MUMBAI: The Walt Disney Company has announced that it is re-branding its Jetix channels in five more Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries.

Later this year, the channel is set to launch in Hungary, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Bulgaria that will increase the channel‘s distribution to 12 million households in the CEE region. The channel will be localised for the market with programming dubbed in local languages.In just two months following the series‘ debut in Hungary, Disney‘s Hannah Montana, Phineas and Ferb attracted an additional 391,000 viewers that propelled Jetix from No. 3 to No. 1 kids‘ channel.

 
Disney Channels EMEA executive vice president and general manager Giorgio Stock said, "CEE is a key market for the Walt Disney Company and launching Disney Channel is important to the company‘s strategic growth plan in the region.

"The performance of Disney Channel in Poland and the huge impact of the channel‘s content on Jetix have proven the demand for its kid-driven, family inclusive programming. We look forward to leveraging this demand, the power of the Disney brand and synergies with other Disney businesses to become the undisputed leader in the kids‘ TV market."

Targeted at two distinct age groups, kids aged between 2 to 5 and 6 to 14 and their families, the channel will offer CEE viewers a mix of programming including live action favourite Hannah Montana, the hit animated series Phineas and Ferb.