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...

When Howard Stern begins his satellite radio career on January 9th, he may learn that he hasn't escaped the censors. Where terrestrial radio is sometimes disciplined by the FCC, satellite radio is governed by something far more malignant: The Orthodox Liberal-Left. At least, that was my experience with XM--the number one satellite radio service and rival to Stern's Sirius. I was aggressively sought by XM to do a show. But XM's left-wing programming officials' idea of what my views should be were far more restrictive than a governmental body properly trying to enforce decency in extreme cases. At XM, they...