Family Jr.

Family Jr.
CountryCanada
Broadcast areaNationwide
NetworkFamily
HeadquartersToronto, Ontario
Programming
Language(s)English
Picture format1080i HDTV
(downscaled to letterboxed 480i for the SDTV feed)
Ownership
OwnerWildBrain
Sister channelsFamily Channel
Télémagino
WildBrainTV
History
LaunchedNovember 30, 2007 (2007-11-30), 16 years ago
Former namesPlayhouse Disney Channel (2007–2011)
Disney Junior (2011–2015)
Links
Websitefamilyjr.ca
Availability
Streaming media
RiverTVOver-the-top TV
Amazon Prime ChannelsOver-the-top TV

Family Jr. is a Canadian specialty channel owned by WildBrain. A sister channel to Family Channel, it broadcasts children's programming aimed at viewers aged 2 to 7. Legally, the channel operates as a multiplex service of Family Channel, stemming from its former licensing status as a premium television service; therefore, it is distributed at no additional charge to Family Channel subscribers. Along with its French-language counterpart, Télémagino, it was available in over 4 million Canadian households as of 2013.[1]

The channel launched on November 30, 2007, as a Canadian version of Playhouse Disney, under license from Disney Channels Worldwide (which had a library agreement with Family Channel at the time). It then rebranded under Disney's new preschool television brand Disney Junior in 2011. In 2015, Family Channel lost the rights to Disney Channel programming to Corus Entertainment: this resulted in the launch of a new Corus-run Disney Junior channel, and DHX's existing Disney Junior channel being rebranded as Family Jr.–a brand extension of Family Channel–in September 2015.

  1. ^ "Family Channel | Family Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD Available on Free Preview in March". Newswire.ca. March 1, 2013. Archived from the original on March 4, 2013. Retrieved August 6, 2014.