When Disney Channel hit its adolescence in the mid-1990s, the cable channel underwent an age-appropriate, top-to-bottom transformation.
After 13 years as a pay service, Disney Channel accelerated the shift to the basic tier. Little kids were out as a primary target audience; tweens and young families were in under the new regime that arrived in 1996, led by former Nickelodeon and FX executives Anne Sweeney and Rich Ross.
A decade later, against all odds and the fickleness of its 9-14 target demo, Disney Channel is on a tear. The push into live-action original scripted programming has yielded a string of hits, including its first to reach the 100-episode milestone, "That's So Raven," and most recently, the "High School Musical" phenomenon. The made-for-TV toe-tapper, which some have dubbed "Grease" for the MySpace generation, exemplifies the Walt Disney Co.'s skill at turning successful TV programs and their stars into cottage industries extended far beyond the channel.
Industry insiders say the cable channel has become a leading creative force for youth entertainment that has gone a long way toward taking the Disney brand into the 21st century.
"I think what the channel does great in that they have found that sweet spot where traditional Disney values meet MTV culture," says Debra Martin Chase, executive producer of the Disney Channel movie musical franchise "The Cheetah Girls," starring "Raven's" Raven-Symone. "They do this in a way that is organically multicultural, in a way that reflects what our society is today."
Businesswise, Disney Channel is a cable cash-cow for its parent company, generating more than $700 million in revenue last year, according to industry estimates. But perhaps more importantly, it has taken off as a star-making platform for the young talent that filters through its shows.
Shia LaBeouf was the star of the first live-action series to have real traction, "Even Stevens"; in 2003 he starred in the successful tween feature "Holes" for Disney and in last year's "The Greatest Game Ever Played." Hilary Duff launched her multihyphenate career on "Lizzie McGuire," and she had a highly successful telefilm in "Cadet Kelly." More recently, the network is making stars out of 14-year-old twins Dylan and Cole Sprouse, who lead the cast of "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody," and Miley Cyrus, daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus and star of the newly launched series "Hannah Montana."
Disney Channel's growth during the past decade played a big part in Sweeney's elevation two years ago to the top television post at Disney, as Disney-ABC Television Group president and Media Networks co-chairman. At the same time, Ross was promoted from head of programming to president of Disney Channel Worldwide; more recently, Disney said Monday that Ross also will now preside over the Radio Disney Network, a 24/7 radio network devoted to kids, tweens and families that will become part of the Disney-ABC Television Group.
Gary Marsh, Disney Channel Worldwide president of entertainment, also has been a pivotal player in the channel's transformation.
Ross says he and Sweeney realized early on that Disney Channel needed a new strategic focus with its shift from pay to basic tier. While Nickelodeon was the 800-pound gorilla in the marketplace with kids in the 2-11 age range, Ross saw a big void in programming aimed at the slightly older kids that have long been a hard demo for television to reach. The term "tween" wasn't yet a household phrase, but Ross was confident that a new "kid-driven, family-inclusive" strategy would be the right path for the new-model Disney Channel.
"There were not a lot of entertainment options (for the tween demo)," Ross says. "We knew the way to get them was with live-action programming."
It started with original movies that gave them enough traction to move into live-action series with such shows as "The Famous Jett Jackson" and "So Weird." But it was with the debut of "Even Stevens" in 2000 that Disney Channel finally hit tween paydirt. That show provided a lesson to Ross and Marsh of the importance of sticking with an actor they believe in, even if it takes a few tries to find the right vehicle for his or her talents.
"The ('Even Stevens') pilot tested terribly -- (LaBeouf's) character was a depressed loner, and no one liked him," Marsh says. "But we were convinced he was a star, so we redeveloped the show from scratch as a comedy and picked it up straight to series."
Star quality is just one of the characteristics that Disney Channel execs look for when they're casting a show. They're also looking for a supportive family behind the child and always make it a point to meet their families before casting them, which tells them a number of things about the kids themselves, including whether they really want to get into acting or are being pushed into it, Ross says.
In addition, "we're looking for kids who are able to not just nail the part but also have the personality to transcend the role and define the character," Marsh says, also noting that "Raven" originally had a different title and star -- with Raven cast in the sidekick role -- before being reworked so that Raven became the star and the character's personalities were changed to better suit the actress' personality and talents.
Ross and Marsh note that it's important for the families to be included in the professional lives of their young star-in-the-making. Sometimes, the actors' family members will even become part of the cast. One example is "Hannah Montana," which also stars Cyrus' father, who joined the series after she got her starring role and the execs realized their father-daughter chemistry would be hard to beat with another actor in his role.
The way the Disney Channel execs see it, the network serves as sort of a talent incubator of young thespians for all divisions of the Walt Disney Co. For example, Raven-Symone also voices a role on the network's "Kim Possible," released a solo album on Disney's Hollywood Records, has roles in "The Cheetah Girls" and its upcoming sequel as well as in the company's feature film "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement," recently signed an acting and producing deal with Walt Disney Pictures and is a business partner in a "Raven"-branded consumer products line.
In the case of "High School Musical," the telefilm's script has been licensed for local student theater productions starting in the fall, Disney Theatrical Prods. has a 90-minute stage production in development for a regional tour and the movie and soundtrack already are a hit in such international territories as Australia, with the movie's debut across Europe set for September. In addition, the stars all have other projects in the works -- not to mention the "High School Musical" sequel, set to premiere next summer.
Michael Poryes, co-creator and executive producer of "Hannah Montana" and "Raven," says the channel's selective approach to development helps them focus on finding gems rather than volume.
"When they make a pilot, they really want it to go to series. ... They really get on board and make a concerted effort for your success, which is terrific," he says.
Fellow "Hannah" executive producer Steve Peterman adds that Disney executives trust the judgment of their creatives -- citing the fact that Miley Cyrus wasn't the most experienced actress who auditioned for "Hannah" but the execs agreed to take a chance on her "because we felt like there was something so special about her."
Marsh says the network's track record in fielding hits also has been aided by sticking to a handful of overarching guidelines when developing new series. For one, the show has to reflect the real world that kids live in -- everything from the clothes they wear to the music playing in the background. Shows must have comedic elements, but story lines also need to offer its youthful viewers some "navigational tools" for life, whether it's a practical matter of dealing with a bully at school or a more philosophical message about the importance of honesty and integrity.
Finally, Marsh says, Disney Channel shows must always present an optimistic view of the world, appropriately enough, and the shows must appeal to a range of viewers -- not just tweens but also younger kids as well as the adults who might be watching with them.
Whatever the formula, it's working for Disney Channel around the world. Among basic cable channels, Disney Channel has been No. 1 in tweens in primetime in the U.S. since 2000, averaging a 4.3 rating with the demo year-to-date.
"The channel has helped redefine what Disney means to the world. It's a 24/7 reflection of Disney," Marsh says. "We're showing that Disney can live in the real world as well."
Kimberly Nordyke writes for The Hollywood Reporter.
For more news from The Hollywood Reporter, click here.