Free Republic

In what Bloomberg calls a “digital push,” Disney announced that it is closing 23 of its 24 terrestrial stations, laying off nearly 200 people in sales and operations. (See the intra-company memo from GM Phil Guerini below.) Disney is shifting its efforts and resources from terrestrial to the broadly-termed “digital” realm, which in this case means program distribution on SiriusXM and online streaming platforms. The company maintains a Radio Disney mobile app. The strategy shift represents what Disney calls “the habits of the consumers we serve.” Inside Radio reports that only 18% of Disney’s radio audience tune in via AM.FM...

Way way back, I think it was about 1998, I made a prediction in Radio Ink that talked about how one day all of radio would be digital and online and we would see a time when AM and FM stations were no longer the primary means of distributing our programming. I went so far as to say that some would sell off their properties because they were no longer needed. I got lots of hate mail on that one. Yesterday, Disney, one of the world's most respected media companies, sent a signal to the media and advertising world that...

Radio Disney spokeswoman Patti McTeague insists the script change had nothing to do with censoring God. She told WND it was done to make the text understandable and because corporate policy requires including the name of the production company in any ad. The line "Chosen by God" was replaced in the 30-second spot with the line "From Promenade Pictures." Asked to respond to Disney's explanation, Yablans said, "They're saying that now because they got caught with their fingers in the cookie jar." The non-profit Christian legal group Liberty Counsel announced today it has launched a petition drive to ask Radio...