deeply with learning, including early math, language skills, healthy eating and lifestyles, and social skills.

The 24-hour Disney Junior schedule will include 200 new episodes annually of both new series, including “Jake and the Never Land Pirates,” and current hits, including “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,” “Handy Manny,” “Special Agent Oso,” “Imagination Movers” and “Jungle Junction.” Disney’s vast array of classic and contemporary movies, including among others “101 Dalmatians,” “Aladdin” and “Little Mermaid,” will be showcased.

In the U.S., the new Disney Junior channel will take the place of the SOAPnet channel, currently available in 75 million homes. Prior to the launch of the 24-hour channel, the Disney Junior brand will be introduced on Disney Channel’s daily programming block for preschoolers (currently branded Playhouse Disney).

Anne Sweeney, co-chair, Disney Media Networks and president, Disney/ABC Television Group, said: “The launch of Disney Junior in the U.S. is the next step in our global preschool strategy, which began 10 years ago with the premiere of our first dedicated preschool channel in the UK. The decision to ultimately transition SOAPnet to accomplish this was not arrived at lightly. SOAPnet was created in 2000 to give daytime viewers the ability to watch time-shifted soaps, before multiplatform viewing and DVRs were part of our vocabulary. But today, as technology and our businesses evolve, it makes more sense to align this distribution with a preschool channel that builds on the core strengths of our company.”

Carolina Lightcap, president, Disney Channels Worldwide, said: “Around the world, our Disney-branded channels are burgeoning, distinguished by the special place Disney has in the hearts of kids — who delight in our characters and stories — and parents who trust our commitment to entertaining and helping their preschoolers, kids and tweens grow through engaging, relevant programming.” She continued, “By adding a dedicated U.S. channel for preschoolers to our global portfolio, we look forward to enhancing that sense of magical storytelling and parental trust, and expanding our offerings, locally and globally, from morning to night, to deliver more Disney-quality content that will resonate with generations to come.”

Outside the U.S., the 22 Playhouse Disney channels and blocks, currently available in 29 languages in 156 countries/territories, reaching over 45 million households, will be rebranded Disney Junior beginning in 2011.

The new Disney Junior brand will also provide affiliate partners with a robust Video-On-Demand offering, a High-definition network and a Spanish language SAP feed.

Disney, who owns a host of film and television venues including ABC, Pixar and Miramax to name a few, will partner with two regional free-to-air channels – Fox Movies and Fox Series. The two free-to-air channels were launched in the past year as joint ventures between Fox and the Saudi-owned Rotana Group.

Interesting enough, the Rotana Group is owned by Saudi Arabia’s Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, the billionaire investor who is a major shareholder of both Disney and News Corporation, the parent company of Fox. News Corporation is expected to announce a significant investment in Rotana in January, acquiring 10 per cent to 20 per cent of the company.

Rotana said it paid Dh100 million to Disney for the rights to screen its content.

Disney content has previously been screened on regional pay TV channels accessed by less than 5 per cent of the region’s television viewers. This new partnership will greatly expand coverage by making the content available to the Middle East’s booming satellite free-to-air television market.

Original story at The National.

The proposed Disney/ABC Studios at the Ranch would occupy a corner of the Golden Oak Ranch, a sprawling 890-acre parcel off California 14 that has been the setting of such classic films as “Old Yeller.”

Disney filed applications Wednesday with Los Angeles County planning officials in the first step of a lengthy approval process. The new complex is not expected to open before 2013. County officials anticipate little opposition from the community, which has already become a television production hub in recent years. A half-dozen television shows, including HBO’s “Big Love” and CBS’ “NCIS,” are based in nearby Santa Clarita.

Plans call for 12 sound stages, production offices, a commissary and other facilities that could be used for film, television, commercial and new media projects.

“The proposed expansion will be a significant economic boost for the Santa Clarita Valley and northern Los Angeles County,” said Supervisor Mike Antonovich, who represents the area.”Although the county must review and analyze Disney’s application, I am encouraged that one of the world’s largest and most successful entertainment companies is making this commitment.”

See The Los Angeles Times article “Disney plans to build major production facility near Santa Clarita” for further details.

On January 19th, the Disney Channel will show “Kids’ Inaugural: We Are the Future,” an inaugural concert where Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, the wife of Vice President-elect Joseph Biden, along with their families, are scheduled to appear. The event will be simulcast on Radio Disney and streamed afterward on Disney.com.

The following night, ABC will broadcast “The Neighborhood Ball: An Inauguration Celebration,” a first-ever event expected to include Obama and his wife Michelle’s first dance of the night. This event will aslo include performances from musicians and other personalities. Obama also is also expected to deliver his first speech of the evening at the event which is to be held at the Washington Convention Center.

