User:Azeem1Hadzrie/History of Fox Kids/Jetix/Disney XD in the pan-Asian territories

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Disney XD started as an limited programming supplier in the Asian TV history, settling its origins as Fox Kids with a programme aired on a single STAR TV channel, then it expanded the brand as a channel or/and the block, which got affected by the rebranding of Fox Kids' channels worldwide. In 2009, Jetix was relaunched as Disney XD or Disney Channel in certain territories, it also affected both the channel and the block.

Here, this describes the history of what was known as Fox Kids, which was later Jetix, and finally Disney XD. Plus, it also includes the branded channels in the countries across pan-Asia.

Fox Kids' programmes distribution/the start of the block[edit]

Main article: Fox Kids/Jetix/Disney XD programmes before 2012 in Asia

During the 1990s, Star Plus/Star World aired Eek! the Cat, and was one of the children's TV shows from Fox Kids to be aired in Asia, airing towards weekends.[1] It also led to some Fox Kids Europe-distributed programmes to be aired on the channel. Most programmes from Fox Kids and Saban, such as The New Addams Family and Toonsylvania were aired on terrestrial channels across Asia, with Mediacorp's Kids Central being the notable case.

In 2000, the Fox Kids branding was rolled out to Asia as a block on Star World, replacing the unbranded children's TV block. It features programmes such as Biker Mice from Mars, Goosebumps, Spider-Man and X-Men. It was originally aired on Saturday mornings during its inception.[2] Sometime between 2004 and 2005, Fox Kids left Star World's schedule due to a rebranding of Fox Kids' channels and blocks worldwide.

In 2002, a dedicated Fox Kids block was launched on Star Plus in India. Its shows were fully in Hindi, like the main Star Plus channel. The shows feature Dennis the Menace, Dungeons and Dragons, The Fantastic Four, Iron Man, The Tick and X-Men (which the show was recycled from the Star World's version of the block of the same name).[3]

In January 2003, Disney Channel in Asia premiered four shows, with one being So Little Time (which was produced by Dualstar and was originally aired on Fox Family (now Freeform), which the distribution led to the show being aired on Fox Kids' international channels worldwide, and dropped in early February 2003), and another one being Alienators: Evolution Continues (under the international title Evolution: The Animated Series, which the show was on Fox Kids Europe-owned channels and on the Fox Kids block).[4]

Rollout of Toon Disney and Jetix in Asia[edit]

In April 2005, Buena Vista International Television signed a deal with Daewon and CJ Media to launch a Jetix-branded block on the CHAMP channel, which was set to launch on 2 May 2005. The block was scheduled to broadcast for one-hour.[5]

In June 2005, Star India will launch an Jetix block on Star One, under license and control from Buena Vista International Television. The block was launched on 2 July 2005.[6]

In August 2005, it was announced that Jetix was set to be launched as an block on Toon Disney in Japan, which the channel would launch in December 2005.[7]

In 2007, Jetix was introduced as a block on Toon Disney in India.

In August 2007, Jetix On Demand was added to mio TV (now Singtel TV), and was the first on-demand version of Jetix (which became Disney XD two years later) in Asia. The service costed SG$6.42 a month.[8] Laura E. Wendt stated that "This is the first Jetix-branded SVOD service in Asia, and we're pleased that, through mio TV, kids in Singapore can now enjoy Jetix shows that are 100% pure action, cheeky humor and heroic adventures".[9][10] Before Jetix On Demand's launch in Singapore in August 2007, Jetix operated blocks on Toon Disney (India and Japan) and CHAMP (South Korea). It was suggested that Jetix had its own block in Malaysia.[9]

It was targeted towards kids from ages 6 to 14 and offered 20 hours of content with an 25% refresh rate every month. Shows from Jetix Europe were included such as A.T.O.M., Get Ed, Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go! and W.I.T.C.H.[11][12] Other shows such as Pucca and Yin Yang Yo! will become the part of the on-demand service in the near-future.[10] Later, shows that were featured on Jetix On Demand became the part of Disney Channel's schedule in the entirely of Asia, along with many Disney XD shows (such as Aaron Stone and Zeke and Luther being added in 2009 and 2010 respectively). By August 2011, Jetix On Demand in Singapore was defunct (and was delisted on mio TV's On Demand channels' website) due to the launch of Disney XD.[13]

Yet then, other shows licensed from Jetix Europe were broadcast on other channels, such as Kid vs. Kat (aired on Nickelodeon) and Jimmy Two-Shoes (aired on Cartoon Network[14]) with Disney Channel having difficultes to carry both shows (Kid vs. Kat was finally aired on 5 December 2016 on Disney Channel).

