Hmm, it sounds like season four is really only a half season of 12/13 episodes (depending on how you count the series finale). And that Miley was apparently the one that pushed for it. Maybe DC management isn’t doing as well as I thought…

Source: MSNBC

“Hannah Montana” is coming to an end.

The Disney Channel series starring Miley Cyrus is expected to wrap up a four season run next year, according to the 16-year-old’s dad and co-star, Billy Ray Cyrus.

In an interview for Access Hollywood and “The Billy Bush Show,” Cyrus said the cast, which just wrapped up shooting season 3, will carry on for one more run of shows at Miley’s request.

“Quite frankly, I give a lot of credit to Miley for taking it to another year,” Cyrus said. “She didn’t want it to just end with whatever was the last episode we did. She wanted it to build to where there’s a moral to the story, to where it doesn’t just end and go away and that’s it. She wanted there to be an official ending to ‘Hannah Montana.’”

Cyrus said they will film the final 11 half-hour long episodes and a one-hour long season finale, all expected to screen in 2010.

“We’ll start (shooting) season 4 sometime around the end of January,” Billy Ray said. “We have to be done by the first week of June in the summer of next year.”

Once again, it’s time for us to turn to our members for help with fund raising.

We need to raise $150 over the next six weeks in order to renew the following domain names:

SAVEWITCH.COM
MISSIONKIMPOSSIBLE.COM
KIM-POSSIBLE.ORG
SDSFORUM.ORG
SAVEKP.COM
SAVEKP.ORG
SAVELILOANDSTITCH.ORG
SAVEOURSTITCH.ORG
S-D-S.US
SAVEDISNEYSHO.WS
LEROYANDSTITCH.COM
SAVELS.COM
FIXDISNEY.ORG
ROBERTIGER.ORG
SAVELS.ORG

One of the members of the PotF Island forum one suggested: “For kids it might be easier just to send in small amounts of cash to you, then you could report how much money you’re getting. Then you could use the money for ad space, the website or anything else that would help the movement.”And that’s exactly what we plan to do.

If you’re old enough to have a PayPal account, you can make a donation directly to paypal@savedisneyshows.org. If you want to ensure that your donation helps a specific show, you can add a comment like “donation for KP ” so we know your intent. (You can use the paypal donate button on SDS Main to donate from a Credit Card without a paypal account.)

Or, you can mail a check, money order, or cash to me at this address:

SDS Fundraising
C/O Gregory Isaac
PO Box 893211
Temecula, CA 92589-3211

If you also include your email address in your letter, I’ll let you know when I’ve received it.

We know times are tough, but please give what you can, we can’t make this work without all of you.

D23, launched earlier this year, is the Official Community for Disney Fans.

The name “D23″ pays homage to the wonder and excitement that began in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his fledgling studio in Hollywood. D23 is the first official community for fans in Disney’s 85-year history. D23 gives its members a greater connection to the entire world of Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic through its quarterly publication Disney twenty-three; a rich website at www.disney.com/D23; a new collectibles line, The Walt Disney Archives Collection; and special events for D23 members throughout the year, highlighted by the D23 EXPO in Anaheim, California, September 10-13, 2009.

The D23 EXPO will give Disney fan unprecedented access to never-before-seen movies, TV shows, park experiences, collectibles and more from Sept. 10 to Sept. 13 at the Anaheim Convention Center. Tickets to the Expo are now available at http://www.D23Expo.com. Admission includes access to all experiences and entertainment at the D23 EXPO and can be purchased for single days or for the full four days of festivities. Admission is discounted for members of D23.

The D23 EXPO spotlight will also shine on Disney Channel’s brightest stars in a can’t miss-special event.

If you are a D23 member, or are planning to attend the expo, please let us know by completing this form.

SDS Webmaster Greg will be in Anaheim and will be coordinating possible meetings for those involved in our movements!

Looks like Disney’s learned their lesson and are actually going by ratings now. Good for them.

Official Disney Press Release:

Disney Channel has ordered a fourth season of the worldwide smash hit series and cultural icon “Hannah Montana,” a property that has triumphed in every frontier from television, music, concert tours and books to DVDs, consumer products and films. The announcement was made today by Gary Marsh, president, Entertainment, Disney Channels Worldwide. Production wraps on Season Three this week and will resume early next year on Season Four in Hollywood. The storyline for the fourth season will have the Stewarts grappling with saying goodbye to their beachfront Malibu home.

In making the announcement, Marsh said: “’Hannah Montana’ has become one of the most iconic series in television history. That is a direct result of the extraordinary collaboration between the show’s producers, writers and cast – all of whom constantly challenge each other to raise the bar, comedically, musically and from a storytelling perspective. In keeping with that approach, Miley and the producers have proposed a change of setting for Season Four that will provide the catalyst for wonderful new characters and further expand the storytelling opportunities.”

