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When we think of the milestones in a baby’s life — smiling, crawling, their first words — we often don’t think about the role of music. Yet, music can be a powerful tool for connection, development, and joy in a baby’s world. Whether it’s the soft lullabies at bedtime or the upbeat tunes during playtime, baby music can engage and nurture little ones.

Why Music Matters for Babies

Music can benefit babies by enhancing their cognitive, emotional, and social development. Here are just a few reasons why music is magical for babies:

Supports Brain Development

Listening to music can stimulate neural pathways in a baby’s brain that are linked to skills like language acquisition, problem-solving, and spatial reasoning.

Encourages Bonding

Singing to your baby can create a strong emotional connection as your voice becomes a source of comfort and familiarity. Plus, the rhythm and repetition of songs...

(Courtesy image)

SiriusXM is launching a new kid-friendly channel called Disney Jr. Radio, which will be available exclusively on the SiriusXM streaming radio app.

The channel spun up on Tuesday and is geared toward pre-schoolers, young kids and their families, with shows like “Mickey Mornings” from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. Eastern Time and “Disney Jr. Lullabies” in the afternoon and evening hours. The schedule is meant to “mirror a preschooler’s key moments throughout the day,” a spokesperson for SiriusXM said.

Related: Get three months of SiriusXM streaming radio for just $1

Programming on SiriusXM Disney Jr. Radio includes:

Mickey Mornings

Start your day the Mickey Way! Hosted by Mickey himself, the show inspires preschoolers to get dressed, brush their teeth, eat breakfast, and more so they can conquer the day. It also includes some motivational, light playful learning songs to listen to on the drive to preschool. “Mickey Mornings...

Share magical moments with your preschoolers on Disney Jr. Radio, a new channel available exclusively in the SiriusXM app that brings together the greatest characters, stories, and music from Disney Jr.

Disney Jr. RadioExclusively on SiriusXMListen on the App

Listen on the App

Disney Jr. Radio How to Listen

The ultimate destination for families with preschoolers to hear their favorite Disney music, tune in to Disney Jr. Radio year-round on the SiriusXM app for hours of fun listening for the whole family.

What You’ll Hear

Disney Jr. Radio is voiced by some of Disney’s most iconic characters and features hit songs from kid-friendly shows like “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,” “Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends,” “SuperKitties,” and many more.

Programming on the channel parallels a preschooler’s key moments in the day, providing the perfect mix of songs that get preschoolers up and dancing while inspiring learning and growth.

Ben Affleck has heard the conversations surrounding how he always looks mad in photos, and he has thoughts.

The multihyphenate stopped by Kevin Hart’s Peacock talk show, Hart to Heart, for its season four opener, where he discussed becoming a child actor after his parents discouraged it, being rejected by Beverly Hills, 90210 and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and working with Matt Damon, among other things. Toward the end of the conversation, the Oscar winner addressed what makes him seem upset in photographs.

“I’m also a little bit shy,” Affleck said on the show. “I also don’t like a lot of attention. That’s why people see me, and they’re like, ‘Why’s this dude always mad?’ Because somebody has their camera and sticks it in my face and I’m like, ‘Ok, here we go.'”

He admitted he doesn’t “give a fuck” if he’s...

If you don’t have kids, you may not have heard of “Gabby’s Dollhouse.” If you have a preschooler, it has likely become a welcome upgrade from the “Cocomelon” of your child’s nursery school days.

No intended shade at “Cocomelon,” the other monster hit for Netflix in the kids space. “Cocomelon” is simplistic animation set to familiar nursery rhymes — it’s a low lift both in terms of production and consumption. “Gabby’s,” a combination of (a little) live-action and (a lot of) animation, is a child’s entry point into storytelling and imaginative play. It was for my kids — and millions of others.

For 2023, the top 5 children’s series on streaming ranked like this, per Nielsen:

“Bluey” (43.9 billion minutes streamed on Disney+) “Cocomelon” (36.3 billion minutes streamed on Netflix) “SpongeBob Squarepants” (19.8 billion minutes streamed on Paramount+) “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” (13.9 billion minutes streamed on Disney+) “Gabby’s Dollhouse” (12.8 billion minutes...

One of the biggest kids series on the planet is coming to the big screen. DreamWorks Animation is in the works on “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie” and has set it for release on September 26, 2025 from Universal Pictures.

“Gabby’s Dollhouse” is the DreamWorks mixed media series for preschoolers that airs on Netflix and, according to Nielsen, was the most-streamed series that’s original to streaming in 2023. Each episode follows a girl named Gabby unboxing a surprise before jumping into a fantastical animated world of adorable cats living inside Gabby’s dollhouse.

