The Woman Behind Disney Junior

OHbaby! editor Rochelle Gillespie speaks to Nancy Kanter on her visit Downunder to launch the new look Disney Junior.

What's in a name? Well, quite a lot apparently which is why companies sometimes go through a naval-gasing exercise, inevitably spending thousands of dollars on consultants and focus groups, and decide that what they need is to be rebranded. Shell Oil is currently in the process of doing that here transforming itself into 'Z', and Sky subscribers will know that one of the most popular channels with the under-five set has undergone a similar identity overhaul recently - Playhouse Disney reborn into Disney Junior.  At face value it doesn't look to be much of a change, but look a little closer and you'll see the reason front and centre. Disney. It's one word that says so much about childhood, entertainment, family, and most importantly stories.

Nancy Kanter is the woman responsible for the rebranding exercise. Her official title is Senior Vice President, Original Programming and General Manager, Disney Junior Worldwide. When she took on the position in 2008 she decided it was time to take a step back. "The competition has changed so dramatically in the last ten years," she says. "We had to take a step back and ask what did we really want our preschool content to stand for?" The decision was made to put "Disney" first, because of the belief that it was "embracing what was quintessentially a Disney experience, and that's emotional story telling."

The pre-school market is by and large well catered for by television makers and programmers, but it's a highly competitive market.  Nancy Kanter says the Disney difference is that the characters stick with you. "They're the characters you'll want to introduce your own children to."  The emphasis is on story telling and characters, with learning thrown in for good measure.

Disney also considers its core audience to be from two to the slightly older seven. Kanter says while programmes are made for preschoolers, the educational factor is told through such strong story telling that it doesn't seem "babyish." She says school aged children "can smell when someone's starting to teach them something and it's starting to feel like school."

Disney Junior also boasts an engaging and educational website. Kanter says the website is an important extension of the Disney experience. There's an entire new media team who devise games for appropriate age levels and abilities.

If there's one question Nancy Kanter is well versed to answering when talking to journalists, it's how much television is OK?  The reality as she sees is that "TV is here to stay. Kids have been watching it for 50 years." How much children should watch "is really up to the family and we all have different needs at different times." She hopes children get strong incentives to exercise and eat healthily which is why the programming on Disney Junior will reflect healthy living. For instance, the new short-form series "Mickey Mousekersize and "Special Agent Oso: Three Healthy Steps." There's also an upcoming programme Kanter has overseen called "Doc McStuffins." But perhaps I was taking the fight-against-the-fast-food-machine thought a step too far when I asked if that name was a special reference to a particular fast-food establishment that starts with "Mc." Well, I made her laugh at least.  Apparently that was the first time she'd ever thought of it! And I apologise if it won't be the last.

Published June 9 2011