Starring are Miley Cyrus as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana, Emily Osment as Lilly Truscott, Jason Earles as Jackson Stewart and Billy Ray Cyrus as Robby Stewart. Mitchel Musso, whose solo recording album debuts Tuesday, June 2 on Walt Disney Records, will recur as Oliver Oken.

The wildly popular series, which premiered in March 2006, delivers an average of 4.4 million viewers per episode. An episode of “Hannah Montana” (August 17, 2007) is the highest rated series telecast in the history of basic cable television, delivering 10.7 million Total Viewers, 4.2 million Kids 6-11 and 4.1 million Tweens 9-14.

“Hannah Montana” has generated two double-platinum soundtracks that made history as the first TV soundtrack to debut on the Billboard Top 200, a #1 box office movie from Walt Disney Pictures, popular episodic compilation DVDs, a junior novel series, apparel, accessories and video games. In addition, Miley Cyrus headlined a sold out concert tour in which she performed songs from the series as well as songs that introduced her as a new solo recording artist. A 3D concert film, “Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert” in Disney Digital 3-D, is the #1 concert film of all time.

The series was created by Michael Poryes, Rich Correll and Barry O’Brien. The executive producers are Steven Peterman and Michael Poryes. “Hannah Montana” is a production of It’s a Laugh Productions, Inc.

Looks like we won’t need SaveHannah.com afterall.

Start Slide Show with PicLens Lite

It’s interesting to see the continued assent of power and influance that disney channel shows and Executives have both within and outside of the Walt Disney Company.

Source: Reuters

Disney Channel executives will make their first-ever full programing presentation to retailers on Monday at the International Licensing Expo in Las Vegas, in a nod of the cable network’s growing earnings power within the Walt Disney Co.

Disney Channel shows produced a greater share of global merchandise sales for the company in 2008 than any single franchise produced by its movie studios, which also presents its slate at the annual licensing show.

Merchandise inspired by Disney Channel TV programs, led by ‘tween phenoms “Hannah Montana” and “High School Musical” and preschooler hits “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” and “Handy Manny,” reached $3.6 billion in merchandise retail sales in 2008.

“Cars,” the best-selling line inspired by the Disney-Pixar film, peaked at annual sales of $2.5 billion last year and is expected to decline this year, Disney officials said.

Global sales of “Hannah Montana” and “High School Musical” merchandise grew faster in 2008 than any other Disney franchise and outstripped growth for the super-popular Disney Princess line, Disney Consumer Products spokesman Gary Foster said.

The cable network also has promising new franchises in “Sonny With a Chance” and “Wizards of Waverly Place”, which is why the company chose to showcase them “in a greater way”, Foster said.

Growth at the 94 Disney channels worldwide last quarter helped Disney’s cable business to 5 percent growth in operating income in the depths of the global recession.

At the same time, Studio Entertainment, whose upcoming slate of family movies usually dominates Disney’s presentation to the show’s 25,000 international retailers, will take a supporting role this year.

Disney’s studios have performed poorly in recent quarters as hits like “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “Cars” gave way to duds like “Beverly Hills Chihuahua,” “Prince Caspian” and “Bedtime Stories.” The studios’ operating profit plunged 97 percent last quarter.

Disney Channel’s presentation on Monday night focuses plans to support established hits, build up-and-comers and launch new properties, Disney Channel Worldwide President Rich Ross said.

“Our job is …to show people what we are excited about and … the commitment the company has … to tell stories that are popular,” Ross said. “TV has never done what TV is doing.”

Disney Channel plans to announce a fourth season for “Hannah Montana” and to report on the progress of casting for a fourth film in the “High School Musical” franchise, company officials said.

“Sonny With A Chance”, the top TV series among kids 6-11 and tweens, has been picked up for a second season, Disney said.

Source: AWN News

Home to the month’s No. 1 TV telecast with HANNAH MONTANA and the No. 1 TV movie with the debut of 75th original movie, HATCHING PETE, Disney Channel ranked as TV’s No. 1 network in Total Day in Tweens 9-14 (478,000/2.0 rating), a position held each week throughout the month in the key demo.

In addition, Disney Channel generated its largest audience in the daypart in 8 months (since August 08) in Total Viewers (1.5 million), Kids 6-11 (564,000) and Tweens 9-14 (478,000), making this month the network’s most-watched April ever in the key targets. Year to year, the net improved by hefty double-digit percentages: +15% in Total Viewers (vs. 1.3 million), +21% in Kids 6-11 (vs. 465,000) and +25% in Tweens 9-14 (vs. 381,000).