Traci Paige Johnson and Jennifer Twomey, who created the series, are executive producing the “Gabby’s Dollhouse” movie. Ryan Crego, who earned a Children’s and Family Emmy nomination for his TV feature “Arlo the Alligator Boy,” is directing the film.

In the new film, Gabby heads out on a road trip with her Grandma Gigi to the urban wonderland of Cat Francisco.

For years, the running joke in media has been that if we keep inventing and bundling streaming services, we’re effectively going to reinvent cable. At first, it made sense to separate streaming titles; some were better for movies, some for TV, and still others for sport. At least one of them comes discounted if not free with the latest iPhone, while another is built into the subscription that gets you free shipping on toilet paper. But when it comes to quality and quantity of content, what streaming service really comes out on top?

Listen, before you go about choosing let alone ranking your streaming apps, you need to assess your streaming priorities. Below, four IndieWire staffers debate our top three streamers, acknowledging that each of us has different viewing preferences and lifestyles. But with a bustling streaming climate, rising prices, and wide-ranging titles, these are the kind of tough...

Exclusive: Coming off a three-year overall deal at Netflix, kids programming veteran Nancy Kanter is re-launching her production company, Available Light Productions, with several projects already in the works, live-action movie Wayward Girls; animated movie Penny Phantom, based on the novel Little Thieves by Margaret Owen; animated movie The Circus Ship, based on the picture book of the same name; and animated preschool comedy series Alexander the Post Fox done in partnership with Kevin Jonas.

Available Light Productions’s slate of original series and movies, which Kanter is shepherding with the company’s Head of Development, William Goldberg, are expected to be taken out to the broader kids, family and general audience market.

Additionally Kanter, whose Netflix deal ended at the end of January, has animated and live-action projects across both the kid and adult demographic still in development at the streamer where her pact started in the kids and...

Disney CEO Bob Iger’s bombshell July comments that the linear TV business “may not be core” to the company brought a lot of anxiety for those working at any of the Disney’s linear networks.

There was more reason for concern this morning when Disney and Charter announced a new agreement after 10 days of carriage disruption on the Spectrum cable systems. As part of the deal, eight Disney networks, including Fxx, Fxm, Freeform, Disney Junior, Disney Xd and Nat Geo Wild, are being dropped — probably the biggest such exclusion of established cable nets in a carriage negotiation — with Disney getting wide distribution for its ad-supported Disney+ Basic service on Spectrum as well as improved terms for the ESPN suite of networks.

The news raises further questions about the viability of the eight networks, which are losing almost 20% of their distribution overnight amid industry-wide shift from linear to streaming. In an internal memo,...

Barbie and Ken's rollerblades were a defining part of the "Barbie" movie, but they also presented huge challenges for the star-studded cast. The 2023 summer blockbuster is filled to the brim with unforgettable moments, but perhaps the most memorable is when Barbie and Ken enter the real world for the very first time on a set of bespoke neon skates. It's a difficult reckoning for the dolls when the real world makes a spectacle of them, and the two actors had a similar experience filming the scene. But it wasn't just the rugged reality of Venice Beach that made the shoot so difficult — it was the rollerblades themselves.

Now, the film's producer and star Margot Robbie has experience on a set of skates. She started rollerskating in her free time while shooting the biopic "I, Tonya," the actress revealed to Vogue. Her character Tonya Harding is an Olympian figure skater, so...

The long-running Disney Junior series “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” is being revived with “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 2.0” (working title), set to premiere in 2025. The new show’s description reads, “Mickey and pals welcome everyone back to the clubhouse for all-new adventures filled with songs, laughs, handy helping, and fun new surprises.” The Emmy Award-winning preschool targeted series originated in 2006.

New casting announcements have also been announced for upcoming Disney Junior shows. “Disney Junior’s Ariel” will star Taye Diggs as King Triton, Amber Riley as Ursula and Mykal-Michelle Harris as the titular star. The show is an animated musical series for preschoolers based on “The Little Mermaid,” following an 8-year-old Ariel and friends in the fantasy Caribbean-inspired underwater kingdom of Atlantica.

The new show “RoboGobo” will feature the voices of Cynthia Erivo, Valerie Bertinelli, Alan Cumming, Susan Kelechi Watson, Ana Gasteyer, Alison Pill and Dulé Hill in addition to a young voice cast.

A Raven’s Home resident, a Glee powerhouse and an All American coach are among the voices bringing Disney Junior’s Ariel to life in 2024.

Mykal-Michelle Harris has been cast as Ariel in the animated series, set to air on Disney Junior and stream on Disney+, with Taye Diggs and Amber Riley voicing King Triton and Ursula. Get a first look at their character designs below:

More from TVLineAhsoka Moves Up Premiere Date, Episodes Will Now Release at Night (!) Each WeekPercy Jackson and the Olympians Sets Release Date at Disney+ - Watch New Trailer Featuring WWE's Edge!TVLine Items: Og Power Ranger Returns,...

