Disney is unveiling Monday the upcoming launch of its top-secret and long-awaited children's content service, Disney's Daily Blast. Available for a monthly fee on the Web, the site-cum-playground will also be available for free to the Microsoft Network's three million customers.
"There's been a lack of compelling content for kids online," comments Jake Winebaum, president of Disney Online. "We're offering a trusted brand, a trusted destination."
The service, which requires special plug-ins and a "smartcache" that lives on users' hard drives, will be offered as a beta on 9 April, and will officially launch on 23 April. Targeting kids ages 3 through 12, the site will provide comics, stories, games, kids news from ABC, and sports from ESPN. About 60 percent of the TV-style programs will utilize established Disney characters, although new and original properties will be created for the site. On the Web, Daily Blast will be available for a US$4.95 monthly fee, or $39.95 yearly.
Although Disney is the first major commercial venture to tap into the growing population of online kids, other big-name competition is just around the corner. Nickelodeon has plans to launch its own Web-based content network, nick.com, and PBS will unveil a children's site on Wednesday, pushing its popular TV characters and shows.
Disney estimates there are 20 million households that have Internet access and kids in its target age group. According to recent Jupiter reports, four million kids between ages 2 and 17 were online in 1996.
"Kids ages 3-12 have grown up with PCs. We feel they will become the Internet generation. They're going to own this medium," says Winebaum.
But Disney is also tapping into the current media paranoia about the perils that await wee stray surfers on the Internet. The site will link out to G-rated Web sites, but will provide no community areas where dangers could lurk. That means no chat, no bulletin boards, and no email services - although MSN is working with Disney on developing some kind of "moderated" chat area within MSN.
