Radio Disney



Radio Disney, also known as Radio Disney Networks (corporate name Radio Disney, Inc.), is an American radio network that is owned by Disney Channels Worldwide, Inc., a subsidiary of Disney–ABC Television Group, a primary component of The Walt Disney Company's Disney Media Networks segment. Radio Disney Networks broadcasts three separated digital channels, Radio Disney, Radio Disney Country and Radio Disney Junior, via radio station's HD channel or by online stream sites. The original Radio Disney network play music and other content aimed at preteens and young teenagers; it can be described as a youth-targeted contemporary hit radio format with heavy emphasis on teen idols. Recently Radio Disney has become a Mainstream Top 40 Indicator reporter on Nielsen-BDS eventually being upgraded to monitored status with Nielsen-BDS. Radio Disney is also a monitored reporter on the Mediabase 24/7 Top 40 panel. The network is headquartered in Burbank, California.

Radio Disney is formatted like a traditional radio station, featuring prize giveaways (in which listeners can enter via telephone, the internet and since 2008, text messaging) and occasional in-studio interviews called "Takeovers," which usually occur during the weekday late-afternoon timeslot.

For many years Radio Disney affiliated with stations in markets of varying size, mainly large and mid-sized markets; however, since the early 2010s, it has started to withdraw from areas located outside of the 25 largest radio markets, owing to those listeners tuning in via either their website or mobile phone/tablet applications, along with the low adoption rate of HD Radio, which many Radio Disney stations have on their AM signals to match FM audio quality. On August 13, 2014, Disney announced that it would sell its remaining Radio Disney stations, with the exception of KDIS in Los Angeles. Disney announced that it would begin to syndicate Radio Disney through affiliations with HD Radio subchannels.

Background
Disney had for a long time be involved in the music business building off its success in movies and TV shows, which later became Disney Music Group. However, with radio, Disney was not committed to the medium only doing a few shows. Radio Disney is Disney's third foray into radio. In late 1955, Walt Disney started The Magic Kingdom radio show—running Monday through Fridays and which was heard on ABC Radio. Even before the 1996 Disney-CC/ABC merger, Disney and ABC Radio considered as early as 1992 planned for a children's radio network but dropped the idea. Starting on July 31, 1994, Disney started a weekend radio show, Live From Walt Disney World, that originated from both Disney World and Disneyland on Radio AAHS.

In November 1995, ABC Radio Networks and Children's Broadcast Corp. reached an agreement for ABC Radio to provide marketing and sales to Radio AAHS. After Disney's acquisition of CC/ABC, Disney had ABC Radio cancel the agreement in August 1996 plus announced the start of its own children's network and ended AAHS's Disney World broadcasting rights.

ABC Radio Networks
Radio Disney was test launched in November 1996 in four markets, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Salt Lake City and Birmingham, Ala., by ABC Radio Networks. On August 26, 1997, Radio Disney was launched in Los Angeles on KTZN-AM (710).

A nationwide roll out occurred in 1998 with 28 stations affiliating by August 1998 with an expected 63 stations by the end of 1999. Radio Disney purchased KAAM (AM) (Plano, Texas) for $12 million and switched the station to the network in July. In 1998, the network was based out of its Dallas station.

Other than music, the network in 1998 had "Mickey & Minnie's Tune Time," a 2-hour weekday toddler program and two 60-second features per hour which included contests, "ABC News for Kids", "Gross Me Out," a "gross" facts. The network ran its Radio Disney Project Family Initiative from July 1 to September 15, 2003 with family-themed programming and events to get family to sign on to the Radio Disney Family Pledge.



Radio Disney began being carried by SiriusXM in 2002. Disney entered a joint venture to launch Capital Disney digital radio channel in Britain and operated from 2002 until June 29, 2007. In 2004, Disney paid the former Children's Broadcasting Corporation (which operated fellow children's radio network Radio Aahs) $12.4 million in a lawsuit settlement.