Hot dog! A signature Playhouse Disney/Disney Junior animated series whose catchy opening and closing songs are likely engraved into the brain of every parent with children born in the 2000s, is coming back. Disney Junior has greenlighted Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 2.0 (working title), a new incarnation of its former flagship series, to premiere in 2025. The announcement was made by Ayo Davis, president of Disney Branded Television, during the “Disney Junior & Friends Playdate” event at the Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim.

Disney Junior Ariel,(inset) Mykal-Michelle Harris

Other Disney Junior programming news made at the event included the lead cast for the channel’s upcoming Ariel animated series, with Mykal-Michelle Harris (Raven’s Home) in the title role, Taye Diggs (Rent) as King Triton and Amber Riley (Glee) as Ursula. In the recent Disney live-action movie The Little Mermaid, the parts were played by Halle Bailey, Javier Bardem and Melissa McCarthy,...

Most of the world knows Mark Hamill by sight. He played Luke Skywalker in the "Star Wars" franchise, an acting gig that has spanned over four decades. You might even have an action figure of him in your house right now. In addition, Hamill has slayed audiences with his voice work as the Joker in Batman TV shows, animated projects, and video games since 1992. Hamill's voice work (including his insanely accurate impression of "Star Wars" co-star Harrison Ford) is incredible, and while he won a Daytime Emmy for his role in "Elena of Avalor," he was never even nominated for the Joker. That's a crime, and it's unlikely to happen now that his Batman counterpart Kevin Conroy has died. 

One job he did get a Daytime Emmy nomination for was voicing Darth Bane in season 6, episode 13 of the animated series "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," entitled "Sacrifice." However, according to...

When Disney+ raised prices in December by $3 per month to $10.99 — a not-insignificant increase of about 38 percent — the users didn’t blink. (Ad-supported Disney+ launched and took over ad-free’s prior $7.99 price point at the same time.)

According to data from subscription analytics firm Antenna, 94 percent of previous subscribers to ad-free Disney+ service stayed with the product after the price hike, the Wall Street Journal reported. Or, to channel Queen Elsa of Arendelle, almost no one “Let It Go.” That’s an impressive avoidance of churn, or subscribers canceling a service.

That, along with recent comments from CEO-again Bob Iger, suggests Disney+ has room to charge its loyal consumers even more. And why not? Losing 6 percent of customers for a 38 percent increase in Apru (average revenue per user) is just good, solid accounting. It’s one way to speed up the crawl toward profitability by at least a few months.

Speaking...

If you're a parent, chances are you have an intimate knowledge of all things "Bluey," "Daniel Tiger," "Sesame Street," "Paw Patrol," "Arthur," "Peppa Pig," and the nightmarish curse known as "CoComelon." Pre-school programming is in a sincere heyday, and despite involuntarily flinching whenever you hear the "Hot Dog!" song from "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse," children's programming is the best it's been in years. As with all genres of entertainment, kiddie shows have also seen a resurgence in nostalgia. Millennials lost their collective minds when Steve returned for a "Blue's Clues" cameo, and all cried like toddlers once again when he gave us hopeful messages during quarantine. 

There's been some reassessment as of late regarding public opinions of beloved children's figures like "Barney the Dinosaur," but few could have predicted the return of one of the most polarizing figures in children's entertainment history. I'm talking about "Teletubbies."

For those that were too...

Disney fans young and old love a great adventure with Mickey Mouse and the gang. Over the years, Mickey and pals have headlined a variety of shows, each taking viewers on fun and fantastical adventures. The gang’s latest television hit is the Disney Junior animated series, “Mickey Mouse Funhouse.”

Mickey and the gang find the magic funhouse, Funny, in the woods. When Funny calls to them, they each hop in a car to race to their old clubhouse from “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.” From there the gang attaches their cars together to create the “Floaty Coaster” to fly to the funhouse. Funny then lets the gang choose between three themed doors for their adventure. The gang is then transported to a new destination and ready to solve any problem they might face. They come across friends, old and new, and Funny comes along too, morphing into different shapes to fit in.

Disney Junior exec Joe D’Ambrosia has been hired as executive vice president and general manager of Sony Pictures Television’s Silvergate Media. D’Ambrosia will be taking over for Silvergate founder Waheed Alli, who is stepping down from his post as CEO this summer.

In his new role at the Sony-owned children’s programming producer, D’Ambrosia will serve as Silvergate’s creative and strategic business leader, overseeing day-to-day operations of the company. He will work closely with the Silvergate team to drive continued growth and maximize opportunities to expand the company’s position in the market.

