Hannah Montana is an American teen sitcom that was created by Michael Poryes, Rich Correll, and Barry O'Brien, and aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between March 2006 and January 2011. The series centers on Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus), a teenage girl living a double life as famous pop singer Hannah Montana, an alter ego she adopted so she could maintain her anonymity and live a normal life as a typical teenager. Episodes deal with Miley's everyday struggles to cope with the social and personal issues of adolescence while maintaining the added the complexities of her secret identity, which she sustains by wearing a blonde wig. Miley has strong relationships with her brother Jackson and her best friends Lilly Truscott and Oliver Oken, who also become aware of her secret. Cyrus's father, singer-songwriter Billy Ray Cyrus, plays Miley Stewart's father and manager Robby Ray. Overarching themes include a focus on family and friendships, and the importance of music and discovering one's identity. The Walt Disney Company created the series to continue the commercial musical success of its television network after the premiere of its made-for-television film High School Musical (2006) and earlier musical series. Hannah Montana was produced by It's a Laugh Productions in association with Poryes's production company, and premiered on Disney Channel on March 24, 2006. A concert film called Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert, in which Miley Cyrus performs as Hannah Montana and herself, was released in 2008. The following year, the feature film Hannah Montana: The Movie was released. The series concluded on January 16, 2011, as a result of Cyrus's growing popularity and music career, and her desire to move into more mature acting roles. All seasons of the show have been distributed through digital download and on streaming service Disney+. Hannah Montana is one of Disney Channel's most commercially successful franchises; it received consistently high viewership in the United States on broadcast television and influenced the development of merchandise, soundtrack albums, and concert tours. Television critics praised the show for its humor and music. The program is credited with launching Cyrus's musical career and establishing her as a teen idol. Cyrus, however, began to develop an increasingly provocative public image, which led to the series received criticism for having a negative influence on its audience. Hannah Montana was nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Children's Program between 2007 and 2010, and Cyrus won a Young Artist Award for "Best Performance in a TV Series, Leading Young Actress" in 2008.