The Death Of Toon Disney
First, read this article from the LA Times:
Disney to target boys with rebranded cable channel
The entertainment giant plans to relaunch Toon Disney as Disney XD, which will be aimed at boys ages 6 to 14.
Someday, Disney hopes its princes will come.
The entertainment giant, which has made billions catering to the princess fantasies of young girls, plans to relaunch Toon Disney as Disney XD, a cable channel that will target boys. The move, under wraps for more than a year, is an attempt by the company to capture a market that has long eluded it.
Starting in February, Disney XD will seek to become to young dudes what Disney Channel, with its lineup of tweeny bopper programs such as “High School Musical,” “Hannah Montana” and “Camp Rock” is to girls. Disney XD, aiming at boys ages 6 to 14, will offer original action-adventure and comedy series, movies, animation and sports-themed shows developed with Walt Disney Co.-owned ESPN.
“What was clear to me, and clear to us, is we had a huge opportunity to create content that were boys’ favorites,” said Rich Ross, president of Disney Channels Worldwide.
Tween boys, ages 9 to 14, account for about $50 billion in spending worldwide, said Greg Kahn, senior vice president of strategic insights for media buying firm Optimedia International USA Inc. Advertisers are eager to reach these young consumers, not just snag a portion of their disposable income, but to build a loyalty they hope will extend into even more free-spending teen years, he said.
But the Disney Channel has struggled for years to find the right programming formula to lure boys, who tend to gravitate to Viacom’s Nickelodeon and Time Warner’s Cartoon Network — that is, when they’re not spending time playing video games. Disney Channel’s popular live-action shows, from its early tween phenomenon, “Lizzie McGuire,” through its current pop-culture sensation, “Hannah Montana,” mainly attract girls.
Efforts to bring in more boys, through male-led series such as “Even Stevens” or “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody,” still haven’t succeeded enough to close the gender gap between female and male viewers.
Animation, traditionally a draw for boys, has been a struggle for Disney Channel, although its newest series, “Phineas and Ferb,” appears to be building a strong male following.
But so far, the network has failed to produce a blockbuster to compete with Nickelodeon’s “SpongeBob SquarePants;” or match the guy-centric focus of Cartoon Network, which one ad buyer described as the ESPN of animation.
“You’re fighting the brand perception, the very, very strong brand equity that’s been in the marketplace for many, many years,” Kahn said of Disney Channel. “It would almost require a completely separate effort to reach tween boys, with a completely different name somehow associated with the Disney property, to reach these tween males.”
None of this is news to Ross, who, with his executive team, spent more than a year with focus groups pondering the eternal verities: “What do boys want?”
The answer, perhaps not surprisingly, is that boys want it all. “What we heard, loud and clear, is they expect from Disney this broad array,” Ross said, with programs running the gamut from animation to action-adventure to comedy. “They expect from Disney the whole thing, including movies.” In short, tween boys are looking for more than a show or two wedged in the midst of the musical theater-inspired programs that have come to define Disney Channel. They want, Disney says, a channel they can call their own.
“They want a place, essentially a headquarters for them where their favorite content exists, that has this broad array of shapes and sizes and tenors and complexities, and treats them with the respect that Disney Channel treats all kids, and the girls are fanatical about,” Ross said.
Instead of tinkering with what works — Disney Channel, which has spawned two billion-dollar creative franchises in High School Musical and Hannah — Ross relaunched a struggling cable asset, Toon Disney, into this destination for boys.
Toon Disney pulls only 10% to 15% of the viewers of Disney Channel, despite the cable network’s reach into nearly 70 million U.S. households. The Nielsen ratings reflect its hodgepodge lineup of geriatric kids shows, such as as “Power Rangers Jungle Fury” and recycled animated offerings such as “Batman: The Animated Series,” and “Jackie Chan Adventures,” and movies.
As the rebranded Disney XD, the ad-supported cable network will boast original series, such as “Aaron Stone,” a live-action show about a video game virtuoso who leads a secret double life as a crime fighter. The show boils down to a male fantasy version of “Hannah Montana,” in which an ordinary teen leads a double life as a rock star.