D’Ambrosia will report to Ravi Ahuja, chairman of global television studios and Sony Pictures Entertainment corporate development. He will begin at Silvergate Media on April 1 and be based in Spt’s Culver City, California headquarters, while also spending time with the company’s teams in New York and London.

Alli founded...

Will Ryan, a veteran actor who voiced Petrie in Universal’s animated film The Land Before Time and Willie the Giant in Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, died on Nov. 19 after a short battle with cancer. He was 72.

Ryan’s death was confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter by his talent agent, Nery Lemus. “The world is a little less bright tonight with the passing of Will Ryan,” wrote Lemus in a statement. “As much as he was known to many of you as a Disney icon, voice-over legend, gun twirling cowboy, musician/songwriter, a brilliant comedic actor, along with a ...

Will Ryan, a veteran actor who voiced Petrie in Universal’s animated film The Land Before Time and Willie the Giant in Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, died on Nov. 19 after a short battle with cancer. He was 72.

Ryan’s death was confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter by his talent agent, Nery Lemus. “The world is a little less bright tonight with the passing of Will Ryan,” wrote Lemus in a statement. “As much as he was known to many of you as a Disney icon, voice-over legend, gun twirling cowboy, musician/songwriter, a brilliant comedic actor, along with a ...

Disney Branded Television President and Chief Creative Officer Gary Marsh is stepping down after 33 years with the company. He will launch his own production company, which has a deal with Disney.

Under that pact, Marsh will make two new “Descendants” movies and a “Beauty and the Beast” prequel, as well as series “Tink,” “School for Sensitive Souls” and “Witch Mountain.” Marsh, who departs Disney proper at the end of 2021, will create content for all of Disney’s many platforms, including Disney+, Hulu, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, ABC, National Geographic, Freeform and FX.

While you might not know Gary Marsh’s name, you know his work. Marsh developed and shepherded iconic Disney shows like “High School Musical,” “Hannah Montana,” “Lizzie McGuire,” “The Descendants” and “That’s So Raven,” among many others. And parents owe him a debt of gratitude — it was Marsh who launched Disney Junior Channel and shows like “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,...

It’s the end of an era for Disney’s kids and family programming. Gary Marsh will be ending his 33-year executive tenure at the company when he steps down as President and Chief Creative Officer of Disney Branded Television at the end of 2021. He won’t be leaving Disney though — Marsh will be launching his own production company backed by Disney General Entertainment. Under a rich multiyear production deal, Marsh will be developing content for Disney’s streaming and linear platforms including Disney+, Hulu, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, ABC, National Geographic, Freeform and FX.

Marsh is currently finalizing the first projects on the inaugural development slate of his company, including two new Descendants movies, extending the popular Disney Channel movie franchise; the Beauty and the Beast prequel series starring Josh Gad and Luke Evans, which was recently greenlighted by Disney+; as well as projects Tink, a take on Peter...

'Monsters at Work' takes place the day after the Monsters, Incorporated power plant started harvesting the laughter of children to fuel the city of Monstropolis, thanks to Mike and Sulley's discovery that laughter generates ten times more energy than screams.

It follows the story of Tylor Tuskmon, an eager young monster who graduated top of his class at Monsters University and always dreamed of becoming a Scarer until he lands a job at Monsters, Incorporated, and discovers that scaring is out and laughter is in. After Tylor is temporarily reassigned to the Monsters, Inc. Facilities Team (Mift), he must work alongside a misfit bunch of mechanics while setting his sights on becoming a Jokester.

Produced by Disney Television Animation and inspired by the world of Disney and Pixar's Academy Award-winning 'Monsters, Inc.', the series introduces new monster characters alongside returning favorites. Ben Feldman stars as the voice of Tylor Tuskmon,...

Mike and Sulley are back and now in charge of turning scares into laughter in the first trailer for Disney+’s Pixar series “Monsters at Work.”

The Disney+ series takes place after the events of “Monsters, Inc.,” when the power plant started harvesting the laughter of children to fuel the city of Monstropolis, thanks to Mike and Sulley’s discovery that laughter generates 10 times more energy than screams.

“Monsters at Work” will premiere on Wednesday, July 7.

The series stars Ben Feldman as Tylor Tuskmon, an eager young monster who graduated top of his class at Monsters University and always dreamed of becoming a Scarer until he lands a job at Monsters, Incorporated, and discovers that scaring is out and laughter is in. After Tylor is temporarily reassigned to the Monsters, Inc. Facilities Team (Mift), he must work alongside a misfit bunch of mechanics while setting his sights on becoming a Jokester.