2006 marked the network's 10th anniversary; Radio Disney rebroadcast its first hour of programming from November 18, 1996 on June 6, 2006 at around 4:58 p.m. ET on stations in select markets such as WQEW. Also, as part of the 10th anniversary, Radio Disney held the "Totally 10 Birthday Concert" on July 22, 2006 at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California. It also included a simultaneous live webcast on the Radio Disney website. A second concert was held in Dallas, Texas on November 18, 2006 at the Dallas Convention Center.

Disney spun off and merged on June 12, 2007 its ABC Radio Networks with Citadel Broadcasting into Citadel Communications while retaining its ESPN Radio and Radio Disney networks and stations.

Disney Channels Worldwide
Operational duties of Radio Disney were transferred to the company's Disney–ABC Cable Networks Group (currently d.b.a. Disney Channels Worldwide), which otherwise operates Disney's cable television properties, except for ESPN.

In March 2008, Radio Disney and Gracenotes signed a licensing agreement starting immediately that allow the lyrics be seen along with the song online on Radio Disney Internet Radio Player. The channel began streaming live on iTunes Radio Tuner in August 2008. In November 2008, Radio Disney relocated its main operations from Dallas to Los Angeles.

The network launched on October 8, 2008 the Next Big Thing feature which allows listeners vote on young unsigned artists' songs to be played. In 2013, the Radio Disney Music Awards began airing on the Disney Channel.

On February 14, 2011, a Radio Disney Junior block launched in tandem with Disney Junior on Disney block. The hour long block focus on music for the preschool age plus fun "audio theater" with Disney Junior characters.

Radio Disney started to reduce it station footprint to the larger markets to make the network more profitable. In January 2010, Radio Disney requested permission from the FCC to "silence" five of its owned-and-operated stations (along with a sixth station operating under a local marketing agreement with another company) while the stations were being sold. Disney sold six AM stations and one FM station that year. In June 2013, Disney announced the sale of seven owned-and-operated stations in medium-sized markets, in order to refocus Radio Disney's broadcast distribution on the top-25 radio markets.

Digital networks
On April 10, 2014, it was announced that Radio Disney's Top 30 Countdown would become a syndicated radio show, distributed by Rick Dees' Dees Entertainment. Aha Radio, Slacker and ShowMobile signed online carriage agreements with the network in mid-2014.

On August 13, 2014, Radio Disney's general manager Phil Guerini announced plans to sell all but one of its remaining owned-and-operated stations on or before September 26, 2014, in order to focus more on the network's programming, co-branded events, and digital outlets. Listenership reports indicated that the majority of Radio Disney's audience listened to the network via satellite radio and other digital platforms, and only 18% via terrestrial AM/FM radio. KDIS remains operational to serve as the originating station for the Radio Disney network. while the remaining stations would continue carrying Radio Disney programming until their respective sales were completed. The last five Radio Disney owned-and-operated stations for sale were sold on September 15, 2015 to Salem Media Group (who was the largest purchaser of the stations) for $2.225 million.

On April 13, 2015, Disney announced that the Radio Disney network would become syndicated through affiliations with HD Radio subchannels; the network will be distributed by iBiquity, with ad sales handled by its HD Radio Digital Network unit. A network representative that the move was intended to target families as in-car listeners. On August 6, 2015, Radio Disney was made available for listening on iHeartRadio platform.

Radio Disney launched a digital also spin-off channel known as Radio Disney Country on November 4, 2015. The channel primarily airs country music, with a wide focus on new and old material from popular artists, pop songs featuring country acts, and newer material. Guerini explained that the format of the channel was meant to allow it to draw from a wider range of songs than traditional country radio stations, owing to the format's "embrace" of rock and pop-oriented songs. By November 2015, Radio Disney Networks launched Radio Disney Junior channel digitally via the Watch Disney Junior app, Slacker Radio curated playlist and on iHeartRadio. Radio Disney Jr. consists only of eight hours of programming. On IHeartRadio, "The Alli Simpson Show" was also given its own stream on November 11.

Programming
Radio Disney plays a large selection of songs from stars and programs on Disney Channel, along with popular songs from mainstream pop and R&B artists that are found on conventional radio stations. The network airs edited versions of some Top 40 songs (which remove profanity and any other suggestive content) to make them appropriate for younger listeners. The specialized radio format favors music which often takes on a sound reminiscent of "bubblegum pop" of the 1960s and '70s.