Disney Channel delivered the month’s No. 1 TV telecast in Tweens 9-14 with HANNAH MONTANA, as its original outing on Sunday, April 19 (2.1 million/8.4 rating) overshadowed both first run airings of Nickelodeon’s ICARLY for the month (4/11/09 - 1.9 million/7.9 rating; 4/22/09 - 1.7 million/6.9 rating) and all 8 AMERICAN IDOL telecasts on Fox. In Kids 6-11, HANNAH MONTANA was the month’s No. 2 live-action telecast on all of TV (2.0 million/8.0 rating), also surpassing every telecast of American Idol during the month.

In Prime, April 09 wrapped as Disney Channel’s most-watched month in target kid demos in 6 months (since October 08), ranking No. 1 for the 50th consecutive month in Kids 6-11 (953,000/3.9 rating) and for the 49th in Tweens 9-14 (804,000/3.3 rating).

Also impressive, driven by hit series MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE and newest entry SPECIAL AGENT OSO, the net’s preschool targeted Playhouse Disney block recorded the largest Total Viewer (1.3 million) and Kid 2-5 (504,000) audiences for an April ever in the daypart, climbing by a considerable 24% over year-ago levels in both categories.

Program Highlights

– The premiere of the net’s 75th original movie, HATCHING PETE (4/24/09, 8:00-9:40 p.m.) stood as the month’s No. 1 TV movie in Kids 6-11 (1.7 million/7.0 rating) and Tweens 9-14 (1.6 million/6.4 rating), and cable’s most-watched movie in Total Viewers (4.1 million).

– In Tweens 9-14, on an all-play basis, Disney Channel was home to the months’ Top 2 scripted TV shows with SONNY WITH A CHANCE (1.2 million/4.8 rating) and Wizards of Waverly Place (898,000/3.7 rating), and 4 of the Top 5 with HANNAH MONTANA (No. 4 — 822,000/3.4 rating) and THE SUITE LIFE ON DECK (No. 5 – 810,000/3.3 rating) added to the mix.

– In Kids 6-11, among all regularly scheduled series, Disney Channel delivered TV’s No. 1 scripted TV series for the month with SONNY WITH A CHANCE (1.2 million/5.0 rating), 3 of the Top 4 when including WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE (No. 3 — 982,000/4.0 rating) and HANNAH MONTANA (No. 4 — 968,000/4.0 rating).

– A consistent Top 10 player each week, in April 09 MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE ranked among TV’s Top 10 programs in core Kids 2-5 demo (No. 8 — 711,000/4.4 rating).

– Launched at the top of the month, SPECIAL AGENT OSO ranked No. 1 versus all TV in its time slot in Kids 2-5 (619,000/3.8 rating, M-Su, 8:00-8:30 a.m.), towering over runner-up Nickelodeon by 31% (454,000/2.8 rating — PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR, SPONGEBOB and FAIRLY ODDPARENTS).

Source: Nielsen Media Research, April 09: 3/30/09-4/26/09 — Live+7 blended with Live+SD unless otherwise noted. Telecast rankings based on Live + Same Day. Ratings based on national rating unless otherwise noted. All rankings sorted on 000s, then rating.

Source: News 3

Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that Savannah will be the filming location for the upcoming Disney film, The Last Song. The movie is expected to bring approximately 250 jobs to the state.

“I signed the 2008 Entertainment Industry Investment Act in support of our efforts to recruit film, music and digital entertainment projects to Georgia,” said Governor Perdue. “These industries are thriving and growing, boosting the state’s economy and employing thousands of Georgians.”

The script was written by noted author Nicholas Sparks. The production of the film will take place in Savannah and other nearby coastal locales. Julie Anne Robinson will direct The Last Song which is expected to start production in Georgia in mid-June and be completed by mid-August, 2009. Producer Dara Weintraub also produced another film in Savannah called The Clearing, which starred Robert Redford, Willem Dafoe and Helen Mirren.

Georgia’s new, more competitive incentives offer a 20 percent tax credit for qualified productions, which are then eligible for an additional 10 percent tax credit if they include an animated Georgia promotional logo within the finished product. The incentive covers more than just the film and television industries. The program also offers credits for commercials and music videos, as well as the first incentive in the nation to cover other areas of development including animation, interactive entertainment and video game development.

Nine feature films, two television series and one television pilot were produced in Georgia in the first quarter of 2009. A Sony Pictures produced television series began production in Georgia in April and three feature films are currently in production. Seven more feature films are slated for the state in the coming months.

The Film, Music and Digital Entertainment office, a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, assists local, national and international entertainment industries with expertise and resources. The staff points movie production companies to Georgia’s highly-trained crews, state-of-the-art facilities, and diverse locations. Georgia’s temperate climate and easy access afforded by Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, are also factors that attract the industry’s interest.

