Disney began the shutdown of its two radio brands on New Year’s Eve.
The “Radio Disney Country” brand signed off at noon, while “Radio Disney” ended its current based format at midnight. Radio Disney will continue with a jockless presentation until January 22, with a more gold based playlist with the biggest hits from the history of the brand.
1110 KRDC/99.1 K256CX Pasadena/Los Angeles has switched from the now defunct “Radio Disney Country” back to the primary brand for now.
Thank you for supporting Radio Disney Country! Keep requesting music by women, streaming all the amazing songs by women, and buying concert tickets to see your favorite women live. We need YOU to continue the mission of amplifying female voices in country music. #LetTheGirlsPlay pic.twitter.com/6gKz2rJR9M
— Radio Disney Country (@RDCountry) December 31, 2020
Thanks for listening. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/o8RLmJ5q2P
— RADIO DISNEY (@radiodisney) December 31, 2020
Original Report 12/3: The Walt Disney Company will cease operations of its “Radio Disney” and “Radio Disney Country” brands in early 2021.
The youth and tween targeted brand debuted in November 1996 with the company utilizing mostly owned AM radio signals to grow in size. As streaming became more prevalent, the company began selling off most of its signals in 2014, but made now-expired partnerships to place the brand on HD Radio subchannels in many markets on stations owned by Beasley and CBS Radio. It would launch “Radio Disney Country” as a secondary streaming brand in the Fall of 2015, but would flip its remaining AM license, 1110 KDIS Pasadena/Los Angeles to it as KRDC in 2017.
Broadcasting & Cable reports that the end of the brands will impact 36 employees. 1110 KRDC will be sold as part of the shutdown.
Radio Disney and Radio Disney Country will cease operations in the first quarter of 2021. The announcement was made today by Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer, Disney Branded Television, who today addressed the 36 full- and part-time employees who will be impacted by the closure early next year.
Radio Disney in Latin America is a separate operation and is not impacted by the announcement today.
The difficult decision to close these two radio networks coincided with Disney’s recently announced structural changes that call for Disney Branded Television to sharpen its focus on increasing production of kids’ and family content for Disney+ and Disney Channels. Division leaders also took into account the fast evolving media environment that provides more personalized music choices than ever to a generation of young consumers, and the ongoing public health crisis that continues to affect in-person music events.
In the meantime, more youth and tweens will listen to whatever they want on Spotify. 😛
I’m wondering what will happen to their sirius xm feed.. as I know a few moms who used it for family friendly pop without the WAP songs and anything suggestive like on some commercial outlets or say hits 1.
I was just wondering the same thing
Supposedly, the SXM deal was already set to expire at the end of this year; presumably, there’ll be no renewal now.