DISNEY

Since 1983, Disney Channel has shaped childhoods worldwide, influencing style, language and personalities. Generations of viewers have been captivated by its characters, conflicts and music, creating a cultural impact that continues today. Even now, fans discuss iconic shows like Jessie and Hannah Montana, proving that Disney’s influence remains strong.

Characters That Inspired a Generation

Disney Channel introduced young audiences to empowering role models. Characters like “Hannah Montana” and the Rooney twins from “Liv and Maddie” showcased intelligence, humor and individuality. The show explored femininity as a spectrum through its foil characters—Liv, the stereotypical “girlie girl,” and Maddie, the sporty tomboy—helping viewers embrace their authentic selves.

Similarly, “Stuck in the Middle” followed Harley Diaz, a creative inventor from a large Hispanic family. Harley’s passion for science provided young girls with a positive example of women in STEM, encouraging them to pursue interests often perceived as male-dominated.

Relatable Conflicts and Life Lessons

Disney Channel’s shows resonated with young viewers by addressing real-life struggles, from friendships to family dynamics. In “Girl Meets World,” Riley and Maya navigated adolescence, highlighting the importance of talking to trusted adults and resolving conflicts through respectful conversations.
Meanwhile, “Phineas and Ferb” tackled challenges with a lighthearted approach. Despite the exaggerated premise of two brothers building wild inventions, the show subtly addressed perseverance, creativity and problem-solving in a fun, engaging way. Disney balanced humor with meaningful messages, keeping audiences entertained while teaching valuable life lessons.

Unforgettable Movies

Beyond television, Disney Channel created beloved movie franchises like “High School Musical” and “Teen Beach Movie.” These films became staples of Gen Z’s childhoods, offering both nostalgia and bonding moments with friends and family.

Movies like “Descendants” and “Adventures in Babysitting” introduced audiences to rising stars like Sabrina Carpenter and Sofia Carson, making the Disney Channel a launching pad for young talent. These films, still widely rewatched, prove Disney’s storytelling has stood the test of time.

Music That Defined a Generation

Music played a crucial role in Disney Channel’s legacy, embedding catchy, emotional songs into its shows and movies. Ballads like “If Only” from “Descendants” and “All I Want” from “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” continue to resonate with teenagers, capturing raw emotions about love and self-discovery.

Disney also shaped today’s pop music scene by launching the careers of stars like Olivia Rodrigo, Selena Gomez and Dove Cameron. The network’s emphasis on musical storytelling inspired countless young fans, including me. Watching Austin & Ally made me beg my parents for guitar lessons, sparking a lifelong love for music.

A Lasting Legacy

Disney Channel was the most influential Gen Z network, shaping culture through its characters, humor, and music. It provided life lessons, role models, and unforgettable entertainment. Without Disney Channel, childhoods and pop culture would be different as we know them.

PBS

“This program was brought to you by viewers like you, thank you.”

This phrase is engrained in the memories of countless people from diverse areas, backgrounds and ages. Whether you grew up in the 1990s or the 2010s or anywhere in between, PBS has played a large role in the childhood of millions. Founded in 1999, PBS Kids hosts some of the most iconic and famous children’s shows in American broadcasting history from “Curious George,” to “Arthur,” and even “Clifford the Big Red Dog,” all of this while being a nonprofit organization, getting money from donations and pledge drives to bring American children the shows they love. While a case can be made that the Disney Channel had a greater influence on culture, there is no question that PBS has a profound impact on the individual who grew up on PBS Kids, shaping who they are today.

Universal Appeal

The amazing part about PBS Kids is that all the shows they offer appeal to everyone. In the case of Disney Channel, shows like “Hannah Montana” or “Liv and Maddie” appealed to essentially only an audience of young girls, PBS Kids is different. If you name any show offered by PBS, you would likely find boys and girls alike from a variety of backgrounds that would enjoy and the show resonates with kids. This is because most PBS Kids shows have relatable characters, all serving a unique purpose and a normal plot that any audience can connect with. For example, a show like “Arthur” has a diverse range of characters from DW, Arthur’s snippy sister with an attitude, all the way to Binky, the classmate who can act like a bully but has a good side and a good heart. This wide range of characters really appealed to me as a kid because I could see myself and so many others in my life in these characters, which really resonated with me and sticks with me today when I look back on PBS Kids.

Beyond Children’s Entertainment

Looking past all of the amazing shows and their characters that entertained us as kids, the most amazing part about PBS Kids is all the things that the network did to teach kids meaningful things without them realizing it. So many people, including myself, look back on the show “Wild Kratts” with fond memories, as each episode brought a new adventure for the main characters, Martin and Christopher, to go on. Along with a captivating story, the show also featured a new animal every episode to captivate the learning minds of so many curious young kids out there. While so many kids would dread going to school during the day, they would come home to absorb the knowledge put in front of them in the form of PBS Kids. I could easily tell you that the fastest land animal is the Peregrine Falcon thanks to “Wild Kratts,” but I certainly wouldn’t have remembered that if I learned it in my first grade classroom.

PBS shows were also able to tackle hard hitting topics in a way that kids could understand and learn to deal with productively. Take the Season 13 episode of “Arthur” for example, when the Lunch Lady, Mrs. McGrady is diagnosed with cancer. The episode revolves around how each character deals with the news and how to help Mrs. McGrady with her condition. Usually, a children’s program wouldn’t dare touch a topic like this to be put in a kids’ show, but PBS Kids is different. They know that things like this do happen in real life and teaching kids a lesson about something sad, yet turning it into a heartwarming moment is simply something that only this amazing network could pull off.

PBS Kids brought innocent, entertaining and productive programs to kids across the country that at the same time had an emotional depth past the fun plot that kids can relate to and learn to handle in life. The channel has entertained children for over 30 years while also allowing them to learn while having fun. PBS is the defining children’s network of our generation and has served as a keystone in the early years of our lives to look back on fondly.