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via Disney Junior press release:

DISNEY JUNIOR REACHES DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT WITH NCTC

Disney Junior, the new 24-hour channel for kids age 2-7, and the National Cable Television Cooperative, Inc. (NCTC) have reached an agreement for distribution. The agreement with the NCTC, which serves more than 950 independent cable companies, is in effect immediately, with individual systems set to launch the new network over the next 90 days.

“We are pleased to reach this agreement with the NCTC which offers significant benefits to the co-op by providing Disney Junior’s high quality, valuable and family-friendly programming to their operators’ line-ups,” said David Preschlack, executive vice president, Affiliate Sales and Marketing, Disney & ESPN Networks Group.

NCTC President and CEO Rich Fickle said: “Our members indicated that they have high hopes for Disney Junior as a quality choice in the children’s category. We are very pleased to have completed the deal.”

NCTC is the among the latest distributors to join the growing list of Disney Junior affiliates, which includes Comcast, Cox Communications, Time Warner Cable, Cablevision, Bright House Networks and Verizon.

The new channel, which launched March 23rd, showcases classic and new Disney characters and stories and embraces the same magical storytelling with heart that generations of fans have come to know and love from Disney Parks and Disney movies. Disney Junior also fulfills parents’ expectations for learning-focused programming that encourage social and emotional development as well as cognitive skills. The curriculum is guided by a council of academic experts in transmedia, storytelling, early education, language development, diversity, emotional learning, digital trends and literacy.

About Disney Junior:

Disney Junior reflects the emotional connection generations of consumers have to Disney storytelling and Disney characters, both classic and contemporary. It invites mom and dad to join their child in the Disney experience of magical, musical and heartfelt stories and characters, while incorporating specific learning and development themes designed for kids age 2-7. Disney Junior’s series blend Disney’s unparalleled storytelling and characters kids love deeply with learning, including early math, language skills, healthy eating and lifestyles, and social skills. Disney Junior launched in February 2011 with a daily programming block on Disney Channel. In its first year, Disney Junior posted the network’s biggest yearly audience in the daypart in Total Viewers, Kids 2-5, Boys 2-5 and Women 18-49, increasing by double-digit margins among preschooler demographics over year-ago levels. On March 23, 2012 Disney Junior added a cable and satellite channel in the U.S. bringing the total number of channels to 29 worldwide.

About NCTC

The National Cable Television Cooperative, Inc. (NCTC) is a Kansas not-for-profit corporation that operates as a programming and hardware purchasing organization for its member companies who own and operate cable systems throughout the U.S. and its territories. NCTC seeks to maximize current and future opportunities to ensure the profitability, competitive stature and long term sustainability of its member companies.