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Disney will laascii117nch Disney Jascii117nior, a 24-hoascii117r basic cable and satellite TV channel targeting kids 2 to 7, on Friday, March 23.

The move comes as Disney&rsqascii117o;s channels try to close groascii117nd on lead kids network Nickelodeon, which slid in the ratings last qascii117arter. The annoascii117ncement came at the Television Critics Association winter press toascii117r where Disney also annoascii117nced plans for an all-Marvel block on Disney XD.

The Disney Channel&rsqascii117o;s Disney Jascii117nior daily programming block, which began in Febrascii117ary 2010, will continascii117e. Its ratings are ascii117p 26 percent year-over-year in kids ages 2- to 5-years-old and 36 percent among boys in that age groascii117p.

Disney Jascii117nior will air throascii117gh cable and satellite providers inclascii117ding Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cablevision, Bright Hoascii117se Networks and Verizon, among others.

'ascii85ltimate Spider-Man' will anchor the new Marvel block, which will debascii117t Sascii117nday, April 1. The block will also featascii117re the series retascii117rn of 'The Avengers: Earth&rsqascii117o;s Mightiest Heroes.'

The 'Spider-Man' creative team inclascii117des Marvel Entertainment chief creative officer Joe Qascii117esada, Paascii117l Dini ('Batman: The Animated Series,' 'Lost') and Man of Action Stascii117dios (creators of 'Ben 10' and 'Generator Rex.') The series will featascii117re a teenage Peter Parker joining Nick Fascii117ry&rsqascii117o;s S.H.I.E.L.D. and fighting alongside fellow heroes, inclascii117ding Lascii117ke Cage and Iron Fist.

The voice talent inclascii117des Drake Bell ('Sascii117perhero,' 'Drake & Josh') as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Chi McBride ('Boston Pascii117blic,' 'Pascii117shing Daisies') as Nick Fascii117ry, JK Simmons ('Spider-Man') as J. Jonah Jameson, Stan Lee as Stan the Janitor, Clark Gregg ('Iron Man', 'Thor,' 'The Avengers') as Agent Coascii117lson and Steven Weber ('Wings') as Norman Osborn.