Former “The Wonder Years” child star Fred Savage directed the pilot for “Mongoose & Luther,” a mock documentary series about two best friends who set out to become the world’s greatest skateboarders.
The project was created by Matt Dearborn and Tom Burkhard, who worked on Disney Channel’s “Even Stevens.”
Established animated series, from “Phineas and Ferb,” to “Batman: The Animated Series,” will air on Disney XD alongside new offerings, such as RoboDz, a short-form series developed in partnership with Toei Animation Co. of Japan, in which robotic life forms defend Earth from space invaders. Plans for an online presence and mobile offerings are also in the works.
“We know we have a huge opportunity to take that asset and make it every bit as powerful as Disney Channel or Playhouse Disney,” Ross said.
dawn.chmielewski @latimes.com
Now, In one aspect, this is brilliant. DC does have a predominately female audience, and to relaunch TD as this new channel could be a brilliant business decision. So as a shareholder, I must salute Rich Ross.
On the other hand, my initial reaction would be to hit Ross with a 2 by 4. I don’t watch Toon Disney for three reasons. 1) It requires using the digital cable box, and that only works with one TV in the house and not with my TiVo. 2) I cannot obtain a reliable schedule guide for that channel, so I never know what’s on. 3) Most of what I would want to watch (KP & ADJL) I can just watch on DC.
Honestly, I think what they should have done is not turn DC so blatantly female biased. In the article they make the point:”Animation, traditionally a draw for boys, has been a struggle for Disney Channel,” And I was freakin’ screaming “KIM POSSIBLE. IDIOTS.”
They had a chance with KP to court the male fans and the female fans. They chose to make everything pink and marginalize the male fans. They had a chance, and they lost it. And now, they’re taking out KP’s future with the end of Toon Disney.
And even worse, by making a new “DC for Boys” they’re gonna be intentionally writing off all males from DC and all females from the new channel. Further narrowing the audience for both channels.
Disney is supposed to be family entertainment - programing for EVERYONE. And further narrowing the demographic targets is not the Disney way.
August 11th, 2008 at 5:19 am
” In short, tween boys are looking for more than a show or two wedged in the midst of the musical theater-inspired programs that have come to define Disney Channel.”
In all fairness, musical fare does bring in the ratings.
DisneyXD should be it’s own channel. ToonDisney needs to be revamped, then repeat DXD’s boycentric stuff. TD should also go basic like DisneyChannel did.
Let’s just call Disney stuff asi is. Disney Boys and Disney Girls. Why use fance titles?
August 11th, 2008 at 7:03 am
Hm….while I have to say that I don’t much like KP, it’s because it’s so chick-oriented. It did have potential…Buuut…Well, I’m a chick tomboy, and I have to say it’s not even appealing to me (even though the Chipmunks are, believe it or not…but they don’t have whole episodes dedicated to fashion like KP does…). But that’s not the point of this…
Now, this is a dumb way to go about getting more male fans. The reason boys don’t watch TD isn’t because there’s nothing appealing there…It’s because the shows they do have STINK. I mean, not KP (just because I don’t like it doesn’t mean I think it stinks ^^), but….In all honesty, they’re just being lazy. Instead of killing off a channel just to get a bigger male fan-base, why don’t they take off their junk shows and put shows that are actually worth watching on?
If they kept the shows that people like (like you guys love KP and ADJL), took off the junk (the power rangers, ying yang yo, and the rest of that junk), and put up better shows (ones they actually put effort into, like they used to), then the fanbase will get better. I mean, if they’re so desperate to find something appealing to everyone, I can name off some ol’ 90s shows that would do wonders! (Gummi Bears had it all guys…Adventure, Comedy, a princess, fights, chick-stuff, guy-stuff…everything was there!).
Right now, Disney is just being greedy and lazy. So is most everyone else…I’m trying to change that through the Chipmunks (hence my petition to Ross, their owner, to make more family-oriented cartoons for them…seeing as the new movie WAS aimed at 20-year-olds…he said so himself!). I’m more than willing to sign petitions for Disney too. Anything to change what’s happening…It’s a sad fact of life, but a bunch of us have been raised by the TV (I know I was…my single-working-mother left for work at six every morning and didn’t come home until five or later), and I really think that we can make the biggest impact on the world’s future by what we show kids on TV. Especially the ones that are unfortiunate enough to have to be raised by the TV.
