DHX fleshes out new channels

Canadian children’s firm DHX Media has altered a planned rebrand of its TV channels, which will offer a mix of live-action and animated entertainment.

Anne Wood’s Twirlywoos

Family Jr, Télémagino and CHRGD mark DHX’s first moves in the channels market after it acquired the kids’ cable networks Family Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior last year.

DHX had initially rebranded the English and French-language versions of Disney Junior as Family Junior and Famille Junior respectively and 6-12-targeted Disney XD as Family XTRM, while keeping the Family Channel brand.

However, a DHX spokeswoman confirmed that the Family Junior, Famille Junior and Family XTRM names have been spiked in favour of Family Jr, Télémagino and CHRGD, respectively. Family Channel remains unchanged.

DHX has reiterated that the channels will debut this fall and will be accompanied by on-demand and broadband versions.

Preschool channels Family Jr and Télémagino will target 2-5s, carrying programming such as Twirlywoos, from Teletubbies creator Anne Wood, and the DHX Media-produced live-action, CGI-enhanced Teletubbies.

Disney content including Jake and the Never Land Pirates, Sheriff Callie’s Wild West, Henry Hugglemonster and more will remain, alongside other series such as Thomas & Friends, Justin Time and Strawberry Shortcake.

CHRGD, meanwhile, will be aimed at 6-12s and will feature series such as Mighty Med, Phineas and Ferb, Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero, Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures, Slugterra and The Deep.

Family Channel will feature Canadian and acquired series, movies and specials with titles including The Next Step and original programming from online youth network AwesomenessTV.

The Mouse House will still have a presence in Canada following Corus Entertainment’s long-term licensing agreement with the Disney/ABC Television Group, agreed in April.

Under the terms of the agreement, Corus secured the English- and French-language rights to Disney Channel’s content and is now gearing up to launch Disney Channel in Canada on September 1.

Following the launch of Disney Channel in the fall, select Disney-branded kids’ linear television channels will also be rolled out in the future as these brands and programming are transitioned to Corus.