And once the network came into being, Disney movies were no longer offered to Home Box Office and other pay TV services.
THE MOUSTERPIECE THEATRE PODCAST MOVIE
After research uncovered an appetite among subscribers for more films, two additional movie periods were created, for a total of six each day. Nonetheless, realizing that long- term success depends on more than name value, The Disney Channel has adapted in order to survive. For a new cable service to enjoy such instant viewer identification is an undoubted advantage upon entering the market. Indeed, Disney is the only motion-picture company whose name defines its product: wholesome family fare emphasizing positive values and flights of imagination. Still, the broad outline of the channel's programming profile has not changed since its inception. Jimirro suggests that even ''Splash'' and other Touchstone films could be adapted for use on the service. Though a final decision has yet to be made, Mr.
The Disney Channel's broadcast day has been extended to 21 hours, and more time is being allotted to movies designed to appeal to parents as well as children. While the children may control the television set in many homes, only the parents can make the decision to subscribe to a pay-cable service - and write out the check each month. ''We're really trying to reach out for the family audience rather than just kids, especially in prime time,'' explains James P. Also, Donald Duck, Goofy and Pluto are being employed less as pitchmen for the service. For example, the amount of airtime devoted to promoting Disney's new Epcot Center in Florida has been reduced. The company has adjusted to the realities of the new marketplace, making some subtle changes along the way. Yet, the success of a single theatrical film, however welcome, is unlikely by itself to affect the company's willingness to invest large sums in the pay cable channel.ĭisney's initial 12 months in cable- program distribution have been a learning experience. ''Splash'' departs from Disney tradition by featuring partial nudity and strong language.
Today, while the cable operation continues to drain the financial resources of the company, Disney is enjoying its first motion-picture success in years: the comedy ''Splash,'' produced under the new Touchstone label, which was created to appeal to the more sophisticated movie-going audience. Rather, Disney was placing its hopes for a brighter future on attracting to the home screen the sort of loyal following that seemed to have deserted it at the box office. For the Disney outfit, creation of its own cable network meant more than a simple extension of its existing business. With rumors of takeover attempts directed at the parent company adding to the drama, the stakes are high and the outcome still in doubt. Indeed, it continues to invest heavily in original programming and aggressive marketing so that the projected break-even point - a total of two million subscribers - may be reached by the summer of 1985. Despite a loss of $48.3 million in its first year (which, according to company executives, did not exceed their original projections), The Disney Channel, the only pay-TV network devoted entirely to family entertainment, is not curtailing its involvement in made-for-cable fare. Walt Disney Productions' high-risk venture into Cableland has begun its second year, as an audience now totaling 916,000 subscribers pays between $7.95 to $12.95 a month to receive the service. Steve Knoll frequently reports on the cable television scene.
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