Geeze…I got so off topic with this comment. Sorry ^^.
-Cami
August 11th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
This has tobe one of worst moves Disneychanael Has EVER made! Where Does this leave American Dragon and LIo And stitch! We need a petion!
August 11th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
OH MY GOSH! THIS REALLY PISSES ME OFF! I’M NOT FALLING FOR THE HYPE!! I REALLY BELIEVE THIS IS SOME KIND OF PLAN. HOW COULD DISNEY DO THIS!!! WHY MUST THEY ALWAYS COME UP WITH SOMETHING NEW & STUPID?
Whoever is controlling Disney right now are monkey-head idiots! They don’t know how to run a company. They obviously don’t understand what kids should be watching. Don’t they realize that the only reason why boys (and girls for that matter) aren’t watching Disney channel anymore is because the shows on their now SUCKS!!!
They need to go back to the way they use to be. Disney channel use to be so good and both boys and girls enjoyed watching their channel but now their coming up with some excuse to create 2 different channels and separate genders. ARE THEY CRAZY?!
I use to be a huge Disney channel/Disney company fan but now I absolutely hate them! They are brainwashing people it’s not even funny!!! They ruined Walt Disneys company!!!! It really pisses me off! They need to be stopped. Someone needs to stop them. I’m not falling for the hype - Disney is all about control!
I remember watching shows like:
Adventures in Wonderland (classic, loved this show)
The Torkelsons/Almost Home (really loved this show)
Ready or Not (my favorite)
Dinosaurs (gosh what a classic!)
Dumbo’s Circus
Care Bears (loved it, a favorite)
My Little Pony Tales (loved it, a favorite)
Gummi Bears (I have good memories watching this)
The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (gosh, I absolutely loved)
Ocean Girl
Even Stevens
TaleSpin
The Little Mermaid
Mickey Mouse Club
Kids Incorporated
and many many more……
Disney Channel use to be so good…they really need to go back to playing good shows. they really need a reality check and they need to receive that reality check quick!
Disney needs to look at the future affect of their actions!!
They are only doing this because they’re trying to brainwash these kids!! Why on earth would they separate genders?!? It doesn’t make any sense to me….
Well, I’ll tell you why Disney is doing this - they’re doing this, so they can raise the new generation of kids to be gender racist against each other and the boys will begin to disrespect females. And all of a the sudden we’re gonna see these new boys grow up to treating their wives as slaves (THIS WON’T HAPPEN SUDDENLY BUT IT WILL HAPPEN GRADUALLY).
That’s what Disney wants! It’s all about control….Why else are they doing this - this is the only explanation!
Disney should be uniting genders as ONE - they shouldn’t be separating males and females. This is ridiculous!
Did you know that Disney is one of the top 3 companies that’s controlling the media?!?!! They are the CFR!
That’s a huge red flag! They’re up to something and it’s called control!!! bastards!
Hopefully parents will not allow their children to watch this crap!
AND ANOTHER THING WHY ON EARTH DOES DISNEY THINK THAT 3D ANIMATION IS BETTER THAN HAND-DRAWN TRADITIONAL ANIMATION???
THAT’S ABSURD!
Hand-drawn animation is the best and soooo much better than 3D computer animation. Are they retarded? They should be ashamed of trying to force people to like 3D instead. They are a bunch of lunatics and I’m not falling for the hype. They must be stopped!
DISNEY IS RETARDED!!!
Sorry for the long-winded rant but this really ticks me off!
Keone
August 11th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Hi Cami!! can you please post or email me that link of your petition. I would love to sign it! I believe in traditional family-oriented animations as well. thanks
Keone
August 11th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
oh yeah and I also forgot to mention that another reasone they’re doing this is for a quick buck! they’re too lazy to put some effort into making good shows. it’s just so ridiculous and they must be stopped or someone else must take over the Disney company because whoever is in charge right now - is no good.
peace
Keone
August 12th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
OH NO DISNEY YOUR DOING IT AGIAN
FIRST MOVING LILO AND STITCH TO JAPAN THEN SHUT DOWN ANIMATION IN AMERICA NOW THIS
if they don’t stop and think properly their going to flush them selves down the toilet
spritex620
August 16th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Greg you could at least give me credit for providing you the link on the forum.
