Lizzie McGuire, which chronicles the travails of a teen-age girl, has become a clear success for the Disney Channel. So why has the show ceased production, with its sets put into storage?

Because children's shows are repeated so frequently, the Disney-owned cable network normally caps production of live-action series at 65 episodes. In the case of Lizzie, the channel recognized it had a hit on its hands early and accelerated the pace to complete that order while the program's 15-year-old star, Hilary Duff, remained in her early teens. The question is how next to exploit the property.

Currently, the existing TV show - which also runs on ABC's Saturday-morning lineup - is only a part of the Lizzie empire. In addition to having spawned a licensing bonanza, Duff recorded a pop single, "I Can't Wait," through Disney's Buena Vista Records, and the song has received heavy airplay on Radio Disney, a radio network aimed at kids.

A Lizzie McGuire film is in production as well, which Disney will release theatrically in the spring. The Disney Channel also drew strong ratings earlier this year with a movie, Cadet Kelly, starring Duff.

Rich Ross, the Disney Channel's president of entertainment, noted the shelf life tends to be shorter on children's programs. The channel's niche involves targeting those in the 9-to-14 age bracket, who quickly outgrow even their favorite shows.

Even though the series is no longer in production, fans needn't fear missing it any time soon. Original episodes will keep showing up through 2003.

Brian Lowry writes for the Los Angeles Times, a Tribune Publishing newspaper.