The ball was announced earlier this week by the Presidential Inaugural Committee, with plans to feature Webcasting and text messaging to link with neighborhood celebrations around the country.

HBO obtained exclusive rights to televise a star-studded inaugural kickoff event on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on January 18th. HBO will make the event available for free for all cable subscribers.

The exclusive arrangements mirror deals made by former President Clinton’s team for his inauguration in 1993. That year, HBO showed an event on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, and the Disney Channel televised two live events at the Kennedy Center for children and youth, with Fred Rogers and Barney the Dinosaur among the acts.

Story source at Variety.

Knievel will serve as a stunt consultant on the series, which is in production for a fall 2009 premiere.

The series will focus on a boy (voiced by Chris Edgerly) — short in stature but big in heart — who, inspired by Knievel, overcomes incredible obstacles in his quest to become the world’s greatest and most extreme daredevil.

Matt Jones and Danny Cooksey also voice roles in the show, which was created by Sandro Corsaro. Chris Savino is the executive producer and director.

” ‘Kid Knievel’ sets the tone for the animated series to come,” said Eric Coleman, senior vp original series at Walt Disney Television Animation. “It has breakout characters, fresh designs, big laughs and great action.”

Disney XD.com will present five 55-second original animated shorts ahead of the series premiere. The shorts will air thereafter on Disney XD.

Related: Book your dream Disney vacation at Expedia.com!

Anchored by Disney programming for kids and family, the channel also plans to air original Russian programming. In addition to programming the TV channel with acquired content, the joint venture also has plans to produce its own programs which will occupy more of the schedule as the company matures.

The launch of the predominately free-to-air national network is slated for 2009, pending regulatory approval from Russian government authorities.

In return for a 49% stake in the joint venture company, Disney will invest cash and provide programming and marketing expertise and content acquisition support. Media-One will provide its knowledge and operational experience in the Russian market, its local broadcast station portfolio and its advertising sales expertise. Media-One will be the majority shareholder and will appoint a majority of the joint venture company’s board of directors.

“We are delighted to sign this landmark deal with the world’s leading multinational media company for the Russian television market,” said Ivan Tavrin, CEO of Media-One. “We believe that the combination of Disney’s unparalleled media experience and content capabilities and our knowledge of the local television market will enable us to create a unique channel that is predestined for success. We set ourselves the goal not only to become a popular kids and family focused free-to-air television channel in the country, but also to produce attractive financial results in a relatively short time frame.”

“Russia is an extremely important market for Disney and this new Disney channel is a great way for us to expand our brand and business,” said Robert A. Iger, President and CEO, The Walt Disney Company. “We are incredibly excited about bringing great Disney family entertainment and locally-produced content into the homes of millions of Russians.”

“We’re extremely honored to be able to launch Disney Channel in Russia together with such a reliable and capable local partner as Media-One,” says Marina Jigalova-Ozkan, Managing Director for The Walt Disney Company CIS. “This is one the most significant steps for the development of the Disney brand in Russia and we strongly believe that the Russian audience will enjoy the high-quality family entertainment that Disney is known for.”

About The Walt Disney Company CIS LLC
The Walt Disney Company CIS LLC was established in Russia in April 2006. Currently the Company’s business activities include: Media Networks (Branded TV, DAIT – Media, Disney Internet Group, Jetix Licensing, Jetix Broadcasting), Studio Entertainment (WDSHE, WDSMPI), Consumer Products (Toys, Home, Stationery, Food, Health & Beauty, Other Licensing, Publishing, Disney Interactive Studios).

The Walt Disney Company CIS recently announced it joined forces with some of Russia’s top filmmaking talents for its first Russian produced feature, “The Book of Masters.” The film started shooting in September 2008 outside Minsk. Upon completion of the first stage of shooting, production will then move on to the Mosfilm Studio stages. “The Book of Masters” Russian premiere is scheduled for fall 2009.

About The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with four business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment and consumer products. Disney is a Dow 30 company, had annual revenues of more than $35.5 billion in its last fiscal year.

About Media-One
Media-One Holdings Limited is a holding company owning and operating assets in 2 business segments – Radio and Television. Established in 2007 Media-One has consolidated 86 regional radio and TV stations.

Media-One TV stations group owns and operates 30 regional TV stations which are currently affiliated with various TV networks or programmed locally.

Media-One Radio (brand name “Vyberi Radio”) owns and operates 56 radio stations in 18 markets (54 stations are affiliated with national radio holdings; 2 stations are programmed locally). Major shareholders: Ivan Tavrin (founder of the company, ex-President of TV3 network), Igor Mishin (VP of National Association of Television, VP of Academy of Russian TV, founder of Channel4 media holding, Ekaterinburg) and Renaissance Private Equity Fund I, LP.

Official press release.

Related: Book your dream Disney vacation at Expedia.com!