BREAKING. MultiChoice expanding its relationship with Disney; set to add the Disney XD cartoon channel for boys to DStv in December.

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I can exclusively break the news by revealing that MultiChoice and Disney will be expanding it existing, exclusive TV content distributor and pay TV platform relationship in Southern Africa by adding more Disney TV channels - of which the new Disney XD will be the first additional Disney channel added to DStv from December.

Multiple sources aware of the deal and the new Disney channels roll-out, have exclusively confirmed to me that Disney XD - Disney's TV channel aimed at boys between 6 and 14 (and previously known as Jetix) - will debut on DStv in December. MultiChoice already has an exclusive multi-year deal with Disney who started broadcasting The Disney Channel (DStv 303) since September 2006 as one of its premium DStv channels.

According to various insiders, strong viewership for this popular kids channel (The Disney Channel consistently ranks as the number one most popular kids pay TV channel in South Africa) prompted MultiChoice and Disney to negotiate an expansion of the Disney TV brand on the DStv platform that includes more Disney TV channels like Disney XD. Disney is consistently ranked as ''a cool channel'' and a very desirable brand by South African tweens in surveys. Even press and journalists covering TV (like myself) were very suddenly, a week ago, polled about their thoughts about Disney, how much they know about the brand, their knowledge of The Disney Channel and the shows on it - presumably, possibly, in preparation of the launch of the new Disney channels in December.

As of yet I have no idea of what the channel number for Disney XD will be, although MultiChoice and The Disney Channel already slipped up when Disney XD promotional material and TV advertisements showed up on The Disney Channel for its soon to be introduced ''little brother'' spin-off channel promoting shows that's actually broadcast on Disney XD. MultiChoice insiders have in the past described ''the Disney people'' to me as ''finnicky'' and ''somewhat difficult'' since they were allegedly right from the outset of The Disney Channel in South Africa very particular about and around things like the perception management, the initial non-commercialization of the channel, and the protection of the Disney brand, more so than most similar TV content providers.

The new Disney deal marks a clear emphasis for MultiChoice on youth oriented and children viewing as a channel genre block which MultiChoice is now expanding. The addition of the upcoming new Disney channels will mean that DStv's kids channels will increase from 7 (Cartoon Network, The Disney Channel, Boomerang, Nickelodeon, CBeebies, Koowee, KidsCo) to 9 dedicated youth-centric TV channels. And remember when I broke the news in July RIGHT HERE that KidsCo (DStv 308) would be added, which only happened recently? A clear indication of MultiChoice's big investment in expanding its kids channels this year.

I have asked Disney for any comment or a response on this new Disney-MultiChoice deal through their local publicity agency but haven't had a response yet.

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