Disney Family Classics- Part of Disney Online Streaming

Naturally, any Disney based network of mine will include an output for classic entertainment.  As far as series go the cornerstone will be the oft-forgotten animated shorts which would be packaged together under the name Mickey's Toontown.  Other series available on this classic network will be The Muppet Show, Zorro, Mickey Mouse Club and the television series that started it all Disneyland.

Other series will include the three cartoons that started Disney's television animation boom: Adventures of the Gummi Bears, DuckTales and Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers.  This network will also be the home of the award winning Disney Channel original Avonlea which deserves to be reintroduced to family audiences.  Also available will be highlights from the classic ABC series Wide World of Sports which should satisfy the need of any lifelong sports fan in the family.

Marvel Comics will be well represented on this network with their early efforts to introduce the public to their now legendary characters.  The Marvel line-up will start with The Marvel Super Heroes (featuring Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk and Namor), Spider-Man (featuring the classic theme song from 1967),  the enduring Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends and The Incredible Hulk (from 1982).

There will be plenty of movies available on Disney Family Classics including such all time classic features such as Old Yeller, Swiss Family Robinson and Pollyanna.  There many would be musicals such as Summer Magic, The Happiest Millionaire and the One and Only Original Genuine Family Band. As well as adventures such as Treasure Island, Kidnapped and the Fighting Prince of Donegal.  The available movies include lesser known animated features such as Fun and Fancy Free as well more modern classics like The Straight Story.  The network will make many movies such as Smith!, The Computer Wore Tennis Shoe, Barefoot Executive, Never Cry Wolf, The Journey of Natty Gann and Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken available to the public.

Disney Online Streaming

Last December Disney signed a deal with Netflix which was my main reason for me signing up with the service.  Get to watch a few classic animated films, several of their post-renaissance works and now their classic shorts (a subject to which I have devoted several blogposts to). However I think that Disney dropped the ball a bit by going exclusive with Netflix rather than starting their own streaming service.

Disney had similar initiatives such as the mail order Disney Movie Club and the television subscription based Disney Family Movies.  However in a post YouTube, Hulu and Netflix world they are not relevant.  But Disney does has a large enough library that is not getting used to their full potential.  Their brand name is much more recognizable and revered than any other studio or company, I really think that Disney would have been better off trying to start their own streaming service.

Disney could easily bring what was great about cable to the internet.  I often have a difficult time just filtering through all of the options of Netflix.  I think that Disney has enough desired quality programming that isn't being used on television, home entertainment or the internet to create a great online database of programming.

I would split Disney's programming into five different networks that will be part of one online subscription.  The networks will all be specific to genre and audience but as a whole they will allow the Mouse House to reach pretty much every part of the family.

The networks are:

Disney Schoolhouse- Educational and Learning Based Programming with something for the youngest of viewers and plenty of series and movies to watch as a family.

Disney Family Classics- Some of the most enduring programming from the past that still holds up in the present and remain relevant in the future.

Disney Comedy Channel- TV series, animated shorts and movies designed to make you laugh.  Sitcoms, cartoons and family comedies that are suitable for the whole family.

Disney FSF- The network for Fantasy and Science Fiction programming.  Anything outside of reality that expands the imagination goes here.

ABC Streaming- A network for young adults and grown-ups that can be blocked for children by the family's discretion.  A wide variety of some of the best television series and movies of the past thirty years.