Current programs

 * For the Record with Laura Marano- A weekly one-hour show hosted by Laura Marano, chronicling her journey as she launches her music career.
 * Maddy and Chase's Summer Break - Hosted by Maddy Coghlan and Chase Rosenberg.
 * Really Good Time - Airing on Saturday nights and hosted by DJ Lela B, the program features dance music including remixes of popular songs.
 * The Radio Disney Top 3 - The Radio Disney Top 3 airs nightly at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time, as of 2013 (the countdown had originally been broadcast at 9:30 p.m. ET). Hosted by Brooke Taylor, it features the three most requested songs of the day, and after, a caller who is able to name all three songs will win a prize or super entry.
 * Radio Disney's Top 10 (originally Top 30 Countdown and Radio Disney's Top 30) - The longest-running program, originally hosted only by Susan Huber, later by Jake Whetter and now by Ernie D. Songs that receive the most requests during the week are included on the countdown, played in descending order. In 2016, the Radio Disney Top 30, after being the longest-running program in the station, was shortened to only 10 songs. Around New Year's Eve or New Year's Day, a special version of the countdown featuring the 50 most requested songs of the year is broadcast. The Top 10 airs live on Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. with an encore presentation on Sundays from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern Time.

Former programs

 * Connect Family - Originally named Family Fun Day, the program was retitled early in April 2007 as Connect Family (borrowed from the network's on-air campaign of the same name); it was formally hosted by Ernest "Ernie D." Martinez and Blake Kuhre. Between songs, parents and children would discuss with the DJs how they spend time with one another, their family life and play contests for children to win prizes and entries into Radio Disney contests.
 * Frequency Jam - A Friday night program which debuted around 2002/2003, in which three songs would be played by DJs Ernest "Ernie D." Martinez or Brian Kuhre. The song with the most votes (via Radio Disney's website) would be the next song that would be played as the winner. Frequency Jam ended in February 2007 with the redesign of Radio Disney website.
 * Morgan & Maddy in the Morning - hosted by Morgan Tompkins and Maddy Whitby started on April 1, 2013
 * Move It Party - Saturday weekend show hosted by Morgan Tompkins and Maddy Whitby
 * Playhouse Disney - Playhouse Disney (originally "Mickey and Minnie's Tune Time" from 1998 to 2001) aired on Radio Disney weekdays during the school year from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. ET and was hosted by Robin, Tina, B. B. Good and Susan Huber from its inception; it was also hosted by Betsy. Playhouse Disney was originally a two-hour block, but was later reduced to one hour; segments featured in the block included Circle Time Story (originally "Mickey and Minnie's Storytime Theatre" from 1998 to 2001), which featured read-along stories from Disney movies and films. Like the now-defunct Playhouse Disney block on Disney Channel, it was targeted towards preschoolers. Songs from Playhouse Disney shows, Disney movies, and songs from other shows such as Sesame Street were played, along with contests with preschool-related questions, and questions about Disney characters. Classic Disney songs were also played during the Playhouse Disney block.
 * Radio Disney Junior - On February 9, 2011, it was announced that Radio Disney would debut a new children's block aimed at children 2–7 years of age and their parents. The music block ran from 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET, in the former timeslot of Playhouse Disney. It launched on February 14, 2011, to coincide with the premiere of the Disney Junior morning program block on Disney Channel. This block is hosted by Genevieve Goings from Choo Choo Soul.Choo Choo Soul is a children's entertainment act composed of singer Genevieve Goings as a hip-hop train conductor and her partner, Constantine "DC" Abramson, a dancer and beat boxer dressed as a railroad engineer. This block has moved to the WATCH Disney Junior app and expanded to eight hours.watchdisneyjunior.go.com/ Genevieve Goings also sings the Disney junior theme song "where the magic begins"
 * Up Late With ... Blake (April 1, 2013-) night show hosted by Blake Kuhre and included the "Dot Com Top 3"
 * The Wakey Blakey Show - A morning radio show hosted by Kuhre for 6 years from 2007-2013, providing the network with the largest block of hosted programming for 6 hours each weekday on a portfolio of AM/FM stations, XM/Sirius satellite radio, iTunes, and internationally to Canada via family.ca. Blake's show was integral to the synergy programming strategy with some of the most successful Disney Channel Worldwide franchises including Hannah Montana, Jonas Brothers, and High School Musical. Morgan & Maddy in the Morning replaced "The Wakey Blakey Show" in 2013.