The launch of Disney XD in pan-Asia[edit]

On 1 August 2009, Toon Disney and Jetix in Japan was rebranded as Disney XD. When Disney XD launched in Japan, one of its programmes were Goosebumps, which was recycled from the Star World's Fox Kids block in Asia.

On 14 November 2009, Toon Disney and Jetix were also rebranded as Disney XD in India on Children's Day 2009.[15][16][17]

In May 2011, Disney XD Japan aired Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl.[18]

On 15 September 2012, Disney XD was originally launched in Malaysia at 7:30am as a joint-venture between The Walt Disney Company and Astro. The channel featured content that targeted ages from 6 to 14, and aired programmes such as Iron Man: Armored Adventures, Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil, Kickin' It, Motorcity, Phineas and Ferb, Sasuke (titled as Ninja Warrior), Tron: Uprising and Ultimate Spider-Man.[19][20][21]

On 26 November 2012, Disney XD in Southeast Asia aired the English dubbed version of Ryukendo, which in Southeast Asia, Cartoon Network Philippines had originally aired the programme and in India, it was aired on the localized Disney XD during the year.[22][23]

On 16 March 2013, Disney XD was launched in Singapore via StarHub TV.[24]

On 23 March 2013, Disney XD Asia premiered the TV series Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja and was aired every Saturday at 9:30am.[25]

On 1 June 2013, Disney XD Asia was launched on mio TV (now Singtel TV) along with its sister channels Disney Channel and Disney Junior. It was also available in English and Mandarin.[26]

In Thailand, the channel was launched in 2013 on the TrueVisions platform.[27] It was launched in Indonesia during the same year. On 31 May 2014, Disney XD was launched in the Philippines. It was operated via Cignal and was distributed by ACCION.[28]

Disney XD's Asian downfall and closure by Disney+[edit]

In June 2015, Disney XD Asia premiered Rocket Monkeys, Takeshi's Castle and Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo, the first two shows was aired on 1 June while the latter will air on 8 June. Rocket Monkeys was originally aired on Nickelodeon in Asia.[29]

On 13 July 2015, Disney XD Asia started to air the English dub of Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers on weekdays.[30]

On 25 February 2016, the channel aired Gamer's Guide to Pretty Much Everything, which the show was being an Disney XD Original.[31]

Sometime between May to June 2016, Disney XD Asia aired Pokémon the Series: Black and White via The Rise of the Toons block, which the show was originally aired on TV Tokyo.[32][33] The series was premiered on June 4.[34]

On 21 January 2018, Disney XD Asia premiered the 2017 TV revival of DuckTales, which was premiered on Disney Channel Asia on the same day.[35]

On 20 January 2019, Disney XD India was rebranded as Marvel HQ (now Super Hungama), fully airing Marvel shows with some non-Marvel programming.[36]

On 1 March 2019, Disney XD Asia was fully upgraded to HD on Astro. This led to the original SD version closing down in favor of this.[37]

On 25 May 2020, Disney XD Asia began to air the Indonesian children's TV series Kiko, made by MNC Animation. The series was aired at 10am and at 1pm on Fridays.[38]

On 1 June 2020, Disney XD Asia, along with its sister channels ceased broadcast in Singapore at midnight. On 12 May 2020, Singtel TV broadcast a message to the Disney channels stating that these channels will ceased broadcast in Singapore.[39]

On 13 October 2020, it was announced that Disney XD would close its operations in Japan on 31 January 2021 at midnight due to the launch of Disney+ in the region.[40] The final programme was a episode of Pickle & Peanut, followed by an 9-minute long tribute to the channel, which then ends with the testcard. Most of its programmes continued to air on Disney Channel and on Disney+.

On 31 December 2020, Disney XD Asia was closed down at midnight due to the expansion of Disney+ internationally.[41][42] The final programme was a episode of Counterfeit Cat, then a episode of The Tiniest Man in the World entitled "Ice Cream". After the episode, it shows the Pixar Perfect Weekends promo from Disney Channel, then it shows selection of idents and bumpers before being cut to the Have a Laugh Blam! clips (with the first one start with the TX clock).

References[edit]

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