Disney+ announced its highly anticipated animated series “Monsters at Work” will now begin streaming July 7, with new episodes dropping every Wednesday.

“”Monsters at Work” takes place the day after the Monsters, Incorporated power plant started harvesting the laughter of children to fuel the city of Monstropolis, thanks to Mike and Sulley’s discovery that laughter generates ten times more energy than screams. It follows the story of Tylor Tuskmon, an eager young monster who graduated top of his class at Monsters University and always dreamed of becoming a Scarer until he lands a job at Monsters, Incorporated, and discovers that scaring is out and laughter is in. After Tylor is temporarily reassigned to the Monsters, Inc. Facilities Team (Mift), he must work alongside a misfit bunch of mechanics while setting his sights on becoming a Jokester.

Produced by Disney Television Animation and inspired by the world of Disney and Pixar’s Academy Award-winning “Monsters, Inc.,...

Disney+ has announced that Mindy Kaling has joined the cast of the highly anticipated animated series ‘Monsters At Work.’

Kaling will voice the role of Val Little, an enthusiastic member of the Monsters, Inc. Facilities Team (aka “Mift”). Bonnie Hunt will reprise her role as Ms. Flint, who was formerly in charge of training new Scarers at Monsters, Inc., but will now manage the department responsible for recruiting and training the funniest monsters to become Jokesters.

The series takes place the day after the Monsters, Incorporated power plant started harvesting the laughter of children to fuel the city of Monstropolis, thanks to Mike and Sulley’s discovery that laughter generates ten times more energy than screams. It follows the story of Tylor Tuskmon, an eager young monster who graduated top of his class at Monsters University and always dreamed of becoming a Scarer until he lands a job at Monsters,...

Mindy Kaling will lend her voice to Monsters At Work, Disney+’s upcoming animated series, a follow-up series inspired by Pixar’s Oscar-winning Monsters, Inc.

Kaling will voice the role of Val Little, an enthusiastic member of the Monsters, Inc. Facilities Team (aka “Mift”). Additionally, Bonnie Hunt will return to the franchise to reprise her role as Ms. Flint, who was formerly in charge of training new Scarers at Monsters, Inc., but will now manage the department responsible for recruiting and training the funniest monsters to become Jokesters.

Produced by Disney Television Animation, Monsters At Work takes place the day after the Monsters, Incorporated power plant started harvesting the laughter of children to fuel the city of Monstropolis, thanks to Mike and Sulley’s discovery that laughter generates ten times more energy than screams. It follows the story of Tylor Tuskmon, voiced by Ben Feldman, an eager young monster who...

A day after Nancy Kanter’s last day at Disney, Netflix announced an overall deal with the former EVP, Content and Creative Strategy for Disney Channels Worldwide, who launched and built Disney’s preschool TV channel Disney Junior.

Under the pact, Kanter will develop and produce animated and live-action projects — both feature films and series — targeted at kids and families through her company Available Light Productions.

For Netflix, brining on board Kanter, one of the most respected executives in the kids and family space, is part of a big push in family entertainment as the streamer is taking on the leading SVOD player in the space, Disney+.

“We’re very fired up about catching them in family animation — maybe eventually passing them, we’ll see, a long way to go just to catch them — and maintaining our lead in general entertainment that’s so stimulating,” Netflix’s founder and co-ceo...

Former Disney Channels Worldwide executive Nancy Kanter has signed an overall deal with Netflix.

Under the deal, Kanter and her Available Light Productions banner will develop and produce animated and live action projects, both feature films and series, for kids and families audiences on Netflix.

“Throughout my career I’ve challenged myself to think differently, imagine bigger and aim higher,” Kanter said. “I am delighted at this opportunity to partner with the innovative creators and executive team at Netflix who value those same aspirations, and I look forward to working with them to create new stories that will inspire the minds and touch the hearts of kids and families everywhere.”

Kanter worked at Disney for 20 years, but her departure was announced last April. She most recently served as executive vice president of content and creative strategy for DIsney Channels Worldwide. She established the Disney Junior brand in her time at the company,...

When it was revealed that The Mandalorian was five times more popular than anything else on Disney Plus, nobody was surprised in the slightest. After all, the Mouse House’s streaming service has always been lacking when it comes to engaging original content, but people sign up and tune in regardless based on the strength of the company’s back catalogue.

However, that’s all about to change in a major way, with the studio set to deliver on their promise to make streaming exclusives the number one priority. Following the recent Investor Day, we know that we can look forward to ten Marvel Cinematic Universe shows in addition to a holiday special and two animated spinoffs, eight live-action and two animated Star Wars projects, Mighty Ducks and Turner & Hooch reboots, live-action remakes of Peter Pan and Pinocchio, a Moana sequel series, solo outings for Big Hero 6′s Baymax...