Serial radio
In July 2010, Radio Disney debuted its first scripted serial called My Dream, a contemporary story ulitizing a format reminiscent of serials from the 1940s. Unlike Depression-era radio serials that typically featured episodes lasting 15 to 30 minutes, episodes of My Dream runs for only 90 seconds and play multiple times throughout the day. My Dream stars Daphne Blunt as a 14-year-old girl trying to make a name for herself in the music industry while dealing with the usual struggles, responsibilities and emotional ups and downs of an everyday teen.

Features and contests
Radio Disney carries a number of features from interactive contests to informational programs.

Current features

 * Music Mailbag - The hour-long Saturday program. After a new song selected for entry into Radio Disney's regular playlist was played, listeners were urged to call into the network's hotline or vote on its website to "Pick It" (make the song part of the network's playlist rotation) or "Kick It" (reject it as an entry into the playlist).
 * 60 Seconds With (actor/actress/artist name) - A segment featuring minute-long excerpts from interviews and celebrity "takeovers".
 * Code Word of the Day - The "Code Word of the Day" is given out about five times an hour. If a caller knows the code word when he or she calls Radio Disney's hotline (usually around 6:30 p.m. ET), that person is awarded a prize.
 * Grand Prize Drawing - Grand prize drawings often occur over the course of one to four weeks, depending on the contest. Contestants can win entries in a regular contest that contestant wins; contestants also periodially have the opportunity to win a "super entry", in which 100 entries for the drawing are entered into the contest. The winner of the grand prize will usually win a vacation, or a chance to meet a popular artist heard on Radio Disney or the opportunity to meet another celebrity. Drawings usually occur on a Friday.
 * "Gross Me Out," a "gross" facts segment
 * NBT (Next Big Thing) - This segment was hosted by Jake Whetter, and is similar to the former Incubator feature. Each year since the contest launched in 2008, Radio Disney plays new songs by five up-and-coming music artist that are contestants; listeners are able to vote for which contestant moves on to the next round of the competition until a winner is chosen.
 * Planet Premiere - A music artist sits down with Ernest "Ernie D." Martinez or Candice Huckeba as their newest album or song is played on Radio Disney. Before each song plays, the artist tells the listeners how the song was conceived, and what its meaning was.
 * Power Prize - The "Power Prize" occurs at least six times a day. A winner of a contest will not only win a super entry, but also a "power" prize. This started when Radio Disney stopped giving out prizes to every contest winner.
 * Radio Rewind - A segment of a song was played backward and callers would try to guess the name of that song. The song would usually be played forward after someone wins.
 * Sound File - The news on new music and artists (new entries appear weekly during the Top 10 Countdown).
 * Super Entry - Winners of a contest receive 100 entries into the grand prize drawing. When the "super entry" first started, the winner would get 40 entries.

