Premiere of Disney Channel's Original Movie THE SWAP is Ratings Hit in Key Youth Demos

By: Caryn Robbins Oct. 13, 2016

The Friday, October 7, premiere of the Disney Channel Original Movie THE SWAP (8:00 p.m.) is the #1 cable TV telecast of 3Q 2016 among all major youth demographics and its lead-out, a Halloween-themed episode of the Disney Channel comedy series "Bizaardvark" (9:43 p.m. EDT), is the #2 cable telecast of the quarter among Tweens 9-14, to-date, based on Live + 3 Day ratings. Both were presented during Disney Channel's annual "Monstober" programming event.

Starring two popular actors from Disney TV series, Peyton List (Disney Channel's "BUNK'd") and Jacob Bertrand (Disney XD's "Kirby Buckets"), "The Swap" is the #1 cable TV telecast of 3Q 2016 to-date among Kids 2-11 (1.6 million/4.0 rating), Kids 6-11 (1.3 million/5.5 rating) and Tweens 9-14 (1.2 million/5.0 rating), and the #1 telecast across kid cable TV networks in Total Viewers (3.1 million). For its premiere and encores to date, the comedy adventure has reached over 7.2 million Total Viewers, including 4.1 million Kids 2-14 and 1.9 million Adults 18-49.

Kicking off the family-viewing event, an all-new episode of "BUNK'd" (7:30 p.m. EDT) generated 8-month ratings highs in Total Viewers (2.2 million) and across key kid demographics, including Kids 2-11 (1.0 million/2.7 rating), Kids 6-11 (861,000/3.6 rating) and Tweens 9-14 (783,000/3.2 rating) - since February 12, 2016. Launch to date, "BUNK'd" has reached 65 million Total Viewers, including 24 million Kids 2-14 and 25 million Adults 18-49, generated 5.1 million consumer engagements via the Disney Channel app and an additional 4.3 million views across VOD/STB.

A new episode of "Bizaardvark" (9:43 p.m. EDT) delivered its second highest-rated telecast of all time in Total Viewers (2.1 million), Kids 2-11 (1.1 million/2.8 rating) and Tweens 9-14 (848,000/3.5 rating) - behind only its Summer 2016 launch (June 24, 2016) - ranking as the #1 cable TV series telecast of 3Q 2016 to-date in Tweens. Launch to-date, "Bizaardvark" has reached over 38 million Total Viewers, including close to 17 million Kids 6-14 and 14 million Adults 18-49. Across digital platforms, the series has generated 3.6 million consumer engagements via VOD/STB and 14.7 million views via the Disney Channel app.

"The Swap" was written by Charlie Shahnaian ("The Redemption of Henry Myers") and Shari Simpson ("Sweet Sweet Summertime"), based on the book of the same name by Megan Shull. It was directed by Jay Karas ("Brooklyn Nine-Nine" and "Kirby Buckets") and executive produced by Fernando Szew, Robyn Snyder and Gaylyn Fraiche of MarVista Entertainment; Kim Todd and Nicholas Hirst for Original Pictures; and Sean McNamara. Ric Nish serves as producer.

About Disney Channel Disney Channel is a 24-hour kid-driven, family-inclusive television network that taps into the world of kids and families through original series, movies and short-form. Currently available on basic cable and satellite in over 92 million U.S. homes and to millions of other viewers on Disney Channels around the world, Disney Channel is part of the Disney|ABC Television Group. Disney Channel-branded content spans television, online, mobile, VOD platforms and the Disney Channel App. Disney Channels Worldwide is a global portfolio of 116 kid-driven, family-inclusive entertainment channels and/or channel feeds available in 163 countries/territories, in 34 languages.

Photo credit: Disney Channel