August 18th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
TK, don’t use your real name, it’s weird.
And… I didn’t know you needed credit.
August 20th, 2008 at 7:02 am
How frustrating to hear of this news.I personally don’t approve of that. How could they perform a segregation on kids? I am so DISGUSTED with them!!!!!
August 25th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Disney people are big ideots. They can’t cancel toon disney. I hate disney for doing this. It’s sexist and wrong. If they do this, lets just say I’m glad I’m a black belt.
August 26th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Don’t cancel Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce, Go! Don’t cancel the Jetix program in general!
August 30th, 2008 at 11:40 pm
If they want to pull in more males, KP is a definite first step, but they should also look at some older shows, especially DuckTales. The ducks will ALWAYS draw an audience of a wide variety, from little girls to old men. Good shows are good shows, and don’t specifically appeal to one certain group.
October 10th, 2008 at 1:58 am
I agree with anonymous above, and to add to it:
When I was a kid, cartoons were generally on in the morning before school and in the afternoon afterwards on the major networks. Everyone watched these cartoons and talked about them, regardless of sex, and actually there were plenty of older people watching these shows as well. I remember Ducktales, Tailspin, Darkwing Duck, and Smurfs, among many others. Saturday mornings were also really good in terms of cartoons too, but nowadays I don’t think they are. I have a little brother and little sister so through them I can see some viewing habits, and it doesn’t seem like they watch that much stuff. Disney is generally on in my brother’s room, but he doesn’t actually seem to watch, instead he just has it on as background noise while using the computer. He only seemed to like the cartoons on late at night, but since he has to wake up for school he can’t watch them. He likes Kuzco and Amdrag, but obviously those are on way too late and one is cancelled.
A couple of months ago, Nick had this huge series finale in Avatar. I hadn’t actually watched the series so I didn’t know much about it, but my brother and sister were extremely hyped for it. So that night, I was watching that, while flipping to a UFC fight night and watching the Affliction event. Essentially I had 3 things on at once, but what wound up happening is that Avatar caught my interest, especially since the others are heavily commercial based or have matches you can skip. I mentioned I was watching Avatar to a friend of mine who’s a huge MMA fan, trains in it, and works as a prison guard for a living. His reaction was he planned on catching Avatar later and asked that I don’t spoil it. I logged onto a message board afterwards primarily composed of 18-30 year old men, and there was a huge Avatar thread and everyone loved it.
What Disney is going to do, instead of the example they should be following, is to create extremely braindead and stupid shows, since they are run by sexist people that think males are all idiots. At that age, boys are not watching sports. I’m a huge sports fan, but I didn’t actively follow the NFL until my mid-teens. And of course, why would anyone watch Disney sports themed shows if they liked sports instead of actual sports?
I can’t stand Disney, and it should have been obvious that catering to females with really stupid shows would eventually stop working. Generally if a show is targeted towards females (and even males as I’ve mentioned above) it’s just going to be lazy writing and just not have quality, because whenever something is quality it doesn’t appeal to only one sex of child. I don’t remember TMNT being a “boys” show. TMNT wasn’t even very good, but it’s better than what Disney is passing off these days.
Also I agree about the digital cable box. Nobody is going to connect those things if they can get away with it. We’ve got one, and cable boxes generally suck and nobody watches it. I personally only watch sports on my TV, and play video games on it. If Toon Disney had good programming and was on a regular channel, right next to CN and Nick, it would do very well, as those channels themselves don’t adequately provide good programming continuously either.
Also, I came here because I was checking on why AmDrag was cancelled. That show should NOT have been cancelled after only two seasons. TMNT 2k3 was also cancelled but looks to be back soon, so there is hope.
November 13th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
this is really very sad that they are doing this. they are suposed to be showing disney classics and movies not jetix. those are not the cartoons that should be on. this should be stoped