Former features


Choo Choo Soul stars and host for Disney Junior radio at the 2016 White House Easter Egg Roll.
 * ABC News for Kids - News updates from ABC News Radio which featured child-appropriate news updates and features segments.
 * ABC Notebook
 * Aptitude Dude - voiced by Squeege.
 * Backwards Bop - A small excerpt of a song was played backward and callers would try to guess the name of that song.
 * Battle of the Cities - A trivia game hosted by Mark and Zippy. Two contestants from different cities would call in and the caller with the most answers wins.
 * Bumbling Bill’s Safety Spotlight - Bumbling Bill and his friend Sally (Susan Huber) talk about what's safe and unsafe. In a running gag, Bumbling Bill would often malaprop Sally's name. This program ended near the beginning of 2006.
 * Celebrity Take with Jake - A pre-recorded segment hosted by Jake Whetter, providing celebrity news stories focusing on actors and music artists popular with the network's target demographic.
 * Grandma Nature
 * Garage Door Derby - A contest hosted by DJ Aaron K. in which two callers would call in and participate in a race to see whose garage door closed the fastest. The first to say, "It's open!" or "It's closed!" would win a prize.
 * Gross Me Out - "Gross Me Out" was a longtime segment that talked about gross things which kids often like to hear.
 * Hairbrush Karaoke - Similar to the "Karaoke" game with DJ Kara. DJ Susan Huber would get a caller to sing karaoke on the radio, and then they would win a prize. This ended when Susan Huber left Radio Disney.
 * Hogwarts or Hogwash - A game played by DJ Aaron K. The correct caller must answer three out of four questions from the popular Harry Potter book and/or film series as true or false, by saying "Hogwarts" for being true and "Hogwash" for being false.
 * Incubator - A segment played between songs or during commercial breaks featuring interviews with up-and-coming music artists.
 * Karaoke - A contest held by retired DJ Kara Edwards. She would sing one line of a song and the correct caller would sing the other.
 * Laugh Shack - Kids would call in and leave jokes on the network's voicemail (or "earmail") number. The jokes would then later be aired on the radio.
 * Let's Make a Deal - Another game/contest hosted by Mark and Zippy. This was a parody of the television game show of the same name.
 * Theatre Of The B-zarre - An interstitial segment that ended around mid-2006, in which Dr. B and a hairball-like creature named Critter talk about strange and creepy things.
 * The Adventures of Bud and Iggy - A contest that centered on two unheard characters, Bud and Iggy, who are always getting lost. Clues were given as to what city the two are lost in. This longtime contest ended near the end of 2003.
 * The Answer is Always "C." - The DJ would give a caller a multiple choice question, or questions, but a winner would almost always be assured, as the answer was always the "C." choice.
 * The State Game - Three clues about a state were given out (the state nickname and two facts) and callers would try and guess what state it is. This game was played by B.B. Good and Sherry.
 * Thinkenstein: 2000 - A segment featuring Dr. Thinkenstein (voiced by Clint Ford) a wild, hyperactive scientist with a Karloff-esque voice, who routinely examined technologies and breakthroughs that other scientists were currently working on to improve the future. He frequently discussed his findings with his computer assistant, "I.gor" (nicknamed "E-dot").
 * Your Music, Your Way a.k.a. Your Music & Your Stars, Your Way

Radio Disney Music Awards
Since 2001, Radio Disney has held an annual awards ceremony, the Radio Disney Music Awards, to honor popular music artists featured on the network. Similar to the Teen Choice Awards and Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards, teenagers vote to select the winner of each category including Best Female Artist, Best Male Artist, Best Music Group, Song of the Year, Best New Artist, Best Band, Fiercest Fans, Artist with the Best Style, Most Talked About Artist and more. The most winners include Hilary Duff, Taylor Swift, Avril Lavigne, Miley Cyrus, Amanda Bynes, Fifth Harmony and The Cheetah Girls.

DJs
Radio Disney has had a number of different DJs since its launch in 1996. Below are a number of DJs along with their years of employment. Many Radio Disney DJs left the network around 2008, when Radio Disney moved its broadcasts and operations to Burbank, California.


 * Alli Simpson (2015–present)
 * B. B. Good (1998–2008)
 * '''Blake Kuhre (2005–2014)
 * Dean Wendt (1996–2001)
 * Giel (2003–2008)
 * Halicia Ashford (Hallie) (2009–2014)
 * Jake Whetter (2008–2013)
 * Just Plain Mark (1997–2001)
 * Kara''' (1997–2001)
 * Squeege (1996–2005)
 * Susan Huber (1996–2008)
 * Zippy (1997–2001)
 * Genevieve Goings (2011–present)

Radio Disney World Tours
In 2000 and 2001, Radio Disney launched two separate "world tours" that traveled to major U.S. cities including Atlanta, New York City, Boston, Dallas, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. In 2000, the tour featured up-and-coming talent (No Authority, Myra) and then Radio Disney DJs, Mark and Zippy. The tour played in theatrical venues and had audiences of up to 2,000 people per show (there were four shows each weekend in each city).

