Found in nearly 100 million American homes, Disney Channel has been teaching children about good manners and responsibility for 30 years. Disney Channel hasn’t always been for adolescent audiences, though; it was also popular among adults and young adults when Disney Channel first aired in 1983. Disney’s programming aired for 16 hours in the beginning, from 7 am to 11 pm. In the morning, classic Disney cartoons were aired for children’s enjoyment. In the afternoon, Disney aired family-oriented shows that allowed families to sit down and enjoy themselves. In the evening, the channel switched gears, and directed shows towards adult audiences.
The first show that was shown on The Disney Channel was Good Morning, Mickey! This showcased classic Disney animations. The first year of its launch, The Disney Channel was available on 532,000 American televisions through basic cable. In 1997, The Disney Channel went through major branding changes. It changed its name from The Disney Channel, simply to Disney Channel. Disney Channel changed its logo, which featured Mickey Mouse inside the infamous Mickey Mouse TV frame. The logo now had color involved. The evolution of values that Disney Channel teaches has affected how children view the world.
Recent shows have depicted the reliance of technology in everyday life. This is showing children that you need technology to stay connected with the world. Past shows have had a more intimate family bond, while recent shows have had more disconnected family relationships, showing more intimate friendships. The Disney Channel has gone through many changes in recent years, only to adjust to the ever-changing American culture. The Disney Channel quickly evolved into the most popular, and easily accessible television station for animated shows, and shows appropriate for children.
That’s So Raven was about an African American family living in San Francisco. The protagonist, Raven, was a starving fashion designer, and a major diva, going to public school with her best friends Chelsea and Eddie. They went on crazy adventures, including camping out in the wilderness (Raven did not react very well to that one), meeting a popular boy band, even housing the popular boy band! Raven got an internship for a local fashion magazine. She also went on a reality TV show with her best friend Chelsea. This tested their relationship, but they quickly forgot about the disastrous ending of the show.
The show made their friendship stronger. The family includes Cory, Raven’s younger brother, and Raven’s mom and dad. The family is very close, and we constantly see them doing something together. One episode, Raven’s dad has a business trip, and Raven can’t sleep because she misses him so much. Another popular show that was popular in the early 2000s was The Suite Life of Zach and Cody. This show was about a single mom and her two sons, Zach and Cody, living in a fancy hotel in downtown Boston. Their mom sang at events hosted in the hotel, and that’s how they were allowed to stay in a suite there.
The hotel owner’s daughter, London, stayed at the hotel a lot of the time, and was constantly flaunting her newest outfits. Maddie, a middle class girl working at the candy stand in the hotel, is constantly being dragged around by London on her extravagant adventures, including stalking celebrities, and going to camp. This show has a totally different family structure. You see Zach and Cody being raised by a single mother. The father is rarely in the picture. The same goes for London. Her dad is always traveling, and rarely gets to see her. A more recent show, A. N.
T Farm, is about this young girl, Chyna Parks, who gets into a gifted arts high school, and is stuck among older teenagers. Technology plays a key part in this high school, so Chyna soon learns that technology is essential to success. Chyna is raised by a single father who is a police officer. Disney Channel quickly became a staple in teaching children how to function in society. Most of our families let us watch Disney shows to learn good manners, and how to respect others. Little did we know we were learning these things; we were too distracted by the actors and animations.
Disney Channel became popular because it was an escape for children. It also reached its popularity because parents saw Disney Channel as an easier opportunity for them to teach their children about good morals. The children loved the shows, and they were learning. What more could parents ask for? Children could escape into the city lives of these characters, and feel like they had a friend. The actors were everywhere: interviews, live chats, magazine covers, and radio stations. Disney Channel shows were the catalyst to introducing children to pop culture. Children looked up to the actors on these shows, and saw them as role models.
