Disney Will Launch All-Cartoon Network

Mickey Mouse’s parent announced it will launch a round-the-clock cable cartoon network in the spring in a direct assault on the rival Cartoon Network.

Toon Disney will roll out April 18 and be offered only to operators already carrying the Disney Channel as a basic component. The move, announced Monday, by the Los Angeles-based entertainment giant underscores the success of Time Warner’s Cartoon Network, launched as a 24-hour channel more than five years ago.

The new network’s schedule has not yet been set but will draw on more than 2,200 episodes in the Disney library, including “The Little Mermaid,” “Gummi Bears,” “Darkwing Duck” and “The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.”

Toon Disney will face formidable competition in Time Warner’s Cartoon Network, which has seen its carriage level jump this year from 31 million to 47 million. The Cartoon Network’s library includes Warner Bros.’ Looney Tunes, HannaBarbera’s the “Flintstones” and “Jetsons” shows and several original series such as “Dexter’s Laboratory.”

The 15-year-old Disney Channel has 25 million subscribers through basic cable systems and an additional 5 million as a premium offering. Anne Sweeney, president of the Disney Channel, said the idea for Toon Disney grew out of strong viewer and operator support for additional cartoon programming targeted at children ages 2 to 11.

The channel will be available only in homes equipped to receive digital cable television signals, which enable a single channel to be split into multiple strands and offer additional programming. At present only about 3 million to 5 million homes are so equipped, but by April the number is expected to be larger.

Sweeney also said the addition of Toon Disney could entice cable operators looking for an incentive to carry the Disney Channel. Additionally, she noted, the extra offering should find wide acceptance as digital technology enables cable systems to offer customers a massive array of choices.