ABC1 (UK)

ABC1
Launched	27 September 2004
Closed	26 September 2007
Owned by	Disney–ABC Television Group
Audience share	0.3% (September 2007, )
Replaced	Playhouse Disney +1
Website	www.abc1tv.co.uk (archive)
Availability (at time of closure)
Terrestrial
Freeview	Channel 15 (except Wales) (06:00 - 18:00)
Satellite
Sky	Channel 170
Cable
Virgin Media	Channel 161
UPC Ireland	Channel 506
Tiscali TV	Channel 21

ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney using the branding of the Disney-owned American network, ABC.

The channel had general entertainment programming with programming from the US parent channel, apart from the weekend morning programming block Playhouse Disney, which was aimed at children.

ABC1 channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004 but only from 6am to 6pm with the expectations to eventually broadcast 24/7 by 2010. The channel did not air commercials for the first few months to build up viewers In December 2004 it was launched on Telewest's digital cable service, and on 14 December on the NTL digital cable service.

In March 2005, ABC1 took its first advertisement from Procter and Gamble. Also in 2005, Sky started carrying the channel. In the summer 2006, a Playhouse Disney block was added to the schedule in the morning.

It was announced on 7 September 2007 that ABC1 would cease broadcasting on all UK TV platforms, due to Disney deciding to concentrate on their other channels and lack of primetime availability on Freeview. Despite being scheduled to close down on 1 October 2007, ABC1 ceased broadcasting on all UK TV platforms at noon on 26 September 2007; the final program on ABC1 was an episode of Home Improvement. However, on the 16th of February 2009, According to the Digital Spy forum. Mikay told that the channel was still on the channel list.

Although the channel was the only channel in the UK under ABC branding, it seems it will not be the last as Disney-ABC International television have announced plans to bring the US news channel, ABC News Now, to international territories including the UK in a similar style to Fox News.