Halloween is nearly upon us, and that means you’re probably looking for some spooky movies and shows to watch to get you in the spirit of the holiday. Of course, it’s easy to find a good slasher flick or psychological horror on various services, but trying to locate such content that’s family-friendly can sometimes be tough. The good news is, though, that you don’t have to look very far at all if you’re a Disney Plus subscriber, as the platform is filled to the brim with plenty of great Halloween stuff for viewers of all ages.

One option you’re certain to be happy to hear about is the 1993 comedy horror Hocus Pocus, which ranks as one of the most timeless Halloween classics of all time – proven further by its huge haul during its theatrical rerelease this year. This tale of a trio of evil...

It’s finally October and every streaming service is making sure subscribers have a lot of suitably spooky content to check out this Halloween. In the case of Disney Plus, the Mouse House’s service has this week launched its “Halloween” collection which collates every single Halloween-related movie, short film and TV special/episode that can be found across the site right now.

Many of your all-time favorite family-friendly Halloween watches are housed in the collection, too, like seasonal mainstays Hocus Pocus and Tim Burton’s A Nightmare Before Christmas. Countless Disney lovers also have a lot of fondness for the Halloweentown films, all four of which can be found on D+. Elsewhere, you can catch Eddie Murphy vehicle The Haunted Mansion, classic animation The Adventures of Ichabod and Toad and the Twitches twosome.

As for the many TV episodes available, there are special Halloween-themed editions of beloved shows like Hannah Montana,...

Exclusive: Nancy Kanter, Evp, Content and Creative Strategy, Disney Channels Worldwide, who launched and built Disney’s preschool TV channel Disney Junior, will leave the company at the end of January 2021 after two decades.

Gary Marsh, President and Chief Creative Officer for Disney Channels Worldwide, with whom Kanter has worked side by side for her entire tenure, just announced Kanter’s pending departure in a company email (You can read it below the post.)

The two agreed on a long transition to allow Marsh time to put together a comprehensive plan for the future at Disney Channels. Kanter is not expected to retire. After two decades at Disney Channels, shepherding content for kids and families, the well regarded executive felt she was ready for something new.

In his memo to staff, Marsh highlighted some of Kanter’s biggest accomplishments.

“Without a doubt, paramount among her many achievements is building one...

Russi Taylor, the voice actress behind the famed Disney character Minnie Mouse, died Friday in Glendale, California, the Walt Disney Company confirmed. She was 75.

“Minnie Mouse lost her voice with the passing of Russi Taylor. For more than 30 years, Minnie and Russi worked together to entertain millions around the world—a partnership that made Minnie a global icon and Russi a Disney Legend beloved by fans everywhere, said Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger. “We’re so grateful for Russi’s talent as well as the tremendous spirit and great joy she brought to everything she did. It was a privilege to have known her and an honor to have worked with her, and we take comfort in the knowledge that her work will continue to entertain and inspire for generations to come. Russi will be sorely missed and our hearts go out to her family and friends, along with our deepest condolences.

A new “Chip ‘n’ Dale” original animated series is in production at Disney +, the streamer announced Tuesday at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival.

In 39 seven-minute episodes, “Chip ‘n’ Dale” will feature Disney’s “much-loved chipmunk troublemakers in a non-verbal, classic style comedy, following the ups and downs of two little creatures living life in the big city.” The series combines a traditional style of animation with contemporary, comedic narratives. Jean Cayrol will direct, while Marc du Pontavice will produce.

Disney’s London-based animation team is developing the series in collaboration with Xilam Animation in Paris. Xilam Animation will also produce.

Also Read: 'Frozen 2' Trailer Reveals Elsa's New Adventure With Trolls, Giants and Ice-Crystal Horses (Video)

Disney + also released the logo for “Monsters at Work,” a “Monsters, Inc.” spinoff series, which will premiere in 2020. The series stars Ben Feldman as Tylor Tuskmon, with Billy Crystal and John Goodman...

Amidst the chorus of people saying that TV is better than it’s ever been, you’ll always find one person lamenting the decline of the theme song. While it’s true that the days of minutes-long intros with original songs and catchy melodies might be in the past, there’s no denying that shows are still finding memorable (and in a few cases, iconic) ways to open each episode.

Read More: The 20 Best Animated TV Shows of the 21st Century, Ranked

With that in mind, we set out to pick the best TV themes of the young century. Some of these are snippets from existing songs, others are new instrumentals that have quickly taken on meaning well beyond the shows they’re attached to. As DVRs and streaming services make it easier than ever to skip TV credits, there are plenty of songs and shows trying to keep the art of the opening alive.

