Soon, a Disney channel aimed at boys
August 11th, 2008
From “Lizzie McGuire” to “Hannah Montana,” Disney Channel has long been the top network for girls. Now, Disney is rebranding Toon Disney in hopes that it will become the premiere network for boys.
In February, Toon Disney, the ad-supported cable network available in 70 million households, will morph into Disney XD, a channel targeting boys ages 6-14.
Programming will consist of a mix of live-action and cartoons, including shows about video games and skateboarding, aimed at drawing viewers away from the traditional heavyweights in the demo, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network.
The reason for the switch isn’t difficult to understand. Disney Channel has made periodic efforts to target boys through series like “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody” and “Cody in the House,” but its audience remains 65 percent female in the 6-11 demo.
By targeting boys 6-14, Disney XD has a chance to tap into a tween market with an estimated $25 billion in buying power, according to reports. There are some 15 million boys in this group, and they are heavy consumers of video games, with boys 9-12 spending roughly six hours a week gaming, according to NPD Group.That demo has already driven some gains for Toon Disney, which programs an animated programming block aimed at boys in the morning.
During this year’s kids’ upfront, Toon Disney saw an increase in ad spending, which a Disney spokesperson attributed to stronger ratings among kids 6-11 last year. Entertainment and video games saw the greatest ad spending increases.
This year, Toon Disney’s ratings growth has cooled off a bit. The network was down during second quarter among kids 2-11 and 6-11, and in July total-day viewership slipped 7 percent among 9-14s, from 55,000 to 51,000, according to Nielsen.
Still, it remains a top-five network across virtually every kids’ demo. Its current lineup consists mostly of older cartoons built on proven franchises, like “Kim Possible,” “Batman: The Animated Series” and “Power Rangers Jungle Fury.”
The new programming will better reflect tweens’ interests today, and some play off earlier Disney successes. The live-action “Aaron Stone” is a secret identity series like “Hannah Montana,” in which an unassuming teen becomes the real-life version of a popular video game character.
“Mongoose & Luther” follows two best friends who attempt to become world-famous skateboarders, and “Hero and Not” is an animated comic book-style show.
Toon Disney launched in April 1998 as an ad-supported network. It was an offshoot of Disney Channel, which originally began as a premium channel and later switched to a non-commercial basic cable network.