Since the inception of the office in 1973, more than 600 major motion pictures, independent films, television series and pilots, and TV movies have filmed on location in the state. As a result, over $5 billion dollars has been generated for the state’s economy.

Well, I think I’ll see how Miley’s HM movie does first, then I’ll coment on the new project.

The annual meeting of shareholders of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS), including remarks by management regarding the Company, will be available live via audio webcast at www.disney.com/investors beginning at 10:00 a.m. PDT / 1:00 p.m. EDT on March 10, 2009. A re-play will be provided through March 24, 2009 at 4:00 p.m. PDT.

I hope you all listen in!

Start Slide Show with PicLens Lite

I know very few of you will read the entire 2008 Disney Annual report. If you can make the time, I recommend it, but if not I’ve extracted the part relating to Disney Channel:

In 2008, Disney Channels Worldwide continued the momentum of the previous two years, building on the success of existing franchises High School Musical and Hannah Montana while introducing new animated and live-action series and original movies that captured the attention and imagination of kids around the world.

The Hannah Montana franchise was an important part of Disney Channels’ success in 2008. In the U.S. alone, the sophomore season of the hit series achieved an increase of 16 percent in total viewers over the previous year, while kids and their parents flocked to Hannah Montana concerts and fans around the world purchased soundtracks, DVDs and other merchandise to make the show a part of their daily lives.

In June, the Disney Channel Original Movie Camp Rock, starring teen sensations Jonas Brothers and rising star Demi Lovato, debuted in the United States as one of Disney Channel’s highest-rated original movies of all time, second only to High School Musical 2. The Camp Rock premiere was supported by a coordinated strategy of featuring content and marketing on air, online and on mobile phones. Camp Rock delivered the No. 1 entertainment telecast among cable networks for the 2007-08 season and was the No. 1 cable telecast of the year among Tweens (ages 9-14). Since its U.S. debut, Camp Rock has been introduced to enthusiastic audiences around the world.

Disney Channel continued to build on the popularity of the Jonas Brothers with the launch of the series Jonas Brothers: Living the Dream. The original short-form reality series not only gave the band’s fans a new way to watch them in action, it also created new opportunities for advertisers with premium online sponsorships.

Disney Channel scored additional success with the launch of the new animated hit series Phineas and Ferb and the live-action series Wizards of Waverly Place. Phineas and Ferb emerged as the year’s No. 1 animated series among both Kids (ages 6-11) and tweens, while Wizards took top honors as the summer’s No. 1 series among tween viewers.

Animated series Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Handy Manny continued to be hits among the preschool set. Each show delivered solid year-over-year increases in their young target audience (ages 2-5) as well as in total viewers.

The global success of burgeoning franchises like Hannah Montana and newer hits such as Camp Rock, Wizards of Waverly Place, Phineas and Ferb and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse drives revenue across the Company’s businesses, including Disney Media Networks, Disney Consumer Products, The Walt Disney Studios, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Disney Music Publishing Worldwide, Walt Disney Records, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Disney Theatrical Productions and the Company’s international distribution businesses.

Music from Disney Channel content is also featured in heavy rotation on Radio Disney, the only 24-hour kids and family radio network, now available nationwide in the U.S. on broadcast, satellite and cable platforms via live streaming feed from RadioDisney.com and on the iTunes Radio Tuner.

Source: Multichannel News

Disney Channel Tuesday said it has ordered additional episodes for the third season of Hannah Montana and a second season of The Suite Life on Deck—the network’s hit live-action series.

In the fourth quarter, Hannah Montana was basic cable’s top-rated series among kids 6-11 and tweens 9-14 and the No. 1 scripted series in total viewers. The Suite Life on Deck is currently ranks second among kids 6-11 and tweens 9-14 and is the third most-watched scripted series on basic cable in total viewers.

“The talent behind Hannah Montana has made it a true global sensation and cultural icon not just on television, where it topped the ratings on Disney Channels around the globe, but as a chart-topping music act and beyond,” Gary Marsh, president of entertainment for Disney Channels Worldwide, said in a statement. “We’re thrilled with the extraordinary performance of our newest series, The Suite Life on Deck, in the U.S. and globally, and we look forward to telling more great stories with this talented cast and production team.”

Since its premiere in September, The Suite Life on Deck has reached 27 million unduplicated viewers worldwide. Set aboard a luxury cruise liner, the series tells the story of teenage twins Zack and Cody Martin and hotel heiress London Tipton as they spend a semester at sea aboard the SS Tipton.

Why would they extend the third season if they where planning on making a fourth? I therefore theorize that DC is planning on ending HM with season three. But it’s just a theory.