Disney Junior has promoted Joe D’Ambrosia to Svp Original Programming. In his newly expanded role, D’Ambrosia will continue to oversee production and creative development of Disney Junior’s television properties, including Peabody-winning Doc McStuffins, Emmy-winning Sofia the First, Emmy-nominated and Annie Award-winning Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Goldie & Bear, Sheriff Callie’s Wild West, and the short-form series Minnie’s Bow-Toons. He reports to Nancy Kanter, executive…...

Disney Junior has renewed two hit series while greenlighting a pair of new ones.

The Lion Guard, which follows the adventures of Kion, the second-born cub of The Lion King‘s Simba and Nala, has been picked up for Season 2, as has the Goldilocks riff Goldie & Bear.

RelatedBig Hero 6 Animated Series Coming to Disney Xd in 2017

New to the preschooler-targeting cabler is Vampirina, an adaptation of Disney Publishing’s Vampirina Ballerina book series about a young vampire girl who faces the trials of being the new kid in town when her family moves from Transylvania to Pennsylvania. (What does she feed on,...

September 8th is shaping up to be another great week for horror and sci-fi fans as we’ve got a lot of great home entertainment releases to look forward to. The good folks over at Scream Factory have two great releases coming out on Tuesday, the Collector’s Edition Blu-ray of Wes Craven’s Shocker and Astron-6’s comedic homage to Giallo films, The Editor. For all you Jason Voorhees die-hards out there, not only do you have a special 2-Disc Collector’s edition of Crystal Lake Memories to look forward to, the original Friday the 13th films are also getting re-released in several double feature packages on Tuesday.

Other notable releases for September 8th include Supernatural: Season 10, Dressed to Kill from Criterion, Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV, and for those of you kids at heart out there, Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman is arriving on DVD as well.

DirecTV and Walt Disney Company reached a multi-year distribution deal, both sides announced on Tuesday.

Their renewal agreement gives the content provider’s subscribers access to Disney’s sports, news, kids and entertainment content across multiple platforms, including TV, gaming console, and smartphones.

Also Read: Disney, Cable Companies Strike Retrans Deal for ABC-Owned Stations

“This new agreement brings DirecTV’s already unmatched content offering and experience to a whole new level. It also allows both companies to evolve together into the future and gives DirecTV customers a wide range of in-home and out-of-home viewing options to enjoy the broad collection of Espn,...

A slew of classic Disney movies are hitting for the first time on Blu-Ray, including one double-pack release, and you’re going to want to make sure to pick these up. You haven’t paid attention to some of these titles for a while, and it’s about time you got the chance to catch them on Blu-Ray. The best part is that there’s a great mix of releases hitting. Bedknobs and Broomsticks is all but lost in the cultural consciousness, and it deserves a return. The Academy Award-winning movie from the year I was born is filled with a lot of fun and adventure, and like most Disney films, holds up well for a whole new generation.

The rest of the group covers a great spectrum, including two animated “big” titles, and a 10th Anniversary release. There’s a lot to expose your family to here, so check out all the info below,...

Disney Geek alert! While Mickey Mouse is busy celebrating his 85th birthday, his loyal gal pal Minnie Mouse will have plenty to keep herself occupied on the "Minnie's Pet Salon" episode of Disney Junior's Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (Friday, Nov. 22 at 9 am/8c). The plot finds the Clubhouse pals descending on Minnie for help to get their pets spruced up for Pluto's All-Star Pet Show.

Here's an exclusive TV Guide Magazine clip:

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What has children’s television come to be today? Mostly garbage! Dora The Explorer? That Dora The Explorer spin off? Mickey Mouse Clubhouse? I’m a huge fan of Mickey Mouse. I’m that twenty-two year old grown man who wears a Mickey Mouse watch, but if I hear that hot dog song one more time, I am going to lose my mind and Dora, please realize that The Map Is In Your Backpack, It’S Always There. What Is Wrong With You? I digress.

The humor, in my honest opinion, is watered down and closer to gone. What happened to the greats that raised most of us to become the awesome people we are today? They disappeared! Most of the shows on this list aren’t syndicated on television today. A few of them are, but what about the rest?

This is a personal list of shows that I watched growing up,...

Disney Channels Australia executives have some advice for up-and-coming screen producers: .Stories can come from anywhere. Don.t be afraid to think of a new platform..

That will be among key points presented at the Generation Next Kids conference held in Melbourne on July 22-23. Staged by the Open Channel and supported by Film Victoria and Screen Australia, the event is designed to serve as a launching pad for emerging screen and gaming practitioners.

Disney.s panel is entitled Storytelling in the Digital Space . Bringing Stories and Characters Alive on Multiple Screens.