Stations
Despite being music-oriented, the network was carried primarily on AM stations. The Walt Disney Company owned most of the network's affiliates, though some stations were operated through local marketing agreements that had varying degrees of local management. The last separately-owned Radio Disney affiliate, WOLF in Syracuse, New York, left the network on February 1, 2014.

On August 13, 2014, it was announced that all of Radio Disney's remaining stations, excluding KDIS, were to be sold in an effort to focus more on digital distribution of the Radio Disney network. KDIS will be retained to serve as the originator of Radio Disney's programming, and its operations will be assumed by the network's national staff. However, Disney later announced that it would syndicate Radio Disney through affiliations with HD Radio subchannels.

Many former Radio Disney stations have diverse histories prior to the network affiliation. The call signs of Radio Disney stations (particularly those owned by The Walt Disney Company) were variations on the Disney name and that of Mickey and Minnie Mouse; at least one appeared to be named for Goofy (WGFY), and another after Walt Disney World (WDW).

This is the current list of stations for Radio Disney as of January 30, 2017.

Radio Disney History of #1s
These songs hit #1 on Radio Disney's Top 50 Songs from 1997 to 2015.
 * 1997: Will Smith - Men in Black (song)
 * 1998: Celine Dion - My Heart Will Go On
 * 1999: Britney Spears - (You Drive Me) Crazy
 * 2000: NSYNC - Bye Bye Bye
 * 2001: NSYNC - Pop
 * 2002: Avril Lavigne - Complicated
 * 2003: Hilary Duff - Why Not
 * 2004: Hilary Duff - Come Clean
 * 2005: Bowling For Soup - 1985
 * 2006: Hannah Montana - The Best of Both Worlds
 * 2007: Jonas Brothers - S.O.S
 * 2008: Jonas Brothers - Burnin' Up
 * 2009: Taylor Swift - You Belong with Me
 * 2010: Justin Bieber featuring Ludacris - Baby
 * 2011: Selena Gomez & the Scene - Love You like a Love Song
 * 2012: One Direction - What Makes You Beautiful
 * 2013: One Direction - Best Song Ever
 * 2014: Ariana Grande featuring Iggy Azalea - Problem
 * 2015: Shawn Mendes - Stitches
 * 2016: Daya - Sit Still, Look Pretty

Albums
The Radio Disney Jams series CDs are various artists compilations of music featured on Radio Disney.

International
Internationally, there are Radio Disney stations in Australia, Chile, Japan, Poland, Argentina, Paraguay, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Mexico. There are plans to resume broadcasting of a Disney-branded radio station in the United Kingdom, but this time under the 'Radio Disney' brand, aimed at a younger audience than its predecessor in the UK. On October 21, 2010, Radio Disney launched in Brazil. Since October 1, 2013, Radio Disney is available in Russia via Disney.ru. It plans to broadcast in the Philippines and Sweden in the near future.

Latin America
Radio Disney is available in Latin America via terrestrial broadcast. Similar to Radio Disney in the U.S., it broadcasts in Spanish to Argentina, Radio Disney Brasil, Bolivia, Chile, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Guatemala, Paraguay, Uruguay, Dominican Republic, Panama, Costa Rica and Mexico.

Europe
Radio Disney planned to begin broadcasting on the digital radio platform in the United Kingdom by the end of 2008. On July 6, 2007, Ofcom, the communications regulator of the United Kingdom, announced that the 4 Digital Group, a consortium headed by Channel 4 and featuring Emap, UTV, British Sky Broadcasting, Global Radio, Carphone Warehouse and UBC, had been awarded a license to run a new digital radio multiplex which would include Radio Disney as one of ten new national radio stations. On October 10, 2008, Channel 4 withdrew plans to launch 4 Digital, ending the probability of Radio Disney launching on the service.

A similar station, Capital Disney began broadcasting in 2002 on the DAB digital radio network, on Sky Digital (Digital Satellite) and various digital cable television providers in the UK. The station was a joint venture between the UK's Capital Radio Group and Disney. The idea being to use Capital Radio's programming experience to assist Disney in launching a radio station in the UK. In early 2007, both Capital Radio (by now called GCap Media) and Disney agreed to pursue different goals, and as a result, Capital Disney closed down on June 29, 2007.