Germán Groba, Programming Director of Disney Channels Latin America, spoke to Prensario about the strong performance of 2013—a year marked by major regional successes, most notably Violetta, the teen-targeted co-production with Europe that achieved international acclaim.

He also highlighted the success of Teen Beach Movie, which premiered in Latin America three weeks after its U.S. debut and ranked #1 on its premiere day among viewers aged 12 to 17 in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico (Ibope data).

“The achievements of our division are reflected in our ratings. The annual average shows that Disney Channel remained number one for the seventh consecutive year among kids' channels in the region across the following demographics: ages 4–55, households, teens and preteens aged 12–17, children and adolescents aged 4–17, and girls aged 4–11,” Groba emphasized.

Regarding Disney XD, he added:

“From July to September, it ranked second in Latin America among all basic cable channels in its strategic target of boys aged 4 to 11.”
As for Disney Junior, between July and September in Argentina (a country with high distribution), it ranked second among all basic cable channels in the target of girls aged 4 to 11, as well as women aged 25 to 49, households, and viewers aged 4 to 55.
“It climbed one position pan-regionally, now ranking fifth among the most-watched kids' channels for viewers aged 4 to 11,” he noted.

Content Trends and Strategy

“Programming trends are increasingly leaning toward the inclusion of regional content. Given the tremendous success of titles like Violetta, El jardín de Clarilú, and The U-Mix Show, we’ll continue producing this type of content that aligns with the tastes and interests of local audiences, to deliver stories that are more relatable and emotionally engaging,” Groba said.

“We’ll also continue to segment our content for specific targets to offer tailored experiences:Disney Channel is aimed at children aged 6–14 and their families.
Disney XD focuses on boys aged 6–12, with special attention to the 6–9 segment.
Disney Junior targets kids aged 2–7, emphasizing the preschool audience.”

He added:

“We base our programming strategy on the daily viewing habits of our audience. We consider not only their tastes and interests but also the customs and behaviors of Latin American children and families.
To match changing consumption patterns, we offer multi-platform entertainment experiences, allowing viewers to choose what they want to watch, where, when, and how.”

What’s Coming Next

For this year, Groba highlighted new productions across all channels:

• Disney Channel: Wander Over Yonder, Liv and Maddie, and a new season of Phineas and Ferb

• Disney XD: Star Wars Rebels, two new series (Mega Med – live action, and Avengers Assemble – Marvel), plus a new season of Ultimate Spider-Man

• Disney Junior: Sheriff Callie’s Wild West, and new seasons of Jake and the Never Land Pirates and Sofia the First

“We’re especially excited about the acquisitions and co-productions we’re working on in Brazil: Familia Imperial (a live-action series already aired on Disney Channel and Disney XD), and animated series Gemini 8 and X-Coração, which will premiere next year. These are just some examples of the types of projects we’re eager to continue promoting in the region,” he shared.

Looking Ahead

Groba concluded:

“We’ll continue to introduce new seasons of beloved franchises alongside new regional productions. We’ll keep supporting titles like Playground, Junior Express, and El jardín de Clarilú, among others.”

“Digital synergy is always part of our strategy. We want to give audiences the opportunity to access their favorite content on the platform of their choice. For those who prefer digital, we offer exclusive content on Disneylatino.com, our official Facebook fan pages, and mobile apps.”

“In that spirit, Disney Babble offers Latin American mothers additional content and new stories, allowing them to experience the Disney universe from a different angle,” he concluded.