.The digital space gives us opportunities to bring characters and new stories to life through non-traditional media such as gaming and digital publishing, .said panel moderator Leisa Sadler, General Manager/VP Branded Media Content Disney Channels Australia & New Zealand. .We can bring established characters into a fresh and contemporary environment as well as develop new characters..

That sounds...

The No. 1 cable company will flood its on-demand menu with children’s shows in July — part of an effort to demonstrate to parents that they don’t have to buy a streaming service from Netflix or Amazon to find programming that will keep kids occupied in front of the TV or a mobile device. The “Summer Of Kids” plan follows Comcast’s “Watchathon” event in March that highlighted the virtues of on-demand. In the new campaign, Comcast says it will offer content from “every major kids network and brand,” including more than 1,000 downloadable TV shows and films. In conjunction with the “Summer Of Kids” campaign, Comcast is introducing guides in collaboration with Common Sense Media to help families find age-appropriate fare. That should give parents “ultimate peace of mind for safer, smarter viewing across devices,” says Comcast Cable’s programming VP Maggie Suniewick. For the last two weeks of July...

These days, our knowledge of celebrities too often originates with paparazzi images and snarky quotes by anonymous "insiders." After a while, it's easy to forget that stars are real people. That's why HuffPost Celebrity decided to launch its all-new #nofilter quick-fire question-and-answer series. Because how well do you know someone until they've shared their guiltiest pleasures?

Tiffani Thiessen not only plays an event planner on USA's "White Collar"; the actress knows how to throw a party in real life, too. In honor of Earth Day, Thiessen teamed with Glad to host a bash celebrating its "One Bag" initiative, after which only one bag of trash was sent to landfill and the rest went to compost and recycling. We caught up with Thiessen, 39, to talk about her environmental efforts, bizarre fan mail and the many memorable storylines of "Saved By The Bell."

Why did you want to work with Glad on this campaign?...

Mickey Mouse is making his return to 2D animation. Disney Channel has ordered a new shortform series of comedy cartoons, titled Mickey Mouse, that aims to merge "classic comedy" with "contemporary flair." The series of 19 shorts will begin rolling out Friday, June 28, on Disney Channel, Disney.com, Watch Disney Channel and other platforms. Exclusive Video: Disney Channel's 'Phineas and Ferb' Welcomes Back Agent P Disney Channel also is home to the hit CG-animated series Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, aimed at kids ages two to five, but the shorts will be produced entirely in 2D animation and geared

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When Disney purchased Lucasfilm, they didn't just acquire the "Star Wars" franchise, they also gained rights to exploit "Indiana Jones". Now comes word that Disney's 'Mickey Mouse' will play 'Kansas City Mickey' on the Season 4 episode of the "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" animated series, airing March 8, 2013 on the Disney Channel:

"...when the legendary 'Crystal Mickey' goes missing, Mickey and friends go on an adventure to save the 'Clubhouse' from losing its magic. There’s no time to lose after greedy 'Plunderin’ Pete' snatches the legendary Crystal Mickey statue from the Clubhouse. Without this sparkly statue’s magic, the Clubhouse will disappear forever! Can the world’s most extraordinary hero 'Kansas City Mickey', get the magical statue back in time? Only with help from young viewers at home and the right 'Mouseketools' can Mickey journey across the 'Sandy Desert', brave the 'Rushing River' and make his way through the 'Hidden Jungle'. But...

The Crystal Mickey has been stolen! Disney Channel's Mickey Mouse Clubhouse spoofs Raiders of the Lost Ark (Friday, 9 am/8c) when a statue of the world's most famous mouse is snatched from the Clubhouse. This is no mere tchotchke. Without the statue's magic, the Clubhouse will disappear forever! The thief, it turns out, is Plunderin' Pete and he's way too dastardly for Mickey, Minnie, Donald and company to handle on their own.

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Friday’s premiere of Disney Junior‘s Sofia The First on Disney Channel ranked as the No. 1 preschool series launch in cable TV history in girls 2-5 (673,000/8.6 rating), adults 18-49 (948,000/0.8 rating) and women 18-49 (710,000/1.1 rating). It also was the No. 2 weekday preschool cable launch in more than 12 years in total viewers (2.7 million) since August 2000 behind only Disney Channel’s Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (2.8 million). In kids 2-5, Sofia The First virtually tied Doc McStuffins as the network’s No. 1 weekday series launch ever in kids 2-5 (1.0 million/6.3 rating). In November, the animated special Sofia The First: Once Upon A Princess delivered 5.2 million total viewers on Disney Channel, becoming the top cable telecast of 2012 among kids 2-5 (1.5 million/9.1 rating) and girls 2-5 (954,000/12.2 rating).