When “High School Musical 2,” the sequel to the hit 2006 made-for-television movie, made its debut on the Disney Channel on Friday night, it was a highly anticipated moment for millions of children across the nation, the New York Times reports.

It was also a satisfying one for the Disney Channel and its parent, the Walt Disney Company. Despite lukewarm reviews, the film’s debut drew 17.2 million viewers, according to preliminary ratings estimates from the channel. If those estimates hold up, it would make the debut of “High School Musical 2” the No. 1 television program of the week, on cable or network, as well as the most watched show of any kind in basic cable history.

The success of “High School Musical 2” is an indication of Disney’s long-term efforts to reposition its cable channel to appeal to the underserved 9-to-14 age group and to rope in youngsters for whom Mickey Mouse seems too babyish. For the time being at least, the movie has made a trio of fictional high school students named Troy, Gabriella and Sharpay as recognizably Disney as that 79-year-old mouse.

Rich Ross, the president of Disney Channel Worldwide, argued that the ratings achievements of the sequel pointed to the larger strength of the channel’s television movie business. He noted that “High School Musical” had been the channel’s 61st original movie. “People talk about ‘High School Musical’ as a franchise,” he said. “The franchise is the Disney Channel original movie.”

Read the full New York Times story

.(registration required)